
Hazel Creek Camp Report
We spent the last four days on Hazel Creek on the North Carolina side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. At this point we can’t even remember how many of these camps we’ve hosted, but we typically do at least two every year. By now we’ve probably done close to two months worth of these […]
It’s Been An Up And Down Kind Of Week
Last week started like this… Then this happened at the end of the week… And there was a little of this in between… It was just a very strange March when winter just wouldn’t let go but there were constant teases of good weather and fishing along the way. In fact, this short video sums […]
Quick Pic: Brown Trout Up Close
We’re out on a camping trip with the kids for spring break, but we’ve scheduled a few posts to hit the blog in our absence. This brown trout came over the weekend on a dry fly in the Smokies.
Quick Pic: Feeding Brown Trout
Hatches are still struggling to gain momentum in the Smokies. This week the weather has been pretty chilly and the water has been relatively high but getting more “fisher friendly” every day. Expect to use nymphs early and watch for mayflies as the afternoon progresses. The tailwater situation around Knoxville has been relatively grim, but […]
Signs of Spring
We’ve had a relatively mild winter and it looks like spring will be a few weeks early. Clingmans Dome Road in the Smokies, one of the highest roads in the eastern US from 5000′ to over 6000′ elevation, will be opening this weekend. It’s usually covered in snow and ice until April. Sign of spring: […]
Quick Pic: Brown Trout in the Current
Fish are certainly moving in the streams up in the Smokies. Hatches aren’t rolling yet but nymphs are moving and fishing are pretty active in the afternoon. Water temperatures are in the mid to upper 40’s and water levels are essentially where we expect them in mid February. The relatively mild winter we’ve had will […]
Unseasonably Warm Weather
Just a few days ago we wrote how water temperatures were struggling to reach 40 degrees and the trout were sluggish. Yesterday we were peeling layers on the river and this morning we woke up to 64 degrees on our front porch here in Townsend. That might sound great to some of you, but for […]
Good Fishing Continues Well Into December
Right now it feels like the Mayan Apocalypse. Here in Townsend we’re seeing sustained winds over 20 mph with gusts over 40. If you’re reading this in Kansas you might be chuckling at out concern, but when you live in a heavy forest it disconcerting to see some many trees bent half way over! Yes, […]
Pleasant Conditions Look to Extend Into December
Now that our schedule has freed up we’re pretty grateful for the nice weather we’re seeing plus more in the extended forecast. Overnight temperatures are frosty, but we’re still seeing afternoon temperatures in the 50’s with a few days even pushing on past 60. Dry fly fishing isn’t a given anymore, but there are still […]








