Spring weather is certainly here, but there is still a good deal of snow on the ground in shaded areas of the Smokies. Regardless, the sun was shining, the weather was warm, and the tailwaters even had favorable generation schedules.
We’re still waiting for the hatches to get started in the Smokies, but the rainbow trout are preparing to spawn. Here are a couple of fish paired up near Tremont.
We took a family trip this afternoon that combined a picnic, short hike, and some fishing. This is our daughter with her first trout of the year. She’s a bit of a veteran at four years old, but she still needs some help. She did the release all by herself though.
This was upstream of Elkmont and it was a really fun day. It was warm in the sun but there was still more than enough snow in the shade to have a few snowball fights.
This will be the week when things break out. Fishing was OK this weekend, mostly because we’re all tired of the snow and cold weather, but next weekend things should really be rolling. Generation on the Clinch, Holston, South Holston, and Watauga are all good for waders to negotiate. By next weekend the fish will have adjusted to the lower water on the Clinch and Holston and the fishing should be excellent with a variety of nymphs and midge patterns.
So far we’re seeing a few bugs in the Smokies, but nymphs have been the way to catch fish. Within a few days we’ll be nymphing in the mornings and fishing dries in the afternoons.
We’ll see you on the water!
