It’s been a while since we’ve posted a report because we’ve been so busy. We’ve been on the water in a number of locations. Not only have we been floating the tailwaters and wading the creeks, but we recently returned from our weekend backcountry camp trip to Hazel Creek on the North Carolina side of […]
Archives for 2007
The Tennessee Fly Fishing Report, April 18
A relatively few quiet days as far as guiding has been concerned, but a few days that have actually allowed us to get out and fish for ourselves. Charity and I scheduled ourselves for a float that took place yesterday. If we don’t put it on the calendar like a guide date, we’ll usually end […]
Find Success Fly Fishing in the Winter: Effective Nymphing Methods
This article is written with a foucus on the freestome streams of the Smoky Mountains and the tailwaters of Tennessee but the information is just as applicable to waters in other parts of the country. Winter can be a tough time to catch trout in the Southeast. Hatches are sparse on most tailwaters like the […]
Fly Fishing in the Summer: The Best of Times & The Worst of Times
The main focus of this article deals with fly fishing streams in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina, but the information is just as applicable to streams in other parts of the country. It’s August and the temperatures back in town are forecast to be in the mid-90’s. It hasn’t rained […]
The Southerly Flow
This was first published in the August/September 2002 issue of Appalachian Life magazine. It is a short article that describes the natural history of brook trout in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina and the opportunities to fly fish for them. As the sun rises over the Great Smoky Mountains, twilight brightens […]
Fly Fishing the Springtime in the Smokies
This article was first published in the Spring 2001 issue of Fish & Fly magazine. It chronicles a spring of fly fishing in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina . I always fish in a hurry this time of year. Our early spring hatches of Blue Quills and – with a […]
Winter Fishing in the Smokies
(Originally published in Fish & Fly Winter 2001) Winter days on the stream have a ritual completely different from spring, summer, or fall outings. The streams of Southern Appalachia have a distinct winter mood. Maple and poplar trunks appear bone white against the dark evergreen hues of rhododendron and hemlock. Boulders in the stream accentuate […]
Trout of the Tailings: Fly Fishing for Tailwater Trout in Tennessee
Originally published in the Summer 2003 Fish & Fly Ask any serioius trout fisherman to name a region of the United States with top notch fishing and most would probably start their list in the Northern Rockies. The largest part of our nation’s population resides in the Northeast so it is inevitable that New York […]
Fly Fishing The Cumberland River
Originally published in the June 2003 Fly Rod & Reel For years rumors have persisted about a great Kenucky tailwater. As a native Tennessean I grew up among fishermen that lamented the damming of the legendary Little Tennesse River while they caught large trout from the Clinch, South Holston, and Hiwassee tailwaters. These icy waters […]
Return of the Native
This was originally published in the March /April 2003 American Angler, before the entire park was open to fishing for brook trout. Cold, clean waters splash over moss covered boulders. A few beams of light filter through the thick treetops. Streamside vegetation makes casting difficult but bright brook trout often rise to meet a fly […]
