It’s the middle of March, bugs are hatching in the Smokies and water temperatures are around that magical 50 degree mark. Should be a riot to run up to the river and catch a gang of fish. Or that’s would you might think. So far we continue to see pretty high water. It’s not prohibitively […]
Spring Fly Fishing Has Arrived
It was a beautiful weekend with an abundance of sunshine and warm weather. Streams in the Smokies were running a little high and the water was still down in the low 40’s so fishing was predictably on the slow side, but it was one of those days we always enjoy. Last week it was snowing, […]
The Day We’ve All Been Waiting For
We just received a press release from Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and even though we had a good idea it was happening soon, it’s still great news. Lynn Camp Prong, as well as every other stream in the Smokies, is now open to fishing. In fact, in the history of the park this is the […]
On The Count Down to Spring Fly Fishing
We’re shacked up here at R&R world headquarters with the kids out of school yet again as another wintery mix of freezing rain, sleet, and rain sweeps across East Tennessee. The temperature has been dropping all day while the rivers are rising. Not a good day to really consider being out on the water, although […]
Winter Runs Down the Clock
It happens every year. We get one of those mid-winter thaws that makes you think spring is here and it turns out to be nothing more than winter giving you a head fake before smashing it’s knee into your groin. And this one was pretty brutal. It wasn’t that long ago our kids were catching […]
It’s Still Winter But We’re on the Countdown to Spring Hatches
There have been some relatively warm days over the past couple of weeks and we’re supposed to be coming into at least a couple more, but don’t let it fool you. It’s still winter in the Smokies and I honestly can’t remember the last time I didn’t see some snow on the high ridges. There’s […]
Winter Weather & Fishing Across East Tennessee
It’s not really news that the streams are cold up in the Smokies. It is January after all even if we’ve seen some mild weather in the Southeast over the past week or so. Plenty of folks will forget that the higher elevations and steep terrain that keeps the stream valleys shaded make the Smokies […]
Get Out When You Can
We’re accustomed to the idea of mid January being cold and dreary so we don’t expect to get much fishing time in at this time of year. In fact, there was a time when we spent much of the depths of winter out on the road speaking at fly fishing events around the country. We’re staying […]
2015 Begins with True Winter Fishing in East Tennessee
The new year is here and so is the cold weather. The temperature on our porch in Townsend this morning was 24 and that may be our high tomorrow. Water levels in the mountain rivers and streams are a little high but water temperature has started to plummet as you would expect. Fortunately this should […]
Frigid Water in the Smokies
It’s been a seemingly mild period of early winter weather here in the Smokies. It’s easy to see hoarfrost on the ridgetops many mornings as mists have frozen to tree limbs, but most of the days have been pretty pleasant. By the time the clock ticks past 11:00 the temperature has usually been above 40 […]