The weather across East Tennessee has been in a rut lately. Almost daily it’s partly cloudy and rains somewhere. Some days rain coverage is widespread, but more often it’s a patchwork over the area primarily popping up over the mountains and the northern reaches toward Kentucky and Virginia. As far as late summer weather goes […]
Progress Report: Lynn Camp Prong Brook Trout Restoration in the Smokies
Last week Charity and I volunteered one day when the Great Smoky Mountains National Park fisheries biologists went to check on the brook trout population in Lynn Camp Prong. This stream was recently restored with native brook trout from other streams in the Smokies after all rainbow trout were removed from the stream. This is […]
Almost Too Much To Remember It All
It’s easy for us to know we’ve been guiding for months and on the water almost everyday. We can tell because we don’t know what day it really is. We know we’re supposed to meet Angler X at Location Y in the morning because that’s what the schedule says, but as far as what day […]
Scenes From A Day in the Life
We’re well into our “backcountry” fishing season here in the Smoky Mountains. Warm weather precludes the need for waders so it’s easier to hike in with only wading boots and a fly rod. Even as we really enjoy rowing the drift boat or instigating smallmouth bass to eat a popper, there’s something extra cool about […]
A Gray, Damp Week On the Water
It’s been a damp week out there, and that’s not a bad thing. As we always remind people, “Fish like water!” Unfortunately it’s been in short supply recently in East Tennessee so it’s nice to start seeing some rain. Charity and I were talking about it this morning that while we’ve not been particularly worried […]
Smoky Mountain Brook Trout And the Next Generation
Anyone who’s known us or followed us for very long knows we have a soft spot for wild, native brook trout here in the Smoky Mountains. These fish have persisted for thousands of years against everything Mother Nature and mankind has thrown at them. Even as their numbers have diminished significantly over the last century […]
The Back of Beyond
It’s about that time of the season when I look up and realize I’ve spent the past few weeks exclusively behind the oars of a drift boat and barely glanced at the Smoky Mountains in my backyard. This year I was well aware that this would happen and scheduled a backcountry death march backpacking trip with […]
A Close Up Look At A Native Brook Trout in the Smokies
It’s not everyday you spot a native trout going about it’s business. It’s even rarer to see that up close and under water. We’re thrilled with this short bit of video we recently captured on one of our favorite streams in the Smokies. [youtube]http://youtu.be/L3O9jIen_YE[/youtube]
Video Clip: Southern Salvelinus – Brook Trout Below the Mason Dixon
We’re in the thick of some of the best tailwater fly fishing of the year right now so we’re spending a good bit of time on the big rivers. Even so we can’t help but look up at the Smokies and notice those crevices in the landscape up high where streams drain the high peaks. […]
First High Country Expedition for Native Broook Trout in the Smokies This Season
It’s about that time. Spring is in full effect, wildflowers are blooming in the Smokies and shades of bright green are ascending the mountains slowly one day at a time. It’s time to start hiking in for native brook trout known as specks in the southern mountains. While the fishing featured more nymphing than is […]
