Piedmont River Smallies and surprise Striper - Dan River

8/31/2010   I had a decision to make and was having a hard time making it. Should I go east or west to fish on my day off, and if I go east should I fish the Neuse River or a creek that feeds the Neuse?....If I go west should I fish a small river for smallies or should I fish a bigger river for smallies?  Decisions, decisions!....Finally I decided on the bigger river west. The Dan River.  Next time I go by myself   I will go east.
Anyway, I arrived at the river at 4:50 pm. I loaded my canoe on my cart and headed west as I have a long walk along roads to do this shuttle without another car. 

Here is my rig I used.

Finally after a long walk(pull)  in 90 plus degree heat I arrived at my destination.

I have fished this river since the 70's. It  actually is 1 of my favorite rivers though I will admit the catching is only so so most days. This river was my second river I ventured to in my teens. Some of the fish I have caught in this river are Blue cats, flatheads, channel cats, stripers, white bass, chain pickeral(jacks) redbreast, bream, crappie, carp,  smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. I even have a freind who caught a 5 lb walleye out of this river.

Here is my first fish of the day caught on a spinnerbait. Before I got to the river my plan was to mainly throw a buzzbait,  but upon my arrival and seeing the water clarity I  decided to throw a chartreuse spinnerbait.

Here is a view of the river.....

I Finally arrived at a good spot to get out and fish and stretch my legs. On my first or second cast my spinnerbait was nailed by this fish!

Then I was rewarded with this little but chunkie brownie!

No monsters caught today but fishing in not always about catching big fish.  It was a fun 3 hrs on the water with some scrappy fish caught plus I got to see several ospreys, 1 fawn on an island and 1 funny looking opossum back at the parking lot.  All fish caught on chartreuse spinnerbait and 3 inch tube.  Mack

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