We’re sending this post out via the magic of scheduled posts as we’re hosting a group of anglers on Hazel Creek right now. Fortunately water levels seem to be hanging in there. A weak front with some rain and thunderstorms passed through on Wednesday and we were afraid we were on the verge of more […]
The End of the Season
Here we are on the Monday after Thanksgiving and things are just the same as always on this date. We’ve been guiding quite a bit up to this point, but it’s pretty well come to a screeching halt. Don’t get us wrong. We’ve truly enjoyed taking every last one of you fishing, but we’ll enjoy […]
Does It Get Any Better?
When the weather is this nice, the stream flows this good, and the fish are rising I can’t help but ask myself, “Can it get any better than this?” Of course, it probably can. The fish could be bigger, but how realistic is that anyway? And it that a piggish attitude when so much is […]
A Beautiful Week of Fall Fishing in the Smokies
All of the best things about fall are happening right now and they include great weather, beautiful surroundings, and dry fly fishing. Charity and I were both guiding in the Smokies this weekend and covered a good bit of water between us. The fish were very active and were certainly looking up, although it’s not […]
Rainy Monday in the Smokies
It’s a rainy Monday in the Smokies and I’ll be honest. We could use a little extra water in the streams about now. The creeks aren’t at crisis levels, but considering October is typically the dryest month of the year there are probably limited opportunities for more water. Here’s a firsthand look at water at […]
Fall Fishing Has Arrived
I’m writing this at my home in Townsend where it was 40 degrees on my porch this morning. Yesterday I did a float on the Clinch and I don’t think it was over 70 with clear, blue bird skies. The Smoky Mountain skyline seems to soften as the lower angle of the sun creates a […]
Sometimes You Have to Suffer For the Fish
All too often the magazines show pictures of anglers holding big drippy trout, but rarely is the real story behind the fish told. Let’s start with Tom Ellison’s hero shot of a 19″ rainbow trout he recently caught on a float with Ian. It really was the stuff of legend. The fish ate a #18 […]
Quick Pics: Dry Fly Brown Trout
Spring is here and the guide season has arrived with it. I did my first full day trip of 2012 and it was a good one. Fish were rising quite well and the few spots where we couldn’t rise a fish we often drew a strike on a nymph. We even managed to get a […]
Quick Pic: Quill Gordon – It’s What’s for Dinner
A Quill Gordon and the parachute pattern we use most often to imitate it. The hatches continue along with the unseasonably warm weather this February.
Quick Pic: Mild Weather Returns Along With the Dry Fly Fishing
The brief but significant snowfall in the Smokies last weekend has certainly cooled the water but the Blue Quill and Quill Gordon hatches are continuing with some of the best dry fly fishing we’ll see all year in the Smokies. Warm rains on the way will wash any snow away and bring water temperatures back […]