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: […]
Fly of the Month: Skull & Bones
It’s time for another installment of our Fly of the Month. This month we feature a midge pupa pattern that we frequently fish on our tailwaters. It’s been one of our favorites on the Clinch and Holston Rivers plus we’ve found opportunities to use it successfully on Western Rivers like the Madison, Henry’s Fork, and […]
November Means Cool Weather and Brown Trout in the Smokies
November has arrived and we’ve had a pretty dramatic cool down here in the Smokies. There’s been plenty of snow along the crest of the mountains and warmer afternoons have been enough to melt some of it. That means COLD water, which in turn means the fishing has slowed down a little bit. Considering the […]
Return of the Fishing Report
It’s been a wild and busy summer season for us here in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. As many of you know who have been following us for years, fishing reports can get few and far between during our busy times, but this year has probably been our worst yet. Ian’s view from the […]
Quick Pics: Recent Floats
It’s been a looooonnnnnnngggg string of float trips for Ian lately as he’s been on the oars every day for several weeks with the exception of Mother’s Day and TroutFest. Hatches have been a little off this spring, but nymphing remains good. These are some very nice specimens, but all the best fish pics were […]
Peak of the Season on the Tailwaters & In the Smokies
It’s early May and we’re on the water almost every day guiding fly fishers on the big tailwater rivers and on the creeks up in the Smokies. It’s prime time as far as we’re concerned and we’re happy to say the fish are cooperating on most days. There have been a couple relatively tough days […]
Quick Pic: Big Tailwater Rainbow
It’s that time of year. Every day we’re on the water whether it’s up in the Smokies or rowing the drift boat on one of the local tailwaters. Dry fly fishing has been spotty on the tailwaters, but nymph fishing has been very consistent. Caddis hatches are spotty on the Holston and Sulphurs are primarily […]
Quick Pic: Scenery From the Drift Boat
Yes, the fishing this week from the drift boat has been phenomenal. It’s been one of those weeks when the fishing has been so good I know I’ll pay for it later when I’m having to massage a full day of fishing out of marginal generation schedules or labor through incredibly hot days when even […]
Quick Pic: Tailwater Rainbow Trout on a Midge
Now that fly fishing on the Clinch, Holston, and other tailwaters is an option it’s time to dig out the small flies. We were a little disturbed today when some dimpling trout easily resisted a #18 Zebra Midge, but all of them took a #20. One of the beautiful mysteries of fly fishing: fish not […]
High Water in the Smokies But Things Starting to Improve on the Tailwaters
Phenomenal evening light over the Smoky Mountains as the skies clear after heavy rain last weekend It was a tough weekend to be a fly fisherman in the Smokies and we’ll just go ahead and say it was probably even tougher to be a fly fishing guide in the Smokies. Water levels were pretty high […]