First Stop, Taylor River

The morning sun lights up Taylor Canyon

If someone were asked to design the perfect trophy trout river, it probably would be the Taylor we were fortunate enough to fish. When Colorado was added to the trip itinerary, I got quite excited. Having spent my whole summer in the Gunnison/Montrose vicinity last year, I was already very familiar with the wide range of quality fishing options that existed in that area. The Taylor was one of those streams that I left knowing that I would return, probably as often as possible. There just aren't that many rivers where you can walk up and see 40 brown trout laying on the bottom of one small part of one hole, all of which are in the 4-6 pound and larger range. Of course, catching these fish is another story.

We got into the Gunnison area fairly late Friday evening due to the previous troubles with the coyote. Thankfully, at this point the car seemed to be doing fine and gave little indication of the troubles we would encounter much further down the road. Considering that late hour, I was visibly nervous about our prospects of finding a camp site. As we travelled up Taylor Canyon, my fears seemed well warranted. Every campground was either full or the extra sites had "Reserved" cards on them. Finally, we found what had to have been the last available site in the entire canyon and after a very quick setup, we were soon in our tents sleeping soundly.

The next morning, I awoke refreshed and excited to be embarking on the first leg of this grand adventure I now fondly recall as West Trip 2007. The canyon was cool and surprisingly humid with condensation showing up on my rain fly. This did little to dampen my spirits however as I saw my first view in the daylight of the magnificent Taylor Canyon since last summer. The early morning sun was lighting up the canyon walls with an explosion of colors and the bright blue sky providing the perfect backdrop with the white clouds floating through it

After a nice easy breakfast, we eventually headed up the canyon towards the short public stretch known as the Trophy section. Upon arrival we were greeted with a ton of other fisherman. I always know I can expect this on the Taylor but it is always a bit of a surprise each time I go there. Despite the crowds, we were soon rigged up and began our quest for some trophy fish.

After a short while, a good spot opened up and we quickly moved over and began sight casting over some very nice fish. About this time, a few bugs started popping off the water and I was pleased to see what appeared to be PMDs. I quickly reached for the nearest match I had at the moment which was a sulphur sparkle dun left over from some of my South Holston trips. The fly was lighter than the naturals but I didn't care. After a few casts, I noticed a fish rising steadily just upstream and carefully cast my fly in its direction. First cast, just a bit short and off its right shoulder, strip, strip, pick up line, cast again, perfect. The fish rose confidently as I tensed then gently lifted my rod tip and the battle was joined. The fish quickly ran downstream into the big pool just below and started the bulldogging that we became so familiar with. I hadn't seen a fish that could rip line for quite awhile so this moment was one to be savored. Of course, the 6X I had on slowed down the process but eventually, a nice brown came to the net. After a quick pose with my first fish of the trip, he darted back off into the river in search of more trouble.

First fish of the trip

It was somewhat ironic that I caught my first fish on a dry. Don't get me wrong, I love fishing dries and fish them whenever opportunity beckons, its just that between me and my buddy fishing with me, I was the nymph guy and he was the dry fly guy. It got crazier soon after my first fish when he hooked a very nice fish and after another solid fight, I netted it for him. When he began to remove the hook, I asked what he caught it on. "A nymph" was his reply. So both of us got our first fish doing the exact opposite of what we usually do.

The Release

After this revelation, I quickly changed to a nymph rig. My buddy Trevor had brought to my attention the fact that there were some fairly large stonefly shucks hanging around on the banks. This brought out my favorite Tennessee fly (most of you should be able to figure this one out easily) which was soon employed in hauling in large Taylor river fish. I was in heaven. Sight casting to large trout with a double nymph rig was just about as good as watching a fish rise to the dry and I soon was catching enough to let me know that the nymph was no fluke. Shortly after, the Green Drakes started hatching but I stuck with what was working and the fish rewarded me. I caught fish on several different flies that first day on the Taylor and none of them was smaller than a #14. Sometimes, the fish just want to see something different. Almost everyone else there was fishing small stuff except for those that had figured out the hatch that was in progress.

Brilliantly colored Taylor Brown

As time moved on, I was enjoying myself but realized that I hadn't caught any rainbows. This is not that surprising as the browns are dominant in the Taylor but I still wanted my 'bow. After spending a bit of time sight casting over a few smallish rainbows, I found a better one feeding just behind the lip where a nice run fed into a large pool. It was feeding in 4-5 feet of water and was quite active so I knew I had a very good shot at hooking this fish. A quick check of all my knots reassured me that everything was in good shape and I began casting and trying to ascertain the proper drift to get my flies into the strike zone. After a few drifts that were off, I finally found the proper line for my flies and was soon drifting them reasonably close to the fish every cast. I knew that eventually my flies would either interest the fish or chase it off. Fortunately, the former happened and I soon had several pounds of rainbow ripping line off my reel. "This is one fish you don't want to lose," I breathed softly to myself. After several hard runs and what seemed like an eternity, the fish began tiring slightly. However, every time I got it anywhere near shallow water, it made another hard bulldogging run back into the current. Finally the fish seemed ready and I guided it in to Trevor who was waiting with the net. Once again, a quick shot of the fish and it swam strongly away leaving me with a memory of thick shoulders and brilliant sides.

Nice Taylor Rainbow

Finally, we began to get a bit tired and hungry and decided to leave the fish in peace for the rest of the day. We made our way up above Taylor Reservoir to find some smaller fish in the upper Taylor. It just wasn't the same though, we had been spoiled on our first day of the trip. This would ultimately bring us to spend some extra time at the Taylor when we discovered that the Gunnison in the Black Canyon was blown out (read excessively muddy) due to the recent rain.

Collegiate Peaks as viewed from Taylor Park

Our return to the Taylor proved just as much fun although the fish were slightly more picky the second time around. I actually had to use the small stuff I had so carefully avoided our first time through and caught fish on various midges in addition to the dries that imitated the currently hatching PMDs and Green Drakes.

Taylor Brown on a dry

Once again, I left the Taylor with a desire to return. Some rivers just have a gravitational pull, or perhaps its as simple as good fishing. Regardless, the Taylor is one river I will be back to again over the upcoming years.

East Tennessee Disaster

The extended drought is causing conditions to be much worse than I anticipated when I returned from the west. For some reason, my lofty expectations (perhaps wishful thinking) involved stream flows on the Little River approaching normal and even the drought problem to be getting better. Instead, I have returned home to find the exact opposite. The flows on Little River just above Townsend Tennessee are registering at historical all-time lows. With water temperatures spiking into the upper 70's each day, things are getting dicey. Some East Tennessee fisherman still appear to be downplaying the problems even suggesting that good fishing can be found in the park. I believe this is a dangerous stance to take and commend people like Little River Outfitters owner Byron Begley for being honest and encouraging people to stay away until conditions improve. This despite the fact that his business revolves around fly fishing the East Tennessee streams.

Personally, I was looking forward to returning to my home waters, especially the mountain streams of East Tennessee. However, I will not be fishing them until both the flows come up and the temperatures come down. The park streams are already crowded without the low flows. The stress simply from the crowding associated with the extremely low flows is enough to cause problems for the fish. I would encourage anyone thinking of trout fishing here in East Tennessee to consider the tailwaters until conditions improve. In the meantime, be sure to check back here for further reports from my trip west!!!

I'm Back

Gibbon Falls, Yellowstone NP

The Trip is over. After many long miles and countless hours of fishing, I have returned to Tennessee to prepare for another school year. The long anticipated trip was everything I had hoped it would be. I saw some of the best scenery in the country, my buddy and I caught plenty of fish including some real hogs, and we had no worries for three great weeks. Of course, there were some headaches involved so I guess I shouldn't really say no worries although none of my problems ever caused too much stress. There's something soothing about going fishing that makes everything else seem better.

Over the upcoming days and probably weeks, I'll be sharing various happenings and reports from the trip. Some of the highlights include the large trout caught, generally by sight casting, the multiple radiators required to keep the car going, and some crazy timing issues that happened.

The trip started in a big way with the first of our radiator troubles. The plan was to drive to Colorado from Tennessee, basically driving straight through with perhaps a couple of hours sleep in the car. Everything went well and I caught a few hours sleep in the car at a Rest Area in the Texas Panhandle. Around 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning, I woke up refreshed and ready to push on towards our destination. I started up the car and carefully made my way back onto Interstate 40 headed west.

Probably 15 miles later, I had the cruise set around 70 and was doing great when suddenly, I saw a coyote come streaking out of the blackness not more than 10 feet in front of me from the left. Of course, at that distance and at 70 mph, there isn't much you can do. I'm sure the coyote got the bad end of the deal but in the process, a large chunk was ripped out of the side of my front bumper and somehow, the radiator was damaged. The discovery occurred around 20 miles west of there when we stopped for fuel in Amarillo. Just before heading on, it seemed like a good idea to double check my fluids and in the process I noticed an unnatural puddle under the front end of my car. A quick examination showed that my radiator was low on fluid and quickly losing what little it had left. An even closer examination yielded a crazy find on my bumper. The coyote struck so hard, it actually left guard hairs embedded in the bumper which can still be seen today.

Coyote guard hairs embedded in my front bumper

Being probably 4:30 at this point, there was little to do except to park and try to catch another couple hours of sleep.

After grabbing breakfast at the closest fast food joint, we were on our way over to the local Toyota dealership to see if my radiator could be replaced anytime soon. We arrived just as they were opening and they were nice enough to look my car over immediately. The broken radiator diagnosis was verified and miraculously, they found one in town that fit my car and we were back on the road well before noon.

We were soon in Colorado and headed towards the Gunnison vicinity where we planned on fishing the Taylor river. Of course, the big start to the trip continued with hot fishing on the Taylor but that's something for next time.

Well, perhaps a little teaser, my first fish of the trip...

A Taylor River brown, the first of many...

New Yellowstone Site!!!

From James and Angie Marsh comes another great website just in time for our last minute trip preparation. You may know of them from their fine site on fishing in the Smokies (previously highlighted here at the Trout Zone). In particular, I really have appreciated some of the stream shots. As I've prepared for the trip, there have been several small streams I am interested in trying but didn't really know what to expect. The detailed description of the streams along with the pictures helped tremendously in giving me a better idea of what to expect.

Headed West

The time of departure is fast approaching. The Trout Zone officially kicks off the Tour of the West in 32 or so hours. We'll be out of the gate here in Crossville en route to Gunnison Colorado where we'll start things off with some small streams, perhaps some hogs from the Taylor, and one of my favorites, the Gunnison in the Black Canyon. After that we're off to the Frying Pan and Roaring Fork. Our schedule is packed for the first week or so and then we'll start playing it by ear depending on where the fishing is currently hot. While Yellowstone looks like it will be borderline for the fishing, I'm still looking forward to getting back there. I'll probably spend a lot more time on small streams than during my previous time there and I do enjoy fishing smaller water.

While we're on the road, we may or may not have good Internet access so I can't guarantee continuous coverage. However, if we get into any truly memorable fish I'll do my best to keep you informed so check back often!

No Fishing Continues

I have not fished in far too long and its beginning to seriously wear on me. Of course, THE TRIP is almost here and should give me an excellent fix in the fishing department. Things aren't looking good for Yellowstone although there are still plenty of fishing options. I'm becoming more and more thankful that Colorado was added to the itinerary however as the water situation there is much better with most streams running around or at least near seasonal averages. Also, plenty of rain has been falling in Colorado albeit somewhat scattered from day to day. The fishing should be good and I'm looking forward to catching some fine fish.

While not fishing, I've been working hard until this past week when I joined my family for an abbreviated vacation to Florida. No fishing involved which was difficult since everyone on the coast seemed to be catching fish after fish. If I wasn't so partial to trout it would have been maddening. Instead of fishing, I was able to devote at least a bit of time to getting some pictures. So, to escape the risk of becoming wordy, here are a few pictures both from Florida and also from recent hikes here in Tennessee.

A more random collection of photos you're not likely to find anywhere...

Sunrise, Florida Style

The Required Beach Shot

Just Having Fun

The Leap Back to the Woods of Tennessee

The Vivid Colors Found Trailside

What Is It?

With each new crimson discovery, we're reminded that fall and consequently some of the best fishing of the year is just around the corner...

Sunset in Tennessee

You Did Come To Read About Fishing After all...

Exploration

Lately I've had exploration on my mind. As I prepare to head west in search of fly fishing nirvana, I've thought of past trips both close to home and far away. The terminology is relative of course. To me, close to home means I can go there often which means a 2-3 hour drive. This is a doable day trip and a nice weekend getaway.

Over the years, some of my favorite streams have been discovered on weekend trips where I go with little or no expectations simply hoping to see the world and maybe catch a fish or two in the process. From roaming the backcountry of the Great Smoky Mountains or Cherokee National Forest to trying new tailwaters throughout Eastern and Middle Tennessee, I've had many great trips. The memories these days have provided come not always just from the fish I catch although those are often memorable in themselves. Instead, I have enjoyed the overall experience...a deer wading deep across the Tellico River. A bear wandering a backroad in Georgia. The large copperhead near dark along the Hiwassee. Even fish occasionally, such as some of the epic days I've had high in the Smokies on new water. All of these combine to produce an experience that will not soon be forgotten.

Lately I've been thinking about the past years when we had more water and I didn't feel guilty fishing in the heat of the summer. My first trip to the Tellico area brought me face to face with Bald River Falls as it plunged over the cliff and down to mingle its waters with those of the larger Tellico River. The falls is an icon in my mind, representing the whole Tellico area which have given me plenty of pleasant surprises. It is a place to escape from the heat, to get out into nature and away from crowds if you know where to go.

Some of my favorite trips of exploration have been "out west." Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, South Dakota, all these states have a special place in my memory and not always because of the fishing. From hiking slot canyons in Utah to descending deep into the gaping Black Canyon of the Gunnison, my time has been well spent seeking those treasures only accessible to those willing to put forth some effort. It is always worth it and I look forward to my next discovery, the next hidden gem that I know I'll find, I just know it....

Rain East, Low Flows and Heat West

We predict rain, you get rain. Enough rain fell in the Smokies yesterday to produce a small spike in the flows in Little River. Today's forecast continues to call for rain from today into tomorrow. Currently, NWS radar indicates a broad area of precipitation skirting the boarding of southern Tennessee into Alabama. Let's hope it holds together long enough to reach the mountains. If this verifies and enough rain falls, it might produce at least a temporary reprieve for the trout that have been battling low flows and warm temperatures.

In other news, the rumors I've heard about Yellowstone National Park have been officially confirmed. The National Park Service is asking anglers to help protect Yellowstone’s native and wild trout fisheries by halting fishing in lower elevation waters between noon and 6:00 pm.
It seems that at least some of this is premature as area fly shops are indicating that some of the streams listed on the official press release are still running plenty cool, albeit quite low.

Improving Conditions?

As the water levels continue to be low in the mountains, the need for measurable rain increases dramatically with each passing week. Thankfully, it looks like our rain chances are getting a significant boost from a series of fronts and upper level disturbances forecast to move through Tennessee over the next several days. Now its time to just wait and see what happens. Enough rain over the course of several days could boost stream levels away from the dangerously low ones we've been seeing lately. I don't know if I'll have time to fish the mountains again before I head west but it would be great to know that the fish are not in such danger anymore before I leave.

Done Fishin'...

Low water, warm water, both equally dangerous for trout and there is an abundance of both in the Smokies right now. My summer fishing has been great but I really haven't had enough trips to the mountains to suit me. However conscience dictates that I won't be heading that way anytime soon unless we get some rain, a lot of it.

With rainfall totals running 12-14 inches below normal and even more in some locations, the area streams are dangerously low and to fish under these conditions will adversely affect any fish caught. That is why I'm done fishing the mountains until fall at the earliest.

I won't be doing much of any fishing now for a few weeks as I work hard for another couple of weeks before the fun starts. Work should come first but after that I'm going to have a great time. The approach of my trip West has me tying flies like crazy. Between my preparation and work, fishing time will be in short supply. Yes, its a tough life and it will only get harder when I have to fish for a month throughout Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota...

Long Live the Bead Head

Bead heads, the stuff of controversy between the purist element of our sport and those that just like to catch fish. I like to view myself as someone that is working towards being a complete fly fisherman and to me that means being able to use any technique and matching that technique strictly to the situation. This can be extended to a broader idea of using whatever is most likely to be effective. Depending on the situation, effective may mean catching lots of fish, or perhaps catching a large fish, or maybe a specific difficult fish. Often this means fishing nymphs and while they may not necessarily be more effective, bead head nymphs do make things easier.

For example, if I'm feeling a bit lazy I tie on a strike indicator (gasp!) and a bead head. This is only for fishing that is farther than 10 feet or if I'm expecting very light takes where a visual is helpful beyond simply the end of my line or leader. Of course, strike indicators can be very helpful in the right situation or to get a beginner into fish quickly. For example, last fall I got my cousin into his first trout on the long rod within just a few short minutes with a bead head Tellico nymph under an indicator. He went on to catch several more on his own, quickly picking up the basics of reading water. In fact, he kept me busy enough with the camera that my own fishing started to suffer. Of course, that's a good problem...a beginner can never catch too many fish. Even guides turn to bead head nymphs when a novice fly angler shows up wanting to catch some easy fish. Its just easier that way.

And why is it so easy? Its really quite simple and the answer is found throughout fly fishing literature. A couple main factors combine to make the bead head nymph so deadly. First, the bead head provides weight. One of the biggest challenges facing a first-time nymph fisherman is getting the fly down where the fish are. Even more experienced fisherman find themselves adding split shot to get their fly down. My recent Watauga trip comes to mind to demonstrate this point. The nice rainbow I caught came to a Tellico that was heavily weighted already but I added another 2 #6 split shot to get my fly down. Using a bead head is extremely beneficial in getting the fly to quickly penetrate the water column and sink to the bottom. One of my favorite Smokies flies is a bead head Tellico that is also tied with a generous amount of lead wire creating one of the heaviest flies you can tie in the smaller sizes. When combined with an indicator, it becomes deadly even in the hands of a relative novice. In the hands of an expert, an indicator isn't necessary on the small mountain streams and that same expert will catch lots of fish the beginner will miss. As much as weight may be the main factor in the success of the bead head, I believe another factor is important as well.

Flash, sparkle, an attention getter, the bead head is all of the above and this could well be argued to be the most important aspect of a bead head nymph. Sometimes the fish just want to see a bit of glitter and while it may not be pure, it sure catches fish. While some people prefer to stick strictly to natural materials for fly tying, they are once again limiting themselves. Sure, it may take more creativity but as much as I enjoy exploring my artistic abilities, when I sit down at the fly tying bench I want to crank out the most efficient fish producing flies possible. Often this means taking a very popular nymph and simply adding a bead head.

To a lesser extent (or perhaps greater, who knows), the bead head also adds a different element to the profile of the fly. When I see so many extremely flat little critters in the water, I'm sometimes tempted to wonder why the bead head actually catches fish. The large round bulb at the front end of the fly certainly doesn't look exactly like something in nature, but that is part of the game. Often instead of a perfect match, something that is more suggestive works wonders and the bead head is the perfect example. I'm still looking for my first bead head pheasant tail hatch and if I find it, I'll probably make history. In the meantime, this little fly will continue to catch many gullible trout around the world.

Often I am asked onstream about what I've been having success with. More and more lately my reply involves some type of bead head. Some of the best fish catching machines have a bead head. On tailwaters, you'll often find me fishing a bead head under a dry fly for an indicator. Only when a hatch occurs and fish start rising will you find me changing tactics. In the mountains, I usually start with a nymph as well until the fish tell me otherwise. The water and fish are always talking to you, telling you what to do to be successful. The key is careful observation and learning each lesson thoroughly.

A quick rundown of favorite bead head nymphs include the Pheasant Tail, Tellico, Zebra Midge, and Copper John. The first three can be tied either with or without a bead head and the last was designed specifically for use with a bead head. All are fish catching machines that should be in any fly box. While the purists are sitting on the bank waiting for signs of hatching bugs and rising trout, you'll be standing knee-deep in the trout stream landing fish after fish...I'll see you there!!!

Fishing With My Uncle

The last couple of days have been spent with relatives visiting from out of state. My uncle has spent a bunch of time telling me stories from his younger days when he fished a lot. Big browns in Montana are generally the topic of my favorite stories but he has good stories to tell from throughout the west. He can't get out in the river well anymore himself but thought it would be fun to come watch me catch a few. I assured him it was a good time to go as the fishing has been great lately so we headed down to the Caney Fork for a couple of hours. He made himself comfortable in a chair on the shore and I proceeded to catch a few fish to show him. Another big fish ate my fly but this time I didn't even get the hookset so he is still out there to be caught. Fortunately, some other nice fish decided to play.

My appreciation of fluorocarbon tippet is increasing by leaps and bounds. I can't remember the last time I fished 5x so successfully on the Caney and it is nice to be able to pressure fish a little. Midges are still working well...

My uncle got a kick out of watching me catch fish and a good afternoon was had by all!

The River Report

Today I made my weekly stop by the Caney Fork for a couple of hours and did very well for a change. The river has been tough lately with the fish appearing to be a bit leader-shy. Today was much better, perhaps due in part to my first experience with Fluorocarbon tippet. I finally decided to shell out the extra $$$ and I'm sold. We'll see how it does when the fish get spooky again though.

The action was basically non-stop with seemingly every fish out feeding. My first fish was caught sight-casting. I had an indicator on but cast down and across to get the proper drift and watched as the fish moved over to eat as my indicator drifted over. The indicator never moved but I could see the fish had taken something and the hookset was sufficient to inform me that it had been my fly. After a lengthy battle, a chunky rainbow came to hand.

I was very impressed with the healthy and overall quality of this fish. As the day progressed, the other fish that had obviously been in the river awhile all seemed in equally good healthy. Based on what I'm seeing now, as long as no disasters occur, the Caney Fork should fish exceptionally well this coming fall and winter. I'm expecting lots of good browns to be caught this next October and November so plan your trip now.

After the first nice rainbow, I continued working up the river catching fish in just about every spot and seeing even more fish. I could have stood in one spot the whole time and caught fish but I like to keep moving around. After I had fished up as far as I wanted, I started to work back down as a storm was approaching. Lightning and graphite rods don't mix well and I wanted to get out in plenty of time. One spot needed special attention as good fish had been working on my way up but wouldn't commit to my fly. The first cast on the way down nailed the fish which turned out to be a beautiful brown. This fish I consider my consolation prize for the day.

As I fought this fish, my thoughts turned to the big fish I had missed. When I first got on the river I had hooked a large brown, somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 inches. It threw the fly before I could get it on the reel and left me staring at the spot where the great fish disappeared. It was particularly tough to lose because I have been trying for this fish for around a month now. I know where it likes to feed and today was the first time I was able to hook it. Thankfully there's always another time and I'm sure one of these days I'll land it as long as someone doesn't haul it out of the river.

Once I landed the consolation brown, I paused just long enough to get a couple of pictures before the release. The fish surged back to its home to be caught another day. The lightning was closer by this time and I got out of the river and made it to my car before the downpour started, satisfied by a nice bit of time on the water...

East Tennessee

Originally planned as a South Holston trip, the Watauga was added into the mix when we discovered that they would be generating in the afternoon on the SoHo. I had been looking forward to this trip for awhile and stayed up tying flies the night before. It pays to be prepared and you can never have too many sulphur patterns.

Sunday morning I was up at 4:00 (central) and headed out the door shortly thereafter to meet my fishing buddies on the east side of Knoxville by 7:00 (eastern). The drive was uneventful but the night before I had another of my premonitions indicating good fishing was sure to follow...and it turned out to be right again. We got to the South Holston by 9:00 and were soon fishing. I got things going quickly with a few stocker 'bows and then spooked a large brown. We worked down the river with everyone catching a few and then the pulse started to come through. The water never got too high and we stuck close to the edge of the river and then worked a bit farther down to continue fishing as the water slowly dropped back out. The rush of cool water seemed to slow things down briefly but it provided the apparent trigger for the sulphur hatch to start and soon the fish were nailing our nymph patterns as the sulphur nymphs started drifting in preparation for hatching. Soon the adults started appearing on the water and things just got better. The day became truly spectacular as fish after fish fell to our dries and nymphs. We had lots of doubles and even a few triples which tells you just how good the fishing was. My buddy Kevin took big fish honors on the SoHo with a nice brown of probably 15 or 16 inches that took his dry softly and then battled for awhile until we got it in the net. I missed at least two good fish but it wasn't the day for a big fish on this river for me.

Kevin's nice brown...

After fishing up until just before the generation was scheduled to start again, we headed back to the car and then off to find some lunch. After grabbing a bite to eat, we headed over the the Watauga to check it out. I hadn't been there before but Trevor assured us that it would be worth our time. It turned out to be an excellent decision as the fishing was just phenomenal. Despite dodging lots of water snakes and lots of lightning, we caught plenty of fish and I enjoyed my first time fishing this river.

Trevor fighting a hefty rainbow...

We finished up the day at a heavily used access and I finally got my nice fish for the day. I was fishing a series of deep and very swift runs with a big Tellico nymph. Working almost to the top of one run, I cast up above it to allow my fly to sink all the way to the bottom of the run. Suddenly my line stopped and then darted upstream. Pulling back gently but firmly, I found what felt like a good fish attached to my line. Thankfully I was able to get it on the reel before it really took off and then the battle was joined. The fish bulldogged at first and then made short scorching runs downstream with my reel screaming. The fish finally came up and rolled a couple of times allowing me to realize that it was a nice rainbow. Eventually the fish tired and I worked it into the shallows where Kevin helped me land it and then we got a couple of pictures before watching it swim away. This spot proved good for a nice brown and another good-sized rainbow in addition to some smaller fish. I also had another big rainbow on but the fly popped out as I was applying a lot of pressure trying to keep it out of the rapids.

My nice Watauga 'bow

Shortly after this, another storm was approaching and we all hurried back to the car and decided to call it a day. The trout of East Tennessee will be glad we don't make it up there often as we all caught lots of fish over the course of the day.

It Really Exists!!!

The famed two-mouth trout really exists, at least sort of. The Trout Zone got in another couple of hours on the water and landed a uniquely deformed rainbow with at least one and a half mouths. I'll call it two but the lower mouth is mainly just a second lower jaw I think and the "main" lower jaw is split or something odd. Regardless, this fish is back in the river for someone else to catch so head to the Caney for this rare opportunity!

Oh yeah, nicer fish were biting occasionally as well...

Dark Skies, Drizzle, Rising Trout

Sunday I fished and worked hard for a few fish until I went up to the dam and things improved. Several fish came to hand including the rainbow above. Nothing could compare with the more recent outing though. Yesterday I witnessed probably the best rise I've ever encountered on the Caney Fork. The dreary weather was probably largely responsible and for this reason I had headed to the river hoping for a good hatch of craneflies. I must have been late because they were all over the vegetation along the river but there were very few hatching while I was actually there. The blackflies more than made up for the lack of larger bugs however. Nothing in my box was a good match unfortunately, a mistake I won't make again. Thankfully the fish were not picky and took small nymphs often enough to keep me happy. The number of rising fish was ridiculous, reminiscent of some of the most spectacular days on the Hiwassee this spring. Fish were sipping, slashing, slurping, even leaping clear of the water occasionally to take the tiny bugs. It even seemed the fish were more colorful than usual on this amazing day...

I fished until I grew tired, the late afternoon and evening blended together in the growing fog from the cold river. The sun slowly slid out of the sky and over the hills, ushering in the shadows that signaled the approach of nightfall. I eventually quit fishing, not so much because of the impending dark but because the fog was becoming too thick to see my indicator dry and I didn't feel like blindly stripping buggers or softhackles.

Fog, something we haven't seen in middle Tennessee for months it seems. The current drought conditions have kept things dry enough to generally prevent the development of fog. It was even cold, and in the middle of June no less. The frigid discharge from Center Hill Lake kept freezing my hands every time I had to dip them in the water to land my fish. You won't find me complaining. After days of temperatures in the mid 90's, I'll be downright glad to shiver for an hour or two.

This next weekend is my trip to the South Holston. Hopefully the fishing will be good, even half as good as what I experienced yesterday would be fine.

Tour de Rockies

No it isn't a bike race... Originally supposed to be a Yellowstone trip (to go fishing of course), my trip west is starting to gain momentum and destinations. Colorado is most likely being added and hopefully this means I will once again fish the Gold Medal waters of the Gunnison for big hard-fighting rainbows and browns that will bulldog deep in the strong current. My last experience with this special place left me yearning for more and it looks like it might happen.

Remember this fish? A nice rainbow from the Gunnison...

This year will bring a new experience for me on this stream. Supposedly the terrestrial fishing is excellent in August and the way things are looking, the flows shouldn't be too bad this year as compared to last year where I was chucking heavy nymphs along the banks. Even with last years high water I still caught around 20 fish in probably 3 hours with lots in the 14-16 inch range and one big brown pushing 18 or 19 inches.

Hopefully I'll be able to hit some small streams for Cutthroat in Colorado also. If I'm really lucky I'll get my first shot at the Greenback Cutts in Rocky Mountain National Park. The chance to add another strain of Cutthroat to the list is one that will be hard to pass up. Of course, when one covers as much ground as I will be, interesting ideas start to develop. For instance, how many different types of Cutthroat could one catch on such a trip? I can think of several and maybe it will happen. Time will only tell...

I could go on and on about how tough life is when you have to fish as much as I do, and I could mention a few more of the streams I hope to fish where the average trout is around 5 pounds, but probably it isn't my place to make everyone jealous. Did I mention I'll be on the South Holston in a week or two? This should be a fun fishing trip since I've never fished it in the summer... In the meantime, I absolutely must start cranking out some flies.

Current Fishing Report:
Not all fishing is in the distant future. Today I hit the Caney Fork for an hour or two and did okay catching several fish. Once again I saw some bruisers but as usual they were excessively spooky. I even dropped down to 7x for awhile and it didn't seem to make a difference. However, persistence is key and one of these times I'll catch one. Today I got chased off the river by lightning so maybe I just need to put in more hours. Back to the river on Sunday so check back for a more enthralling report...

Briefly Connected

Perhaps the best catalyst for a great fishing story is the one that got away. As often as I fish and perhaps due to my skill level, I have more stories of this nature than I care to remember. Some are truly memorable though. The brief connection to a large fish can be a magical moment, sometimes outshining any landed fish during a fishing trip. This year I've already had my share of memorable experiences.

One occurred while I was fishing the Smokies probably a month ago. It was near sunset and I was at a large hole trying for a big brown. I worked up to the pocket water at the very head of the pool when it happened. The definite flash of rainbow was not what I was expecting. The fish leaped at my Tellico almost before it hit the water and then was gone with a souvenir. Big rainbows are not that common in the Smokies with a 12 incher considered a nice fish. Fish of 14-16 inches are large and this was larger, probably 18 inches and extremely fat. I haven't gone back yet but I'm confident that it will still be there next time. Fish don't get that big unless they are smart.

The next moment of connection was last Sunday. I was on my way to Nashville for the week and stopped at the Caney Fork to fish for an hour or so. The water was picking up speed as the generation pulse approached. As always, I just had to try a few more casts. A nice cast placed my fly on the far side of the channel where I knew good fish liked to feed. The dry I was using as an indicator suddenly sucked under and I gently lifted the rod. There was an eruption from the place my fly had vanished as a big rainbow took to the sky. Three jumps and a couple of short runs later I was beginning to think I would land the fish. Of course the fish had other ideas and decided to head downriver. The determined run seemingly could not be checked and then the line went limp. Dejectedly I checked my flies. The zebra midge dropper was still there, the fish had simply thrown my fly.

I'll never forget that fish though. Leaping into the sky the fish was spectacular and actually, I like to remember it that way...

More From Oklahoma

Oklahoma can get pretty interesting once the sun goes down. For starters, the sunsets can be spectacular. We didn't get to witness any particularly interesting ones but they were quite nice still.

As the darkness deepens over the landscape, the creepy crawly critters come out to play. I've always been intrigued by snakes despite a rather healthy respect for them. This has led to the enjoyment of slowly driving back roads at night after the sun has gone down looking for new and interesting snakes to photograph. My goal is generally to find a rattlesnake but usually the best I can come up with is a copperhead. This night was no different from the norm except that the copperhead I found had a serious attitude problem. The little guy wanted to chase me around. After getting back in the car and letting the snake cool down a bit, I cautiously got out again and this time it stayed still for some decent pictures.

Getting chased around the dark Oklahoma countryside is tiring business and shortly thereafter I retired for the night. The next day would bring slower fishing but I did manage the best bass of the trip, albeit not very large.

A stroll down a country road allowed me to check on the local bovines. They all seemed to be doing rather well but were very curious. I decided maybe they just wanted their pictures taken and obliged with a few shots.

I'm always glad when the cows are behind a good solid fence. There were a few frightening experiences I had earlier in life involving free-ranging cattle hanging out on roads I was travelling. The funniest was when I was headed south back to Arizona from Moab, Utah. I was rolling through the Navajo reservation when suddenly, ghostly colored forms appeared to be floating all around me. Probably the sheep and cows were more frightened than I was but you probably won't be able to actually convince me of the fact. Whatever the case, ever since I've believed that the place for such creatures is behind a fence, or at least, not wandering the highways in search of some poor traveler to terrorize.

Scheduled for the fourth day of the vacation was a trip to the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve near Pawhuska. Normally we slowly drive the roads through the preserve, viewing plenty of bison in addition to the wide array of local birds. This particular day the bison were not cooperative. The nearest we came was probably a solid half a mile away. The scenery was still nice though and well worth our time.

I decided ahead of time that the last day would be dedicated to the long rod. By mid afternoon I finally got away down to the creek and started fishing. Right away I had a nice fish on the popper but then things slowed down. Finally I settled on the popper with a simi seal leech dropper and this seemed to be the best solution. The gar never did come around much so I didn't really get any good shots at it. The panfish were more than cooperative though and made the afternoon enjoyable.

As always, it was a great trip to Oklahoma. Hopefully I'll be able to return again in the not too distant future. I'm usually doing pretty good if I can make it out there every couple of years so we'll see. In the meantime, I'll be trying to figure out what exactly gar eat and how you go about catching them...

Back in Tennessee

After a nice few days in Oklahoma visiting relatives, fishing, and being lazy, I'm finally back in Tennessee. I spent parts of several days fishing in the creek and had a good time catching plenty of panfish and a few small bass. Unfortunately, the gar never cooperated and neither did the carp I spotted during the last afternoon of fishing. The last day was strictly dedicated to fly fishing which I felt would provide the best opportunity to catch the gar. Of course, the fish would have to choose to not show up the last day until just before quittin' time. A few fruitless casts later, the gar vanished for good. Oh well, there is always next time.

Anyway, enough rambling. I took lots of pictures over the last few days and thought I would share a few, some of the fishing and of course, other random pictures. On the way out, we took the "Missouri" route which takes us across the southern portion of the state. We crossed the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and noted that shipping is alive and well on both rivers.



The trip out was uneventful and we were glad to arrive at our destination in the Bartlesville vicinity. Our first full day there was absolutely gorgeous and a prime example of why the plains states are so nice to visit this time of year. Late spring in Oklahoma brings some of the most vivid colors to be found anywhere with the greens of the prairie stretching away for miles.

The oil business seemed to be doing just fine, a fact I'm sure President Bush and Vice President Cheney are far too happy about.

One of the sure signs of the season, a young warbler of some sort was seen leaving the nest and held still long enough for this closeup.

A few hours later the whole family had disappeared into the brush, the only clue of their presence the chirping of the young ones.

Of course, I know everyone is probably here to read about fishing. As mentioned in a previous post, the first day or two was relatively unproductive but then things picked up nicely. The first day of fishing was strictly with a spinning rod as the creek was still awfully muddy and the small spinnerbaits did a much better job at drawing fish then any of my flies and popping bugs.

As soon as I started fishing the small spinner, I was into fish like this one. A few were smaller and a few larger but most were around this size. They provided a lot of fun and were a whole lot easier to catch than trout, not a type of fishing I do every day but a good time regardless. That finishes the first couple of days of the trip. There are lots more pictures to come including of the small stream bass I managed to fool and the copperhead I found on a lonely country road one evening. Check back soon!!!

The Trout Zone in Oklahoma

Due to the ultra slow dial-up I'm using, my posts are being made without pictures for the time being. This means I will attempt to whet your appetite for the pictures to follow in a few days because I'm not going to sit here long enough to upload them. I'm on vacation afterall... Between snake hunting and fishing, I've managed to keep relatively busy.

The creek out back was up and muddy the first couple of days I was here, limiting the fishing potential. Finally I took my spinning rod (gasp, no the Trout Zone doesn't follow purist philosophy) down with a small spinner and caught several various sunfish and a small bass. Wandering down the creek I spotted what appeared to be a gar or pickerel. Having never caught either, I spent some time trying to get it to strike but went unrewarded. Today I went fishing again, catching a better bass (at least for the size of the creek) and getting the long nosed toothy fish from the previous day to give chase to my spinnerbait. Once again I failed to connect leaving me to spend this evening pondering just how to catch it. Its got to be the fly rod I've decided. The few times I saw the fish appearing to feed, it seemed to be on the surface. Tomorrow I will go down to the creek again to give battle to the toothy monster, assuming I don't run into any dangerous critters on the way.

Speaking of dangerous critters, not wishing to fish at night with all manner of frightening animals lurking about, a recent evening was spent hunting snakes. How is that safer than the creek? At least I KNOW where the dangerous animals are at. I spent awhile driving the backroads looking for any interesting snakes to photograph, hoping to find a rattler. Instead I was rewarded with just another copperhead. I've seen quite enough of those in my life and really don't care to see another, especially after last night. The crazy thing was grouchy and decided to chase me. Usually they keep calm while the bright lights from the car shine on them, allowing me to get close enough for a good picture. I've photographed both copperheads and rattlesnakes this way. This copperhead had other ideas though and promptly chased me back to the car. A few minutes were spent donning my headlamp in preparation of round two. After attempting in vain to get a decent photo from the window, I gingerly stepped back onto the road towards the snake. This time it held relatively still for a series of pictures which will be showcased here in a few days. Life on vacation isn't dull at least!

If a new species is landed on the fly rod tomorrow, I'll have a fresh report up and ready...keep your fingers crossed for me...

Book Review: "So Many Fish, So Little Time"

Despite the fact that this review is much later than I intended, I still want to share about this book. As much as I have really enjoyed this book, I believe it has one weakness in particular. Books of the top whatever (insert a number here) fishing places are very difficult to perfect. In fact, I don't know if it is possible to make one perfect. It is simply the nature of the beast. Thankfully, Mark D. Williams has done the best job I have seen with a tough topic, probably the best possible for that matter. I would like to see someone try to do better, I don't think they can. Other than the inherent difficulty in writing on the subject of the 1001 best fishing places around the world, this book is the type to set dreams in motion. A paragraph from the Introduction sums it up much better than I could:

I was determined to write a book of fishing dreams. A book of dreams, a wish list of all the best places in the world to fish. This is a sit-on-the-pot kind of book, the type of book that sometimes inspires you to get off your duff and make plans, the type of book that is fun to pick up, knowing full well you can't afford to visit New Zealand until little Bobby finishes college in ten years, but you still read it and wish.

A sit-on-the-pot kind of book is a good way to describe this book. You can spend just a few moments with it and start yet another fishing daydream rolling. As I read, I often encountered sections that provided an opportunity for remembrance. Remembering all the great fishing places I've been fortunate enough to go to throughout the years. Places in Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, to mention a few and of course my own home state of Tennessee.

It was in the section on Tennessee that I realized better some of the difficulties of writing such a book. The author describes a river I frequent in the cooler seasons, the Hiwassee. The difficulty I specifically am referring to is apparent when the author says that it is "one of the top twenty trout streams in the country." Obviously the author hasn't fished the Hiwassee for several years. Back in its heyday the statement would have been accurate, but not now. Don't get me wrong...it still fishes very well but nothing like the good old days. The author also says "humongous trout and plenty of them." Once again, there are still large trout but nothing like years ago. This is the big difficulty of writing a book like this. You can't possibly fish 1001 places in the last couple of years and great fisheries fluctuate. Places that were great 5 or 10 years ago may only be average fisheries now.

Of course, this isn't the authors fault fully, he is writing based largely on his experience. When you check out this book, keep this in mind. Enjoy the book, especially enjoy the stories, and dream. If you do this, especially if you dream, the author will have accomplished his goal. He wrote this book to inspire fishing trips and dreams of fishing trips.

As I said, the stories are great. The author is definitely a gifted story teller even though many stories have to be kept very concise for space concerns. From a new fishing buddy that pulls out a gun to randomly shoot towards the pronghorn antelope to an epic day on the Yellowstone, the stories will keep you reading looking for more. One of my favorite stories I could relate to very well. The author hooked a large fish on the Taylor only to lose it. My first day on this stream full of hogs was slow until I hooked a large rainbow in the 7-8 pound range. I started hollering for my buddies to bring a camera and drew a crowd of spectators with the commotion. After several tense moments I gently eased the trout towards my net only to have to tiny zebra midge pop out as the large 'bow slipped back to its midstream lair. Yeah, I understand the frustration that the Taylor generates at first. However, once you understand it the fishing can be a blast.

That is the way this book is. You read a little and immediately start reminiscing or daydreaming. I honestly couldn't put it down for awhile after I received this book and will continue to read and re-read any time I want to dream about great fishing places.

Oh yeah, he also mentioned my favorite (for now) stream ever. And no, I'm not going to tell you what stream that is, not even the state it is in so don't ask. If you pick up this book and start trying all the trout (okay, so that IS a hint) streams, maybe you'll discover it for yourself. If you do, please keep it under your hat. I want to find it as free of crowds as I left it...