2008 Year in Review: The Early Months

For the sake of this post, I'm considering the early months of 2008 to be January through March. The year held many interesting firsts for me and the early months had several big ones. I got the year started in January and enjoyed one of my best days on the Caney of 2008 on what turned out to be the coldest day that I spent fishing for the year.

The temperature never got out of the low 20s meaning that I fought ice in my guides and reel all day. Despite the cold, the day was memorable because the fish were feeding heavily on the midges that were having a hard time flying off. It was so cold that as soon as they emerged onto the surface, they couldn't fly away. The fishing was leisurely and enjoyable and I even managed to stay warm.

In February I chased lake-run fish for the first time and also started targeting some warm water species such as white and yellow bass. The lake-run experiment was spotty but I did find some nice fish.

The fishing below Chickamauga dam was an absolute blast and for the first time in awhile I found myself enjoying fishing for something other than trout. The white bass and hybrids really fight well, often bulldogging with strong head shakes. The shad kill in the Chickamauga tailwater was good and the fish would happily take just about anything white. On one of my excursions I hooked and landed my first freshwater drum. It was very heavy in the strong current but didn't fight particularly well for its size.

As March rolled around, the trips to Chickamauga continued along with an increase in the frequency of my trips to the Hiwassee River. The fish were generally feeding well and the spring of 2008 was a good one on this amazing tailwater.

Below I'm putting a couple more pictures from the early months of 2008. Hopefully I'll get around to spring and early summer of the year soon. Until then, remember to stop by Little River Outfitters on Sunday afternoon if you're in the area. Hope to see you there...

Sunday Tying Demo

For those that live in or near East Tennessee and don't have plans for Sunday afternoon, I'll be tying at Little River Outfitters in Townsend from 12:30-4:30. So far I'm planning on sharing some of my favorite Smokies patterns including some variations on standard patterns that provide just enough difference from the original to interest some picky fish. Also I'm planning on sharing some favorite tailwater patterns including how I like to fish them. Hope to see some of you there! If anyone plans to attend and has a request for a pattern you would like to see, respond here or shoot me an email and I'll see what I can do...

Also, please remember to vote in the poll at right if you have not done so yet. Let me know how 2008 was as a fishing year for you...

Tiny Flies

When most people think about fly fishing, they envision a cool mountain stream or a large western river with someone artistically working a fly rod for rising trout. Many fly fishers consider the dry fly as the purest approach one could take to the sport. Casting a dry over a rising trout and watching the take is indeed one of the most exhilarating moments you can experience on the water. However, if you want to be successful as a fisherman, you must be able to adapt to whatever conditions are occurring when you arrive streamside.

Anyone that has fly fished for any length of time has heard the saying that 10% of fisherman catch 90% of the fish and most likely everyone has also heard that trout feed below the surface 90% of the time. Becoming proficient with subsurface flies is critical to success as a fly fisher. While we often focus on the more exciting mayflies, caddisflies, and stoneflies, there are other insects that are important to trout. Midges are often one of the dominant food sources for trout and carrying a broad selection of patterns to cover these insects will contribute to many successful outings if one knows how to fish them properly.

Some of the easiest flies to tie will often catch the most fish in a trout stream. The only downside to tying midge patterns is their normally small size in relation to other fly patterns. I regularly tie and fish patterns from a #18 down to a #22 but will fish down to a size #28 or even #30 as the conditions dictate. Those that regularly read this blog or fish with me know that I like fishing with multiple flies to increase the odds. Better yet, it helps in determining what the fish are feeding on. I can try one fly at a time or I can try 2-3 flies at a time. Obviously I can try many more patterns in an hour if I tie on twice as many each time I change.

When fishing midges, I like to also fish something larger to serve as an attractor and then drop my small midge pattern behind the larger fly. It is important to either match the larger fly to food that is commonly available in the water you are fishing or to an attractor pattern that normally does well in that particular river. When fishing a tailwater, I will often use a scud or sowbug pattern as the first fly. Other good patterns are Pheasant Tail Nymphs, Copper Johns, and various softhackles. On tailwaters where there is a good population of a specific mayfly, caddis, or stonefly, I'll often fish a nymph or larval immitation of the prevalent insect. Always use the heaviest tippet you can get away with for the first fly in a multiple fly rig. Tying on several flies can take a few minutes if you aren't very quick with knots, and it is always frustrating to lose the whole rig. In most situations 4x tippet is fine and if at all possible, don't go below 5x. People are often shocked at how heavy of a tippet you can get away with even on pressured fish. Using fluorocarbon will allow you to use heavier tippet.

Once you have chosen the first fly, it is time to figure out what type of midge pattern to fish. You want to use a fly that matches the larva or pupa that are most common in the water you are fishing. Before choosing a fly, take a moment to observe the water and see if you can figure out what the trout want. Are they staying right on the bottom, betraying themselves only by the occasional flashing side? Or are they up in the water column moving around as they intercept midge pupa in the drift? For fish that are up in the water column, a pupa will be the best immitation while for those right on the bottom, a larva will often catch more fish.

Whichever pattern you decide upon, once again use the heaviest tippet that the fish will accept. I generally fish 6x fluoro with my midges and often even use 5x. If you are fishing faster water or water that is very deep, you will want a couple #6 split shot to help get it down. Generally it is also best to use an indicator for this type of fishing. You want to find out the zone that the fish are feeding in and then keep your flies there. A strike indicator is a great way to do this. I like to use Thingamabobbers but also use yarn indicators with rubber o-rings. The general rule of thumb is to place your indicator one and a half to two times the depth of the water but in actual practice you'll discover that this is actually very flexible. Don't tie yourself to one exact depth. Let the fish tell you what they want and be willing to change constantly. I'm generally very lazy and often just set the indicator between 6 and 8 feet deep if I'm fishing a larger tailwater. However, laziness will eventually start costing you fish...

When it comes to midges, one mistake that many people make is to fish patterns that are too fat. Traditional wisdom says that midge larva are long and slender while the pupa are short and stout. This is true but short and stout is definitely relative. Most midge patterns that are supposed to be pupa are much too fat compared to the naturals. Often the fish won't seem to care much but at other times, fishing a less bulky pattern will bring a marked increase in the number of hookups. I have several patterns that I like to fish. The zebra midge in various color combinations is a reliable fly that can catch at least a few fish under most circumstances. I tie mine with a slimmer profile compared to those that many people fish. Other favorites include the RS2, WD-40, various thread midges, and patterns made from micro and midge tubing.

Midge larva or pupa tied using midge and micro tubing are easily some of the most realistic small flies I've ever fished. This point was driven home one day while fishing the Roaring Fork River in Colorado. This Gold Medal stream is known for its fine brown trout but the section we were fishing was some of the better rainbow water on the river. In one particular hole, I sight fished to a large rainbow using a tiny gray midge larva dropped behind a Green Drake nymph. After several drifts, the large rainbow ate and upon feeling the sting of the hook, immediately raced to the middle of the river before jumping. When I saw the size of the fish I was immediately worried about everything, the tippet, the tiny fly that connected me to the fish, and the fast water just below the pool. Sadly the fish raced downstream and 10 minutes later the nice rainbow won the battle when the small fly popped free.

I now knew that the fish really did like my midge pattern but I was fully convinced after fishing another pool. After covering all the likely water, I pulled my flies in to make sure everything was intact. When I saw the midge, I was shocked to see a small gray midge larva the exact same color and size as the fly I was fishing. In fact, it looked so identical that my fly could have been a natural threaded onto the hook. It was now obvious why the large rainbow had been so easily fooled in this highly pressured water.

The first time I learned of this fly was from east Tennessee guide Hugh Hartsell. He shared the pattern with me as a good match for blackfly larva. While fishing out West in the nutrient rich tailwaters, I discovered the need for a really good larva pattern and remembered my blackfly patterns. While fishing the Gunnison River I pulled one out and after a small of modification was soon catching lots of large and now stupid trout. The next day my buddy and I headed down to the nearest fly shop to pick up some more micro tubing. Back in camp, I tied around 20 or so of the flies in different colors and headed back to the river. This fly became a staple on the Gunnison and proved itself on several other waters as well.

The pattern is very easy to tie and can be varied to match just about any color that you need to. Midge and micro tubing comes in many colors but will partially take on the color of the thread that you use underneath it. This pattern can also be tied with a small metal or glass beadhead which makes it suitable for matching midge pupa. See my video on tying the bead head version of the micro tubing midge on YouTube HERE. If you want to tie some for yourself you will need the following:

Hook: TMC 2487 (or favorite midge hook) #16-#28

Thread: 8/0 UNI-Thread, color to match

Body: Midge or Micro Tubing (distributed by Hareline Dubbin, Inc.)

Select the appropriate size of tubing based on the size of fly you are tying. I tie most of mine with Micro Tubing but for larger sizes midge tubing is great as well. Midge tubing will work down to a #22 or #24 but the Micro Tubing will cover all situations.

To tie the pattern, tie in your thread about halfway back on the hook shank (#24 TMC 2487 shown with gray thread).

Wind the thread back towards the bend of the hook and tie in the midge or micro tubing on top of the shank (shown with gray micro tubing). After securing the tubing, wind the thread evenly to just behind the hook eye.

Wind the tubing forward keeping the wraps tight up against each other. If you leave the first few wraps a bit loose, it will simulate the slightly thicker half that most larva have. Start putting more pressure on the tubing and it will stretch, creating a nice thin and perfectly segmented body. Once you wrap the tubing to just behind the eye, tie it off with a couple wraps of thread. Give two more wraps of thread and finish the fly in whichever way you prefer. I normally just use 3-4 half hitches and a bit of glue.

While this fly isn't much to look at, the fish will definitely approve of it. Tie up a few and give them a shot the next time you find midging fish...I think you'll be pleasantly surprised...

Recent Rain and What's Next

The last of the precipitation departed yesterday morning as a few lingering snow showers moved through east Tennessee. The snow was in no way significant with this last weather system but the rain was. Center Hill Lake, below which is the Caney Fork tailwater, rose a few feet as a result of all the rain we got. It looks like the generation will continue heavily there for awhile anyway. In the Smokies, Little River rose higher than it has been in a long time. I have not been able to get over to the Smokies recently so I don't have any pictures of the high water. However Ian Rutter from R and R Fly Fishing posted some excellent pictures taken during the high water episode. One of the most impressive was of Little River at the Sinks. The water was extremely high and dangerous. While it has been bad for fishing in the short term, all this rain is pulling us out of the drought that we have been in for the past 2 years so most of us are glad to see it.

Partly because of all the rain and partly because I've been busy, I haven't been fishing as much lately. My new teaching job started this past week and is keeping my doing things other than fishing but I should be able to start fishing on the weekends again soon. So you don't get too bored until I fish again, I'll be posting another article on midges in the next day or two...maybe even later this afternoon.

In early December I posted a video on midges from Ralph and Lisa Cutter. In the past I have posted on how to fish the Zebra Midge most effectively so I won't be dwelling much on these techniques either. The main focus of the upcoming article will be on fishing midges in deeper water in tandem with other flies and will include some of my favorite flies for this task. I'll cover how to rig up, tips on casting, and even a recipe or two for some of the easiest midges you will ever tie. If you have any questions that you would like for me to address, please post them here under the Comments section or shoot me an email and I'll do my best to include them in the article... I also still owe you the 2008 Year in Review so look for that in the near future as well!

Just Keeps on Raining

Here in Crossville, it has been raining intermittently since yesterday afternoon. Area creeks are on their way up and the ground is thoroughly saturated. Over in the Smokies, Little River has started to spike up and will likely be unfishable for at least a day or two. Sometimes when it rains this much I like to get out and do a little photography. With all the rain right now, there should be some good opportunities for pictures in the next few days. If you have a camera and can't go fishing, consider spending some time on the water hunting pictures instead of fish.

A couple of weeks ago I was able to get out with my cousin to hike North Chickamauga Creek canyon down near Chattanooga. We weren't out to fish but it was interesting to see the area streams at normal levels since I've only fished them during the worst part of the drought. Despite the lack of fishing, we still had a good time out and found a couple of really nice photo ops. Here are some favorites from the day...

Creek bubbling over richly colored sandstone...

Looking out the entrance to an old coal mine...

Rainbow formed by a small waterfall and the afternoon sun...

More Drought Bustin' Rain

Just when the Caney has had a few very short windows without generation, it looks like we will be getting a lot more rain. If the current forecast holds true (does it ever though?), the Caney could be generating until February. Of course I can't be complaining because all the rain does have a silver lining. First, the fish in the river will be relatively untouched as long as the generation remains heavy. In other words, when they finally quit generating for awhile, head for the river as soon as possible. Second, it looks like we are just about out of the drought conditions so bring on the rain!

Below are two versions of the U.S. Drought Monitor. The first is the one issued on September 2, 2008 and the second is the last one for 2008 from December 30. Compare the area affected by drought in the southeast and the severity of the drought in the two pictures. Clearly things are looking better...just don't get too excited about fishing tailwaters anytime soon...

Currently the National Weather Service in Nashville has issued a Flood Watch for a large portion of middle Tennessee. The portion of the Watch that caught my eye said the following:

RUNOFF FROM THIS RAINFALL COULD POSSIBLY LEAD TO FLOODING OF AREA CREEKS AND STREAMS ON TUESDAY...WITH FLOODING OF LARGER RIVERS BY TUESDAY NIGHT. THIS INCLUDES RIVERS AND TRIBUTARIES IN THE DUCK...ELK...BUFFALO...STONES...CANEY FORK...AND HARPETH RIVER BASINS...AND OTHERS THAT DRAIN INTO THE CUMBERLAND AND TENNESSEE RIVERS.

Yep, they called out the Caney by name so I'm guessing that there isn't much hope to fish it any time soon... This might be the winter of Smoky Mountain trout fishing...

First Trip of the Year

The first trip of 2009 is now complete. Originally I had planned to try and make it to the South Holston River yet again but today it didn't work out. Fate conspired against me and in the end I headed over to the local state park to try for the recently stocked trout. Overcast skies promised a decent opportunity to catch some fish.

When I arrived at the lake, I took my time rigging up. My old leader was badly in need of a replacement so I got out a new one to start 2009. One of my favorite flies for catching stocked trout in stillwaters is the Simi Seal Leech. I tied on a beadhead version in black and red and wandered down towards the water.

Normally there is a good bit of surface activity on this particular lake but today it was dead. Below the lake is a creek that provides a change of pace and I decided to start there. After 15 minutes of beating the water I begin to suspect that maybe none of the fish had come over the dam. Just when I really was ready to try another spot I got a hard bump. Refocusing, I enjoyed the swish of the line through the guides while shooting line to put my fly on the other side of the creek.

After several casts and a few more bumps I began to get tired of continually missing fish. A deep spot downstream caught my eye and I moved towards a logjam that had a bunch of foam piled in front. My first cast produced an explosive strike which made me wonder if there were larger than normal fish in here. After several more casts I finally hooked up with a trout that had an attitude. Guiding it in close to the bank, I soon released the first fish of 2009!


Four fish later, I called it a day, glad to have enjoyed a couple of hours on the water. The Simi Seal Leech accounted for all 5 fish and most took it hard in a convincing manner. While not the South Holston, it was a pleasant alternative to the three hour drive. There's always another time for large fish. The Caney is starting to provide a few opportunities for wading if you pick your time carefully. Of course I'll be floating it and throwing streamers sometime soon as well. The next few months provide some outstanding fishing for those willing to brave the cold...

Going to Yellowstone Next Summer?

Winter is the time to dream about the trips you took over the course of the previous year. It is also time to plan the trips for the upcoming warm months. Last summer I travelled to Colorado again and while I had a great trip, it just wasn't the same as Yellowstone. For the last couple of months I've been dreaming about fishing Yellowstone for awhile next summer. Early season on the Firehole is a great time and while Tennessee bakes in 90 degree heat, you can be happily fishing during a PMD or BWO hatch in 50 or 60 degree weather. There are several lakes that I really want to visit again including some that hold grayling. The question now is, will I actually be able to safely visit Yellowstone?

Over the last week, many small earthquakes have been shaking the Park. While not unusual for such a geologically active location normally, the recent earthquakes have been a bit out of the ordinary due to their frequency. There is one possible good that may result from the tremors but this is just a strictly uneducated guess. As I understand it, the Firehole River did not always warm up as much during the summer. Back in the 1970s, a particularly active period geologically caused some of the hot springs to begin pouring even more warm water into the river. Now it would be great to have the opposite happen. If the current tremors could shake things around so not as much warm water is running off into the Firehole, it might help the fish survive through the long hot summers in better shape. Now that I've said that the opposite will probably happen but let's hope not...

Anyway, for those that are interested, you can find more on this story here...

2008: Great Year or Not

Soon I'll be posting a 2008 year in review but until then, I want to know how the year was for you. I just put up a new poll so you can put in you vote for how the year went. Personally I had a good year including the most days on the water in a year. This next year may not include as much fishing since I graduated and now have to get a real job. It is all about maximizing the quality of one's time on the water. I guess I'll be switching to quality over quantity at least for a few months.

If your year was amazing, reply here and let me know why it was great. I want to hear your best stories from the year. Did you finally get that monster fish or perhaps make a trip you've been planning for years? Also if it was bad for some reason tell me why...

More New Blogs

I just added a couple more blogs to the links list so check them out... The first is High-Noon Trout and is a blog on trout fishing in the high Sierra. Someday I hope to do some extensive fishing in California including some backcountry trips into the Sierras so this blog will be providing some incentive to do that trip. The other blog is Tar Heel Fly Fishing based out of North Carolina and the author is a young fly fisherman that also happens to enjoy the weather apparently (another hobby of mine) so it should be an entertaining read. The author is also a Carolina Panthers fan but I'll try not to hold that against him. Anyway, give both of these blogs a look...

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas to everyone and thank you for taking the time to read my blog! This has been a great fishing year for me and thanks for letting me share my favorite moments on the water with you. Here in Tennessee we have been getting one of the best Christmas gifts of all in the form of plenty of water. Hopefully this is the beginning of the end of the ongoing drought. Yesterday I took a drive up to the Smokies to check on a few streams and take some pictures. Here is a sample of what I saw on Little River...

Just above Metcalf Bottoms...

Water over rock...

Just above Metcalf again...

Sheet ice after the puddle drained out...

Another view of the run shown above...

Head of the big run...

Fresh beaver cutting on the April Pool

April Pool

The remains of the April Pool beaver dam...

Another view of the beaver dam...

Plenty of water now...

Cold day on the river...

Near Elkmont

Just below Elkmont

Trouble at Kingston Coal Plant

If you live and fish in East Tennessee, there is a good chance that you've fished the Clinch River at some point. The river was one of the better tailwaters in the area for many years before declining. Lately it seems to be on the comeback trail probably largely due to new special regulations such as the ones that have made the Caney Fork such a spectacular fishery. Just when things were looking up, news of a potential environmental disaster is coming from the very banks of the river. The Kingston Coal Plant is a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) coal-fired powerplant that apparently just polluted a rather large area.

According to the story from CNN, a large area of sludge broke free from the containment area, eventually covering around 400 acres in the potentially hazardous material. While TVA officials say it can't yet be called toxic,

One environmental attorney called that statement "irresponsible." The ash that gives sludge its thick, pudding-like consistency in this case is known as fly ash, which results from the combustion of coal. Fly ash contains concentrated amounts of mercury, arsenic and benzine, said Chandra Taylor, staff attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center.

Wow, mercury, arsenic and benzine...sounds great for the Clinch. Fortunately for the trout fishery, this spill occured well downstream of the prime trout water. Still, as the Clinch is a major tributary to the Tennessee River, this is clearly a bad situation. Of course, I'm probably a little more bitter than normal since TVA is generating on most of the area tailwaters making a tailwater trip highly unlikely in the near future (unless its the SoHo)...that and the fact that the spill has already been killing fish in the area... I guess at this point the best thing to hope for is that the cleanup can be done quickly and thoroughly...

Big Browns and Small Streams

This fall has been a great one for catching large brown trout. The Caney was phenomenal albeit a bit crowded at times. The Clinch produced good fish and the Cumberland was spectacular as should be expected. Unfortunately the hopeful end of the drought has also coincided with increased generation be TVA on the tailwaters throughout the region. One of the only tailwaters with a reliable schedule for fishing lately has been the South Holston River.

During the past week, I've fished the SoHo twice and found good fish both times. Local anglers have been catching fish up to 15 and even 20 pounds and while I never saw any of the real behemoths, I did find plenty of willing fish and even a few good fish.




My best fish was a female of around 20 inches that took an egg pattern as soon as I got a good drift. I landed another very large male that was not fair hooked so this fish does not really count but was still a beautiful fish that I enjoyed getting to see up close. I had spotted a really good fish but couldn't see it very well. Casting just above where I thought the fish was, my line went tight almost before the flies hit the water. I reacted by setting the hook into what turned out to be the wrong end of the fish. After following the fish downriver, I got it under control and managed to remove mine and some other flies as well that the poor fish had picked up somewhere. This was the last fish of the day and while I enjoyed fishing for large tailwater trout, I'm really missing the simplicity of a small stream, a 4 weight and a handful of dry flies.

While dry flies may or may not catch fish, I'll likely head for the mountains soon where I can hone my skills on the wily rainbow, brown and brook trout that inhabit the streams of the Smokies. This winter I've set myself the goal of unlocking the secrets of fishing the freestone streams in the winter. The fish clearly still have to eat and I'm set on figuring out how to catch lots of fish in the cold weather. James Marsh over at Fly Fishing the Great Smoky Mountains has provided some inspiration with entertaining articles in his Fishing Journal. Recently he had a series of articles on fishing cold water in the Smokies that will be a good starting point for my experiments. I'm fully convinced that if one is willing to change tactics, catching lots of fish in the winter on a freestone stream is not out of the question...

New Poll

Yet another poll is up and this time I'm asking if you are going to take vacation time to fish around the holidays. It seems the rivers get crowded around Christmas and New Years Day. Is that just my imagination or maybe everyone is just fishing on the weekend. I've got to say though that it sure feels like people are out fishing during the week a lot. Anyway, vote in the poll and if you have any really cool trips lined up leave a comment here and let me know where you're going... I'll probably head for upper east Tennessee and probably the Smokies as well over the next few weeks. The Caney will be blown out for awhile so a trip to the Hiwassee might be in order as well...

Fluoro For Bigger Fish

Our most recent poll closed a couple of days ago and the results surprised me a bit. I honestly did not expect to discover that nearly a third of you use fluorocarbon tippet for all your fishing. Well over half are using it for at least some of your fishing while just over one quarter of you don't use it at all.

It took me a long time to start using it and lately I've been using it more and more. Two summers ago I started using it when a buddy recommended I get some for the Frying Pan River in Colorado. My first spool was Seaguar Grand Max in 6X andit is still the best I've ever used although quite expensive. The beauty of using Fluorocarbon is that it supposedly is harder to see underwater compared to standard monofilament. Even better, it is stronger than comparable mono. Lately I've switched over to the Rio Fluoroflex Plus which is almost as good as the Seaguar. It is also a little cheaper which is good for the money starved trout bum. Cheaper here is relative and a good spool of fluorocarbon tippet will generally set you back $10 more than a comparable spool of mono tippet.

So now the big question, is it really worth it? After catching lots of large trout over the last two years, I'm really becoming a believer in the stuff. I've lost an unbelievable number of good fish due to the 6X monofilament breaking but have yet to break off a good fish on fluorocarbon tippet. A few weeks ago, I fought a monster brown on the Caney for several minutes before losing it. The line just went limp and I was sure it had broke off. Reeling in I discovered that the large fish had just straightened the #14 hook. A fish large enough to straighten a #14 hook is a big fish but it did not break the 6X tippet. On the initial run the fish headed straight for a large log and I was forced to apply a lot of pressure. With monofilament I have no doubt that I would have broke the fish off. So again, I ask, is it worth it?

Here's a few reasons I think it is...

End of the Drought?

After two major storms systems this past week, the southeastern United States may be well on the way to recovering from the ongoing drought. Here in Tennessee, three day rainfall totals were upwards of 4 inches across a wide area with some places getting even more. Area streams and rivers are flowing high and strong again for the first time in awhile. Center Hill Lake has come up 6 feet in the last 4 days meaning the Caney Fork will be unfishable for wade fisherman for quite awhile. Little River in Townsend peaked at over 3000 cfs and is still flowing well above normal. The forecast for the next week calls for more rain so things are definitely improving.

That's fine with me as the well-known tailwater has been getting hammered for the last several weeks and this should give the fish a chance to grow without the constant fishing pressure. This time of year often brings on a shad kill meaning those that want to brave the high flows and rip streamers might catch a large fish. Right now it might be a little two high. I'd probably wait until they cut back to one generator but then it should start to get interesting. The fish will be even stronger due to the high flows.



The weather situation out west is encouraging as well. A quick check of the National Weather Service homepage shows winter storm warnings, blizzard warnings, and winter weather advisories across much of the west . Forecasts for the entire Rocky Mountain region from Arizona and New Mexico north to Montana for the next week indicate several strong storm systems will traverse the region over the next several days. Lots of snow means a good fishing year next summer so the more the better!

Back on the home front, big things are happening this week. I will finally be graduating from college with a B.A. in Mathematics, a Minor in History, and secondary teaching credentials. In celebration I'll probably be doing my fair share of fishing this next week including another pilgrimage to the South Holston River in search of the monster browns that make this tailwater famous. The last trip did not produce any monsters but this week should be better...

Midges: Tiny Bugs for Large Trout

Midges are extremely important as a trout food on many waters around the country. My buddy Trevor Smart told me about this amazing video from Ralph and Lisa Cutter which shows the various stages of the midge life cycle.

These insects are particularly important as we enter the coldest months of the year. On many days, midges may be one of the only things hatching and to be successful, a good fisherman will be sure and carry the appropriate patterns to match the hatch. Soon I'll be sharing some of my favorite midge patterns including how to fish them. Until then, enjoy this video...

Caney Crowds

The Caney Fork has become one of the top tailwaters in Tennessee but unfortunately everyone seems to know about it. The crowds are only getting worse so if you decide to fish it consider yourself fairly warned.

Despite the crowds the river still fishes well, that is if you don't mind constantly being crowded. Last Friday I headed down to the river to fish and was the first one on a particular run. I started out with a new pattern that I have thanks to James Marsh from over at The Perfect Fly Store and Fly Fishing the Smoky Mountains. The fly was a Cream Midge Pupa and the Caney trout were taking the pattern well. There were lots of midges hatching when I first arrived at the river and the occasional rise looked more like the fish were taking bugs just under the surface. In this situation a midge pupa is deadly (another favorite is the Zebra Midge) and the fish responded well to the new pattern.

I had probably 20 minutes of fishing in when some more people showed up and proceeded to box me in on the extreme upper end of wadeable water at that access point. Things slowed down but I knew it was a good spot. Deciding to hang in there, I spent the next hour or more changing flies and tinkering with my rig. Finally I got things dialed in again and started catching fish again. The guys below me decided it was the best spot on the river after I caught several fish and as soon as I left, they headed right up.

None of the fish I caught were monsters this trip but there were several decent fish to around 17 inches including to gorgeous rainbows that fought like tigers. I honestly thought I had tied into a big brown both times I hooked a good rainbow but was pleasantly surprised to find one of the Caney's better 'bows attached. The browns should be off the spawning shoals soon if they aren't already and the best fishing is yet to come. Those cold days when most people are smart enough to stay home will provide some of the best fishing of the year.

Of course, remember that each person's definition of great fishing varies greatly. For me, solitude (or at least a few manners from fellow fisherman) rate right up there with catching tons of large fish. For this reason, I'll be heading back to the park for as much of my fishing as possible in the upcoming weeks. It probably won't be as often as I would like but I'll enjoy each opportunity. Those cold days where the line is icing will find me back on the Caney though... I still have more flies to try from James Marsh and I'm looking forward to ripping a few streamers soon on the Caney as well...

Current Poll

Please take a moment to weigh in on our newest poll. How many of you use fluorocarbon tippet? I started using it consistently this year. The cost is definitely a bit steep but worth it if you can afford it. I've been using Rio Fluoroflex Plus and am sold on the stuff. Seaguar Grand Max is awesome also but even more costly than the Rio. If you haven't tried fluorocarbon tippet yet I would urge you to give it a shot, especially on the tailwaters. I think you'll be glad you did...

Happy Thanksgiving

This time of year provides a lot to be thankful for. From a fishing perspective things couldn't be better. The cooler temperatures are keeping the crowds off the streams but the fish are still feeding heavily making a fishing trip a lot of fun. Yesterday I had the opportunity to fish the South Holston. Opportunities for large fish were minimal unfortunately but I still had an incredible day fishing with friends. The weather was great and it was fun to be on the water again. Tomorrow I'll be wetting a line somewhere else, probably on the Caney. I'm definitely thankful for good health and the privilege of fishing as much as I do.

In other things, I'm thankful to almost be done with college. Graduation will be here in another three weeks or so. I have a great family and lots of good friends. God has definitely blessed me and life is good!

I hope everyone that reads this blog has a great Thanksgiving and thanks for stopping by!

Upcoming This Week

Coming soon...some of the best fishing of the year...and according to our poll most of you will be taking advantage of the prime fishing conditions. As winter conditions become the norm, more and more people are staying home instead of getting out and fishing, at least that's what I thought. Our most recent poll would lead one to believe otherwise. Nearly 80% of respondents said that they get out and fish during some of the best fishing conditions of the year, otherwise known as winter.

Based on personal experience, I have a hard time believing that this is an accurate sample of all fly fisherman. The last two weekends of fishing on the Caney Fork seem to have reinforced this belief. While catching plenty of nice fish, my buddies and I often had large sections of the river to ourselves without putting in much effort. This is highly unusual on the popular middle Tennessee tailwater where it sometimes feels like you should have brought your own rock. Many people stay away once the air temperature drop but as many of you obviously know, this is a huge mistake. I won't complain though because it leaves lots of water for me.

This next week will be a good one for fishing. I'm looking at taking a trip up to the South Holston River. If the first trip goes well I might drive up again and fish it twice in one week. Of course I would like to fish the Caney or Cumberland also so time will tell exactly where I end up fishing. I'm encouraged by the weather forecast though. On Monday we have a cold front forecast to push through the southeastern United States bringing rain showers to most areas of middle and eastern Tennessee. The drought is still keeping area freestone streams very low so any rain we get is beneficial. By next weekend it looks like a stronger system might be moving in. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to fish during nasty weather. The fish will be very active during the day with the cloudy skies and new moon. Fisherman should be also...

Back on the River

Joe Mcgroom photograph

Once again I spent some time on the river this past weekend. Unfortunately it looks like that will be my last time on the water until next week during break. The cold weather kept a lot of people off the river for a second weekend in a row. This was good for us because it meant we were able to fish all the best runs without any competition for a change.

Our first stop didn't produce any fish over 16 inches or so. Despite the lack of larger fish, the fishing was still excellent. There were several times that we were all hooked up simultaneously. The river is absolutely on fire right now if you have the correct flies and know where the fish like to feed.

The water started coming up after we had fished for a couple of hours so we headed up to fish just below the dam. This proved to be a good choice and we found the largest fish we spotted all day. After working a pod of good fish for several minutes, I finally hooked one and it immediately went ballistic. Thankfully all my knots held and I was soon admiring a beautiful male brown in the shallows. After a couple photographs, I released the fish and watched it bolt back to the dark run it calls home.

Joe Mcgroom photograph

Later on I came back to the same pod after they had calmed down and hooked a beast. The fish tore across the river towards a log on the far bank but I somehow managed to keep it from hanging up. Next it decided to head downriver. Moving quickly in pursuit, I grew increasingly nervous as the battle was becoming drawn out and I knew it was a monster. Suddenly the line went limp and I was left to ponder what might have been. Reeling in my line I discovered that it was no fault of my own. The #16 hook had straightened out partially, just enough for the big fish to gain its freedom.

Joe's big brown

My buddy Joe Mcgroom also managed to catch a pig. If he wasn't ruined last week he definitely is now.

Joe with his big brown...

We're planning a trip to another Tennessee tailwater during Thanksgiving break and this trip will include some monster browns hopefully. I'm hoping to find that 32 inch monster I mentioned in the previous post...

"Hero" shot of my big brown - Joe Mcgroom photograph

Massive South Holston Brown

Yesterday I drove up to fish the Smokies and look for big browns. While the fishing was not bad, I didn't catch any of the monsters that I was hoping for. In fact we didn't even see fish over 18" although we probably just didn't look in the right spots. There is at least one large brown somewhere in the park because Smokies guide Ian Rutter caught it last week. Most people would love to catch a fish that nice (myself included) but catching the large fish in the park doesn't happen overnight. It takes a lot of time on the water learning the stream and the fish before it happens...until I catch one of my own, I'll be looking at the pictures of Rutter's brown a few more times... I'm sure there are at least a few more to be caught, so while the tailwaters are fun I'll definitely be heading for the park again sometime soon.

Last night a quick check of some favorite websites indicated that I should have headed for the South Holston. Matt Champion from the South Holston River Fly Shop landed an unbelievable 32 inch monster. No, that's not a typo...32 inches.... For pictures and more details, check out the link. Plans are now underway for a trip up that way sometime in the not too distant future. In the meantime, I'm fishing this weekend so check back for updates in two or three days...

Current Poll

So far the overwhelming majority of you claim to fish even when the weather gets nasty. Based on my own observations, I know that this is not a good representation of the overall fishing population. For example, this past Sunday was a chilly day on the Caney. The number of fisherman on the river was definitely down from what it has been. Easily the majority of fisherman that were still out were fly fisherman which I found interesting. I'm not sure if that's always the case so I'll have to pay a little better attention from now on... Anyway, if you haven't voted yet in the poll, just look over to the right side of the page and let me know if you fish in the winter or not...