There are still some pockets of fall color in East Tennessee but the Smokies are quickly transitioning out of that phase. The tops of the mountains are bare and look like winter. Further down the slopes the vibrant yellow, red, and orange is beginning to fade to brown with a few exceptions. We’re seeing brown […]
Fall Fishing Under Difficult Circumstances
Fall fishing is certainly here. From our window we can see shades of red, orange, and gold along the crest of the Smokies. Mornings require a fleece jacket to be comfortable while afternoons are sunny and comfortable with your sleeves rolled up. Trout are rising well to dry flies in the Smokies, but right now […]
Where to Fly Fish: Government Shutdown Edition
As anyone who pays any attention will know the US Government has been closed along with all the departments it encompasses. At first thought some people might not expect fly fishing to be impacted by Washington politics, but it surely is. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is closed along with every other park in the […]
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 […]
Fall Fly Fishing Forecast for the Smokies and East Tennessee
September is well on its way and there has been a chill in the air in the mornings. Wake up temperatures have been just a touch more than 50 degrees here in Townsend and you know it much cooler in the higher elevations of the Smokies. It’s even been way down in the 30’s on […]
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 […]
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, […]