Spring Fly Fishing Forecast the Smoky Mountains and East Tennessee
It’s still winter but many of us are already planning our fishing in the months ahead. We get numerous emails and phone calls over the winter from people planning trips. Many of those folks are trying to hit a particular hatch, good flows on the tailwaters, or the best conditions for an extended backcountry fishing […]
A Look Back at Our Favorite Pictures from 2009
We’ve covered a lot of water in 2009! Here are some of our favorite moments from the mountains and rivers captured with a camera. We hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed being there! View from the fly tying desk on a cold day last January, Townsend, TN Little River rainbow trout, Great […]
Our Top 10 Tips for Fly Fishing with Nymphs in the Winter Months
Winter is among the toughest times of year to catch trout in streams. Water temperatures are cold and a trout’s metabolism is slow. Even though a fish doesn’t need to feed as much in cold weather, they will eat if given a chance. Fly fishing in the winter is different than spring, summer, and fall. […]
Monster Brown Trout from the Clinch River
It’s been a couple of weeks ago now, but I came across the the biggest brown trout I’ve ever seen on the Clinch River. I had taken Gary Newton from Berea, Kentucky on a float trip. It was a pretty good day of fishing with most trout taking midge patterns in the #20 range. A […]
Make Any Fly More Effective: Rules to Fish By
Many fly fishers put the importance of the fly above all, but there are several factors that are far more important than fly selection. These are exceptionally easy to accomplish, but not practiced as often as they should. As fly fishers we have an advantage over natural predators like osprey, herons, water snakes, and otters. […]
Trout Flies for the Smoky Mountains: Pat’s Nymph
The Pat’s Nymph is one of those flies that Smoky Mountain fly fishing guides just love. It has a buggy look that fish can’t resist and it’s relatively quick and easy to tie. While the Pat’s Nymph is good year round, it’s particularly good in the spring since it’s a good representation of several aquatic […]
Catch More Trout: Treat Your Fly Rod As If It Were A Gun
Our job as fly fishing guides is to help anglers catch fish. Most of the people who fish with us are competent casters, have decent equipment, and can find good flies on their own. In spite of the fact that they have most of the tools to catch fish, they lack the knowledge to use […]
A Look Back at 2008 – The Year in Pictures
Another year has come and gone. We’re gearing up for a busy 2009. We’ve got a hefty schedule of appearing at fly fishing expos in the next couple of months, we’ve got two new books that will be coming out within a month, and we’ve already booked a number of guided trips. But before we […]
Tips to Improve Your Success When Fly Fishing in the Winter
Fly fishing in the winter can be a difficult proposition. The weather is cold, hatches can be sparse, and the fish are generally sluggish. However, there are plenty of reasons to go fishing. Crowds are at a minimum, the fish aren’t so jaded since few anglers are casting at them, and keeping in practice makes […]