After a float trip on Monday and a trip over to Greenbrier in the Smokies yesterday I’m confident that we’ve entered the best period for fly fishing in East Tennessee. Spring is certainly here. I passed two flocks of turkeys yesterday with gobblers strutting for hens.
While it was a wet day in the drift boat on Monday, the fishing was excellent. Casting midge pupa to rising trout under a dry fly or strike indicator was the most productive method, but we had a great time with streamers too. In fact, we landed a 16 1/2″ brown trout with the streamer.
Hatches at Greenbrier were not as good as what we’ve seen on Little River, but the dry fly fishing was still pretty good and we got strikes on nymphs in most spots. Water levels are a little on the high side in the Smokies right now, but that’s what they’re supposed to be like in March. Today water levels are right about average for the date.
The best fishing has been coming around mid-day and exending into the afternoon. Nymphs are producing all day long and dries are best from noon to 4:00. A variety of #12 size dry flies are working great right now. Try Parachute Adams, Haystack, Quill Gordon, and Adams. Hatches of smaller Blue Quills will turn fish to something smaller. Try the same patterns in #16-18.
