We’ll always remember 2013, but probably won’t look back at it so fondly as we do other years. We’ll always remember the severe drought of 2007 and the way it stretched a bit into 2008, but those years weren’t so tough as 2013. Without a doubt 2013 was the toughest we’ve seen in our eleven […]
Smallmouth Bass Top to Bottom
We admit it. We’re biased, but here’s our favorite picture of a smallmouth bass we’ve taken to date. In all honesty it wasn’t the best day of popper fishing we saw this season. In fact, compared to most days I’ve guided in the past few weeks it was pretty slow. Of course several of those […]
Warm Weather and Hot Fishing
We’re well into September and it looks like we’re wrapping up what’s been the hottest week of the year. It came a little late but we’re not complaining. In just a few days we’re looking at temperatures in the 70’s and low 80’s and it’s only a few weeks until October with its cool mornings […]
Summer Is Quickly Moving to Fall
We’re well into September and the fishing landscape is changing by the day. I just looked at the calendar and realized we’re heading to Yellowstone Country in a mere two weeks and when we return it will be October with autumn coming on strong in the Smokies. But before we start to prognosticate about fall […]
End of the Summer
Labor Day weekend is upon us and with it comes the symbolic end of summer even though fall is about a month away. We’ve had some decent tailwater flows lately but his typically changes after Labor Day when TVA moves to drain reservoirs for the winter season. This generally means higher flows although we know […]
Warm and Dry in Late August. What a Concept!
We’re looking at the warmest and driest week of the year. Considering it’s late August, it’s about time. We often dread this time of year for its hot weather, warm water, and tough fishing, but that’s not the case this year. Overnight temperatures in the Smokies are down in the 50’s and likely as cool […]
The Best All Round Week of Fishing We’ve Seen This Year
It’s been a tough season. Anyone who follows fly fishing around the Southeast knows that, but we’re glad to say that we just had what may have been the best few days we’ve seen all year long. Tailwater flows are great, smallmouth bass are looking to the surface for poppers, and trout in the Smokies […]
Great Flows & Sketchy Weather
Flows have been excellent almost anywhere you look around East Tennessee and the Smoky Mountain region. Streams in the Smokies are looking good and the fish are happy. Our local tailwaters, most notably the Clinch, have flows that accommodate both waders and floaters. The only trouble has been spotty rain and showers. While the wet, […]
Better Late Than Never – Water Conditions Pretty Close to Normal
It had to happen at some point. Water levels throughout East Tennessee and the Smoky Mountain region are finally pretty close to normal. If you want to nitpick and point out that stream flows are still way above average you’d be right, but they’re finally below the 75% mark and well below daily records. We […]
Conditions Close to Normal
It’s been a wild fishing season across the Southern Appalachian region with high water, or sometimes worse, good water levels that have been muddy. Fortunately, it looks like things are beginning to resemble something like normal this week. Well… Normal might be pushing it, but let’s say fishable and call it good. East Tennessee just exceeded […]