Our guide calendar has quite a bit of daylight now that we’ve moved out of fall color season here in East Tennessee. We don’t necessarily view that as a bad thing, though. That means we can get out on the water and do some fishing for ourselves.
So much water, so little time.
Water conditions are perfect but the clock is ticking before winter sets in. Here are some things we have earmarked as “must fish” before the weather and water conditions turn.
- Spend a few days really fishing a few of our favorite streams in the Smokies thoroughly. We guide these streams regularly, but it will be nice to fish certain stretches of these streams that we don’t guide as often because they lack consistency or are notoriously tough to wade.
- Spend at least a day way back in the backcountry. I don’t mean twenty minutes up the trail from the car. I mean so far back the sunshine needs to be piped in.
- Get on Hazel Creek one more time. We spend more time than most anglers on this great stream, but find ourselves guiding it more than fishing it. One more shot at fishing it this year would be nice…
- A dedicated streamer fishing float on the Clinch. The Clinch has really fished well this year with plenty of very nice fish on nymphs. There were a few beasts missed on streamers on guided trips this season. Charity and I love to strip streamers from the boat and the Clinch is currently in prime shape for it.
A few more days of guiding then it’s time for us to get some time on the water while the good weather lasts.