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. […]
Another Winter Blast in the Smokies; Good Fly Fishing Just Around the Corner
Last week’s mild weather energized us for spring fishing, but winter isn’t over just yet. We woke up yesterday morning to see the following scene out of our window. The temperature struggled to reach 30 degrees and the three inches of snow we received is still here today. It was a bit of a jolt […]
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 […]
Changes in the Weather
Thanksgiving weekend has come and gone and the guide season left with it. It’s snowing pretty hard right now in Townsend, but nothing’s sticking. Regardless it’s a strong reminder that the guide season is essentially over. It’s always the same every fall. September is a period of relatively light guiding as the kids are back […]
Adventures on Guides’ Day Off; Rare Wildlife Sighting
We’ve had our usual slow down in guiding in mid-November. This has had us scrambling to get as much fishing in as possible while the weather is still pretty good. That may be up for debate as we’re looking at a week of weather that sure looks like it’s winter. Newfound Gap Road was closed […]
First Snow in the Smokies, Great Dry Fly Fishing, & Good Fishing Continues on the Clinch
We’ve been on the water almost every day which is why we haven’t posted a report in a while. East Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains have reached peak fall color and the fly fishing has been great for the most part. There was a lull in the fishing earlier this week after the first snowfall […]
Catch More Trout on Nymphs When You Use the Right Strike Indicator for the Job
The variety of strike indicators an angler can choose from can be dizzying, but many of them might not be the best choice for your nymphing situation. Yarn, foam footballs, putty, and dry flies can all be used as strike indicators. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. You’ll catch more trout on nymphs when you […]
Clinch River Continues to Fish; Report from Hazel Creek in the Smokies
We’re in the middle of our busy October guide season. The weather has been beautiful and the leaves have really started to change rapidly this week. Water conditions have remained low in the Smokies, but some rain early last Friday helped things out and more rain is in the forecast for this week. The fly […]