Nymph Tactics for the Wade Fisherman: Part One

Many books and articles have been written on the broad subject of nymph fishing.  The topic is one that cannot be addressed in just a single article.  I’m going to attempt to address as much as possible over the course of at least 2-3 articles.  In this first article I will try and present some of the theory that I believe affects the degree of success for any nymph fisherman.  Then, with my theories explained, I will attempt to share my thoughts on specific situations and how to approach them to increase your success. 

One way to become a better nymph fisherman is simply trial and error while out on the water.  Having someone to show you a trick or two definitely speeds up the process however.  My first true lesson on nymph fishing came from long-time Smoky Mountain guide Walter Babb.  Previous to this experience, my only understanding of the topic came from reading articles and any other material I could get my hands on. 

In general, I can learn most things through reading about them, but fly fishing has been an experience where watching a master can save months or even years of experiments.  The small detail that I had not really understood sufficiently before my lesson was line management.  Keeping as much line off the water as possible is extremely crucial, and I cannot emphasize it enough.  In my opinion, you always want the line to enter the water anywhere from directly above to slightly downstream (or downcurrent which is not always downstream) of your flies.  Generally, the current itself will eventually get your drift aligned properly eventually, especially if you are using an indicator, but what happens when a fish hits very early in the drift if your line has slack in it?

My reasoning is that if the line is entering the water upcurrent of your flies and a fish takes, there is slack in the line which will delay any indication of a strike.  That split second is crucial to actually hooking and landing the fish.  If you have reached that point in your fly fishing career where you don’t worry about the number of fish hooked and are just satisfied by tricking the fish into sampling your flies, then stop reading now.  If you want to catch more fish, read on.

Here is an attempt at an in-depth explanation using some basic high school geometry.  If you don’t need convincing of my logic or really hate math, you can skip the next few paragraphs and just trust me on this one.  For the rest of you, recall that in right triangle trig, the sine of an angle A is the length of the side opposite of A over (or divided by) the length of the hypotenuse.  Cosine of an angle A is the length of the side adjacent to A over the length of the hypotenuse.  In the diagram below, notice the direction of the current.  The fly is downcurrent of the indicator.  For the sake of our illustration, let’s just use an indicator depth of 4 feet.  Assume that the fly is at an angle that is 3o degrees from vertical.  In other words, the flies are NOT directly under the indicator.  Solve the triangle drawn onto the diagram using the sine and cosine formulas. 

For the sake of our illustration, assume that when a fish takes the fly, it does not rise or drop vertically in the water column after eating.  As the indicator drifts downstream over the fish, the fly is now stationary in the fishes mouth.  The indicator is still drifting though and as it comes vertical over the fish, we have over half a foot of line unaccounted for or causing slack between the fish and the indicator (see diagram below).  In fact, until the fly is 30 degrees upcurrent of the indicator, we will continue to have slack in the line.  The indicator can drift up to 4 feet downstream in our particular illustration before the slack is removed between indicator and fish.

Clearly, if you cast so that your flies are entering the water upcurrent of the indicator or rest of your line, you will be in a much better position to detect any takes, especially the soft ones where the fish barely moves at all. 

A particularly memorable example of the importance of this principle occurred last summer on the Caney Fork River.  I was floating with David Perry of Southeastern Fly along with my cousin Nathan.  We were having a nice day but had not found any nicer browns yet.  As we drifted into the back of a large pool, David P. suggested that I cast to a particular spot.  It was straight across the river from the boat, but I hooked the cast so my flies dropped in upstream of the indicator.  Almost immediately the indicator pulled gently under.  Instead of the routine stocker rainbow, a nice 18 inch brown was soon thrashing in the net.  Getting those flies in the correct position fooled a beautiful fish that really made my day. 

Nathan Stanaway photograph

Now that you know the basis of my theory, I will move into explaining other important principles to increase your success as a nymph fisherman.  I nymph more than anything else it seems, and have found that most of the time it is the best way to bring good numbers of fish to hand.  There are many exceptions to this generalization, but the fact remains that improving your skills as a nymph fisherman will drastically improve your catch rates. 

Back In Felt

I first heard about the change announced by Simms over on Tom Chandler's Trout Underground and have since done some research although specific information is a little hard to come by.  In talking with Byron Begley at Little River Outfitters, it seems that, at least at my local shop, the staff and owners didn't bother complaining to Simms.  The customers that wanted felt simply bought other products while a good number of people opted to give rubber soles a try, and everyone was still satisfied.  On the other hand, at least one customer reported falling multiple times in his newly purchased rubber soled boots.  While my first instinct is to laugh at Simms for such a quick about-face, at the same time I have to respect them for actually listening to the consumer.

My initial reaction to the announcement of the ban was to fire off an email to Simms explaining how crucial felt was here in East Tennessee.  Of course it depends on your fishing and wading style, but for those that fish the Smokies and tailwaters with lots of slick ledges like the Hiwassee, felt is hands down the safest way to stay on your feet.  My most recent pair of wading boots was a pair of Redington boots I got a good deal on.  The main reason they weren't Simms was because I couldn't find any Simms felt sole boots anymore.  I'll be going back to Simms next year or whenever I need to buy a new pair of boots because they fit me better than any other boot I've tried yet, and I'll support a company that is so willing to listen to what their customers want...

When it comes to preventing invasive species, I believe that education is the answer.  Legislating or marketing a specific method or product will not work if the masses don't buy in.  Instead of trying to force the industry in the direction of their choosing, Simms would do well to put their time and dollars into spearheading a collective effort to provide education to anglers and perhaps researching the best methods to clean gear. 

In talking to the good people at Little River Outfitters, I was alerted to another method to clean gear that is used by the Great Smoky Mountains NP fisheries biologists.  I have a few documents, brochures and papers to peruse but will be sharing more on that in a few days...

Summer Evening

Creekin'

Back on the water, I've moved away from the tailwater trout and onto small stream panfish and bass.  The smallies are really active now as well as all manner of sunfish.  I've been on multiple Cumberland Plateau bluelines lately both here around Crossville and down towards Chattooga.  The next three months will provide some of the best fishing these streams have to offer.

As far as gear, I normally fish a fast-action 9' 4wt rod.  Two weeks ago I fished a St. Croix Legend Ultra on the creeks near Chattanooga.  This past Friday I was fishing a prototype rod from James Marsh.  Both times I had my old, battle-worn Orvis Battenkill reel with a four weight Rio line.  The important thing is that you choose a rod capable of throwing anything from little beetles or ants to small clousers and wooly buggers.  Any reel and floating line will do for this type of fishing.  Generally the fish aren't picky although they can be a bit spooky at times when the water starts to get low. 

Last Friday, I fished a local creek that is flowing well above seasonal norms due to all the rain we have had lately.  The fish was slow at first, mainly because I was unused to fishing with the higher water conditions.  Once I tied on the correct fly and figured out where the fish were, it was game on! 

I probably caught in the neighborhood of 30 fish in a couple of hours give or take although I can never truly keep an accurate count of how many fish I catch.  Catching fish is one of those bonuses to any fishing excursion, and I try to keep my definition of success at least somewhat detached from the number of fish caught.  Still, its always nice to come back and tell everyone that I caught more fish than I could count or remember. 

My dad came along just to hang out and take a few pictures of the scenery.  It is always nice to have someone around while fishing, at least most of the time.  It is hard to juggle the camera and the fish without causing undue stress to the fish although definitely possible.  Having someone else along just simplifies the whole process. 

David H. Knapp Photo 

I didn't end up taking many pictures.  Most of the fish were on the small side as is normally the case on these streams.  Thats not to say that large fish aren't around, just that they don't show up on the end of my line very often.  This week looks like it will contain minimal fishing.  I'll be tying for myself and filling a couple of fly orders as well.  The following week is shaping up like a possible backpacking opportunity.  I'm thinking along the lines of big brown trout, but we'll see what happens...

Another Big Oil Mishap

The great Yellowstone River has been inundated with as much as 1000 barrels of Exxon Mobile crude oil.  The timing is really bad too since runoff is in full swing.  That means instead of keeping the oil at least a little under control it will be washed well down the river and into the Missouri.  On the other hand, for the Yellowstone River itself it could be a good thing as the oil will largely get blown downstream.  The interesting part is that the pipeline that broke was under the river.  Wonder who had that great idea?  Every seriously heavy runoff event was bound to stress the pipeline until eventually it couldn't take it any more.  Apparently there were a total of three pipelines (from three different companies) under the river, so let's hope the other two stay secure.

Major news outlets are now picking up on the story.  Hopefully Exxon Mobile will do what they say they are going to, namely do a good job with the cleanup.  If past history is any indication, I'm a little skeptical about a Big Oil company doing the right thing...

Flies

I just finished an order for 2 dozen of my beadhead caddis pupa, and was realizing that I haven't mentioned any flies for awhile.  As we get into summer, make sure you have plenty of terrestrials if you are planning on fishing the Smokies.  My favorite combination is a green weenie and ant fished with a couple of split shot in the faster pockets and runs.  The fish will kill an ant when nothing else seems to work.  Also, the Isonychias should be around now, and I have a couple of great patterns for this hatch.  My favorite is a soft hackle pattern that has produced some of the largest fish I've caught in the Smokies including a 19 inch brown and 16 inch rainbow. 

If you need any of these patterns, please don't hesitate to contact me through email for further information on prices and availability.  I will be tying for my upcoming trip to Yellowstone over the next few weeks and will only be taking limited orders for flies so please check soon if you want some of these great patterns...

Big Terrestrials

David Perry Photograph

Fly fisherman in middle Tennessee have experienced the pinnacle of terrestrial fishing here in the southeast this summer.  The cicadas have been nothing short of spectacular as the 13 year periodic cicada hatch produced many opportunities to take large fish on dry flies.  I never got on the big browns like some people but caught nice browns and rainbows up to 19 inches.  The carp fishing was insane, and I finally figured out why some people are so enamored with this species. 

I floated the Caney a few times including a couple of trips with David Perry who has spent the summer putting clients onto big fish using dry flies on multiple area tailwaters.  The first trip was absolutely incredible but it was the carp fishing that really got us excited.  Early in the float David P. nailed a big brown that was 22 inches on a cicada.  That got our hopes up for more big fish, but the next few hours were slow with just a handful of fish to the net.

As we moved further down the river, we started seeing large fish cruising the dead water along the banks and feeding on the surface.  My first cast to one of these surface feeders was long, probably 60 feet, but the fly landed on target and the fish sipped the big cicada pattern.  Upon feeling the steel, the fish promptly ran into a tangled mass of logs and broke the 4x like nothing.  Since then I've used nothing lighter than 3x.

Thankfully that wasn't the end of my day.  Continuing down the river, I soon got another shot at a carp and shortly had my first ever carp pictures.  David P. wanted in on the action so I rowed for awhile while he fished to more rising carp.  Neither of us had ever experienced anything quite like it and were having a blast. 

My largest fish of the day came late when we were getting close to the take out.  A nice fish swirled in the deepening shadows along the bank.  The cast was right where I wanted it and the fish pushed a wake as it came to investigate.  The fly disappeared in a swirl and the fight was on.  I knew immediately that this fish was in a different class than the ones we had been catching.  As I fought the carp up and down the river, David P. rowed after the fish, providing a great opportunity to actually land the beast.  Finally we neared the shallows, and I jumped out to beach the big carp as there as no chance of it fitting in the net. 

David Perry Photograph

Another float with David P. was fairly slow for trout but that was because we weren't really targeting them.  That's right!  The carp were so much fun that we spent time intentionally targeting them even when trout were around and available.  The one trout I got on that float was memorable because I nailed it before we even started floating.  David P. was parking the truck and I decided to see if any fish were hungry.  On the third cast an 18 inch brown took my offering.  My day was complete at that point so I volunteered for rowing duty and enjoyed just being on the water.  Later on we enjoyed chasing carp again.  Fishing for them is addicting enough that I will now purposefully try to catch one when I get the chance...

David Perry Photograph

Two other days I made it down to the river on my own and both times I had excellent fishing.  The Caney is fishing well although it will seem really slow now that the cicadas are basically done.  Large trout don't show up as often when the game consists of nymphs and midges but its good to know they are in there.

The Caney should continue to fish well assuming that there is enough cold water in the lake to last through fall.  The recent heavy generation may start letting up soon although the heavy traffic on the river makes fishing it a less than appealing proposition. 

I will probably be spending more time fishing for warmwater species over the next few weeks although my time on the water will be limited.  More time will be devoted to tying in preparation for my trip to Yellowstone in late July and early August.  I still have some reports to do here as well and have more articles in the works so I definitely have plenty to keep me busy...

Back

I have been having some internet struggles lately but am now back and will try and get several updates and pictures up as soon as possible.  There is still more information on the middle Tennessee cicada action earlier this summer as well as some warmwater stream trips for smallmouth.  I have additional fishing trips coming up including a Yellowstone trip so stay tuned for all that and more...

Carp...

...on cicadas!!!  I've been on the Caney for the past couple of days and likely to get out again another day or two in the near future.  The cicadas are on but definitely winding down now.  All this time I thought trout fishing was a blast, but now I sort of understand why some people get all excited about carp.  These fish were chowing down on cicadas on the lower river.  Here is one picture of a 30 inch carp caught during a float with David Perry.  Lots more to come over the next few days so stay tuned for more on the cicadas and the big browns, rainbows, and yes, carp that are tearing them up. 

David Perry Photograph

Cicadas

Have you ever gone fishing knowing that a certain hatch might be on, and yet remaining pathetically unprepared because you just didn't get around to tying a few patterns up?  I've been known to suffer from this affliction a time or two, the most recent happening just yesterday.  A particular brood of 13 year cicadas is emerging across a large portion of Tennessee as we move into the summer.  There is a certain little lake near Cookeville that I like to fish occasionally, and the last time I was down there the cicadas were definitely hatching.

The noise was so obvious on the drive to the lake that I didn't even need to get out of my car before I knew with certainty that the cicadas were out in force.  In fact, as I wandered through the woods around the lake, the noise was deafening.  I wondered if a person could go insane from the bedlam but then quickly moved to the more positive line of thought involving fish hammering big dries. 

Then I remembered that I had intended to tie some new cicada patterns, but in all the hurry that we call life I had forgotten.  At this point I began a ritual that is, for me at least, frighteningly familiar.  It involves digging through box after box of flies in the vane hope that I stashed a cicada in some obscure corner of a fly box normally reserved for a completely different type of pattern.  As my options dwindled, I kept returning to the box that held my extended body salmonfly patterns from a couple of years ago when I chased this hatch around Colorado as well as in Yellowstone National Park.  One fly in particular stood out to me.  Instead of tying it with the usual orange foam, I had used black foam with orange thread to provide the segmented look.  Realizing it was my best option at the moment, I tied it on and began stalking fish cruising the shallows. 

The first two fish I cast over did not like the shadows darting overhead and headed for the sanctuary of deeper water.  The next fish was not as intelligent and promptly slammed the salmonfly posing as a cicada.  After a couple of quick pictures I moved on, catching a few more bass and some bluegill and redear before reeling in to change flies. 

Catherine McGrath Photograph

Sometimes, when the catching aspect of the game is particularly successful, I start to wonder if the fish would hit any other patterns.  This thought process initiated, it didn't take long before I reeled in to change flies.  Surprisingly, the fish weren't entirely dumb.  Other normally solid patterns did not produce as well and it was obvious that the fish really were starting to prefer the juicy morsels that occasionally ended up in the water. 

Catherine McGrath Photograph

During the course of the afternoon, it was not entirely lost on me that I was just catching bait in the overall scheme of things.  Three times, the water nearby erupted with small baitfish fleeing for their lives as a dark torpedo materialized below.  These big bass got me wondering if maybe I shouldn't bring my float tube next time to really fish the lake properly.  But then, is size really that important?  Shouldn't I just be content catching plenty of fish on big dries? 

Now that I know how important the cicada really was to the success of the trip, I will probably tie a few up in my spare time.  In fact, it's entirely possible that I will get carried away and tie more than I possibly need.  In the end, this works out just fine.  I'll probably end up fishing with a buddy that had the same problem I had, knowing he needs a few cicadas but just didn't take the time to tie any.  When that happens, I'll open my box and ask, "Want to try one of these?" 

Catherine McGrath Photograph

Catherine McGrath Photograph

Clearance Sale

This is a good time to get some deals from lots of companies.  Currently there are some great deals in the  Orvis Clearance Room.  If you are looking for some good fishing pants check out the Ex Officio pants.  If you need to pick up a smaller pair of wading boots (perfect for those growing kids that will only wear the boots for a season or two), check out the Henry's Fork Wading Boots or the Pack and Travel Wading Shoe is available in a wider variety of sizes which means if you hurry, you can pick up a new pair of wading boots for yourself as well.  Personally I am stocking up on felt sole boots when I find a good deal since most major companies are transitioning away from making them anymore.  Some states are passing laws against there use but here in the freestone streams of East Tennessee, they are far superior to any other boot sole.  I want to come back without any broken bones so will continue to wear them here in the Smokies.

Bluegill and Redear

An afternoon of chasing panfish is hard to beat.  For the first time this month, I finally got some fishing time on a local lake.  The fish were there and aggressive.  I quit after pestering a few because sometimes it's just too easy, and I start to feel a little greedy if I continue to fish.  Still, it was much needed time on the water.  Hopefully things will continue to improve, and I'll be out chasing some trout soon.  Since school is now out things are definitely looking up. 

Here are a couple that I persuaded to pose for a picture...

 Catherine McGrath Photograph

 Catherine McGrath Photograph

This is one of the first fish I landed.  For some reason I don't seem so pleased...maybe I was secretly hoping to catch trout instead..."wait a second, THAT'S NOT A TROUT..." Seriously, you won't find me complaining about getting fishing time right now.  This was my first time out this month so I was probably suffering withdrawals and just getting reaquainted with what a fish actually looks like...

Catherine McGrath Photograph

Gierach's Latest

A couple of days ago, I received a copy of Gierach's Latest Book entitled "No Shortage of Good Days," to review on my blog.  I'll be reading it over the next few days and will be writing a review here on my blog as soon as I finish.  It seems that several other bloggers are reviewing it as well, including Tom Chandler over at the Trout Underground who had the brilliant idea to provide continuous live blogging of the book as he reads.  Anyway, I'm in the process of wrapping up the school year (its graduation weekend) so things will be hectic for the next few days, after which I hope to get a full review up as soon as possible.

Huge Redear

Imagine a beautiful day out on the lake casting poppers for sunfish (or whatever method you prefer) when suddenly a monster interrupts the routine.  That's what happened to an Arizona angler on Lake Havasu, an impoundment of the Colorado River on the Arizona/California border.  Here are some pictures of the beast along with a few details on how it was caught.  It was not caught on a fly rod but is an amazing fish regardless. 

Picking the Pockets: Improving Your Pocket Water Game

Middle Prong of Little River, Great Smoky Mountains NP

As we move into late spring and early summer, the pocket water sections of most freestone streams here in the southeast can produce the easiest fishing you’ll experience all year.  In fact, my best catching days have all been on this type of water.  Granted, it can be hard to determine what should be referred to as pocket water in streams like Little River where everything looks a lot like pocket water.  For the purpose of clarification, I’m going to define pocket water as a section of stream where the overall flow is medium to fast and is interrupted by boulders and other stream obstructions that create holding water in a section that is otherwise too swift for trout to inhabit.  The picture above is a prime example of the type of water I’m referring to. 

Fishing pocket water is not normally the poetic aesthetically pleasing experience many associate with fly fishing.  Instead of making a beautiful 50 foot cast with a tight loop, you’ll often find yourself chucking heavy nymphs with plenty of split shot.  If textbook hatches and trout rising on a glassy surface are your game, stop reading now.  If you are interested in catching more fish, then this was written for you.

Pockets generally hold a lot of fish year round, but they really shine during the summer and fall.  One oft cited reason they fish so well in the summer is that the fast broken water will hold oxygen better, attracting fish out of the slower pools and runs as the water warms.  Additionally, the insects that the trout feed on are normally widely available in the fast water surrounding the pockets.  The calm pockets provide shelter from the current while the broken water on the surface provides shelter from aerial predators.  All this means that trout feel safe and are relatively easy to approach while holding in pockets. 

As we move into the summer months, some of the more significant hatches are mayflies and stoneflies that have a strong preference for faster water.  Here in the Smoky Mountains, the Isonychia bicolor (Slate Drake) mayflies hatch for an extended period starting in late spring and lasting through the summer.  The nymphs are particularly vulnerable as they swim towards boulders or rocks along the shore prior to hatching.

Stoneflies tend to prefer fast water as well.  In the Smokies we have good to excellent hatches of Golden Stoneflies and Little Yellow Stoneflies (including Yellow Sallies).  You can throw stonefly nymph imitations in pocket water and catch a few trout year round, but during the spring and summer you can have banner days catching an obscene number of fish. 

 A beautiful pocket water rainbow

Fishing pocket water is generally pretty simple.  In general, the closer you get the better.  When I fish freestone streams with good pocket water, it is rare for me to have more than 10 feet of line out.  Sometimes I only have a foot of line out past the top guide.  The easiest way to fish pocket water is with a dry fly, but often the most efficient method of catching is to fish nymphs.  My favorite summertime rig is a combination of heavy Tellico nymph to imitate a stonefly and an Isonychia soft hackle pattern I tie. 

One of the better rainbows I have landed in the Park fell for the Isonychia while it was still in the developmental stage.  Some of the largest browns I’ve caught came on Tellico nymphs.  It is not a coincidence that these fish feed on the most available food items. 

In the winter I prefer to fish a dark stonefly nymph with a midge dropper.  A surprising number of fish show a preference for the midge even in pocket water.  I guess their eye sight is much better than mine, because I have a hard time seeing them when they are sitting in my fly box, much less rushing downstream on a strong current. 

When fishing pockets, don’t forget to try terrestrials.  Trout in streams both east and west feed on a surprisingly wide variety of foods.  Ants and beetles make up a larger portion of their diet in the warmer months and other choice morsels such as grasshoppers and cicadas may bring up the largest trout of the season.  Bouncing streamers around cover is another good trick for pocket water. 

If you want to target fish in pockets with a dry, stick with something that matches one of the expected hatches unless you find a specific hatch to match.  Flies should be visible so you can track them through the current.  Here in the Smokies I fish a Parachute Adams or something similar a majority of the time but Stimulators and other bushy patterns work also. 

In pocket water, the best area to target is normally the slack water immediately behind any obstruction (the pocket itself).  However, you can improve your catch rate considerably by purposefully targeting what seems to be faster water downstream of the pocket.  Without actually showing you what I’m talking about it can be difficult to describe but I’ll make the attempt. 

Generally a pocket will have currents flowing around each side of it and perhaps even a small back eddy within the pocket.  These current tongues will meet up again some place downstream.  Most people think that’s all there is to the pocket, thus placing all their casts in the slack water and then moving on.  This common mistake means they are missing out on some of the better fish in the pocket.  The best feeding lie is downstream of where the currents converge.  This is because under the surface, especially near the bottom, the calmer water of the pocket continues downstream under what appears to be a fairly fast current.  Rocks near the bottom provide enough cover for a fish to sit behind, and these fish are virtually sitting in a funnel, with food coming from both sides of the pocket and as the currents merge together again. 

This position at the far downstream tip of a pocket is often a prime lie, meaning the largest fish in a given piece of water will make its residence there because it fulfills all the trout’s needs: food, shelter, and a place to rest from the current.  In this type of water, trout will not come up for a dry fly unless there is a heavy hatch going on.  The strong current near the surface of the stream means the fish will be expending too much energy when it could just sit on the bottom and gorge on nymphs, larva, pupa, and other bugs and critters caught in the drift. 

In the illustration below, the arrows represent where each trout’s food is coming from.  Notice that the larger fish are sitting under what appears to be a stronger current.  However these fish are getting food from multiple directions at once without moving at all.  Also notice that fish are not always facing upstream.  In fact, fish will often be facing downstream.  Trout will face into the current regardless of what direction it is coming from. 

As with all fishing, careful observation will be the difference between those who have success and those that go home frustrated.  Despite the broken character of pocket water, it is still possible to spot trout. 

Two summers ago I was fishing the Gunnison River in Colorado with two friends.  One was a new convert to the sport.  We sat down on some rocks by the river to rig up.  While sitting there I noticed a flash that could only come from a feeding trout.  Hoping my friend could catch a quality fish on his first trip, I got him set up and then talked him through how to approach what I believed was a big brown.  On about his third cast, I noticed the brief flash again and yelled “Set!”  His reflexes were not yet those of a seasoned fisherman and the hook set was hopelessly late.  Yet to get a good look at the fish, we all leapfrogged up the river.  The whole time though I continued to wonder about that trout. 

At the end of the day, we were hiking back down the river to our trail out when I decided to give the fish another shot.  Carefully tying on two of my best stonefly imitations, I made a careful cast into the small pocket along the bank.  The line ticked almost imperceptibly, and without thinking I set the hook.  Immediately I realized that the best fish of the day was on the other end of my line.  The fish tore through a set of rapids and into a large pool while I ran downstream as fast as I could.  Finally, the heavy bodied brown came to the net in a large back eddy.  We snapped a couple of pictures, and I pondered how I managed to spot the fish in the first place.  The lesson stuck with me though.  I always thoroughly fish every pocket in the hopes of stumbling across another chunky brown.

 

Improving Your Fly Fishing Skills

Lately I have been suffering from too much work and not enough fishing.  Instead of allowing it to slowly affect my attitude, I decided that if I can’t go fishing as much, I can at least still think and write about it.  With that in mind, I’m going to work on some new articles over the next few weeks.  For many of you, I will most likely be repeating old information.  However, at least some of you will hopefully find something useful in what I will share that can improve your skills and help you catch more fish.
 
Some will be brief articles that simply highlight one key point while others will focus on broader subjects.  Mostly I will discuss trout fishing in moving water but may touch on other areas as well.  If you have a specific area or subject you would like me to address, please send me an email or leave a comment here, and I will see what I can do.

Backcountry Dorado

The latest issue of Catch Magazine is live and includes incredible video of fishing for freshwater dorado.  If you want to be inspired to try something completely different, check out the video.  It might take a little while to load but it is well worth the wait. 

Picture Specials

Right now I am running a special on two separate products, picture downloads and 8x10 premium quality prints.  The prints are on sale for just $15, and the downloads are half off at just $2.50 each.  If you have been wanting a hi-res version of any of the photographs you've seen here, this is your opportunity to get them for desktop backgrounds or anything else you want to do with them (personal use only at this price).  Remember, all of my photographs that are showcased here at the Trout Zone as well as the Trout Zone Photoblog are for sale through Fotomoto.com.  Additionally, I have distribution agreements with contributing photographers so most pictures you see here are available for purchase.  To see pricing or make a purchase, simply use the buttons under each photograph. 

Bait

An Afternoon With My Camera

Ramsey Cascades Near Death Experience

Ramsey Cascades has been on my must-do list of hikes for a long time.  While camping a week and a half ago, I finally made the somewhat strenuous trek to the falls.  Several friends as well as my cousin allowed themselves to be talked into joining me on the hike.  We headed up the trail with the knowledge that we were racing time.  Storms were forecast and we didn't want to get caught out in the weather. 

The hike up was tiring but uneventful.  The cascade was actually much better than I anticipated.  We spent plenty of time relaxing and taking pictures.  I found some nice angles but ultimately the higher water of spring prevented me from getting to all the spots I wanted to take pictures from.  The stream below the cascade was as picturesque as the falls so I was happy to spend time with my camera.

After resting, eating lunch, and filtering some water, we started back down the trail.  The wind was increasing and several trees fell in the woods above us.  One section of trail was completely buried in the rubble of a rotten tree that had fallen minutes before we passed.  The crash reverberated through the forest, making us increasingly nervous.  The size of the tree that fell convinced us that the best thing we could do was to get out of the woods as soon as possible.  After having one member of our party pose in the debris for pictures, we quickly moved on.

Nathan Stanaway Photograph

Shortly after, one of my friends decided to jog ahead.  As we came around a bend, we found her lying in the middle of the trail.  Since she had just posed in the trail for pictures, we figured she was joking.  As we got closer, we started making comments like "nice job," and "comfortable down there?"  Then we noticed the large limb next to hear and someone bent closer and spotted blood on her face.

  Nathan Stanaway Photograph

Nathan Stanaway Photograph

My cousin is a paramedic and immediately went into work mode.  He made a quick assessment, and thankfully she was responsive.  Apparently, she was jogging down the trail when a huge gust broke a limb out of a tree.  All she knows is that she felt a jolting blow to the head and collapsed in the trail.  She was groggy for several minutes and had a headache for days but otherwise seems to be fine.  I made the best of an otherwise bad situation by taking an amusing "guide/client" shot with the limb.  As you can see, it was very large and had to have fallen from at least 30 feet up.  It is really a miracle that she was not hurt any worse.  God was definitely watching out for her.  Finally we helped her to her feet and continued down the trail but at a much slower pace.

  Nathan Stanaway Photograph

Thankfully the worst of the rain held off until we were in camp.  A quick stop for donuts lifted our spirits despite the gloomy weather.  Back in camp we fixed a hot supper and then went to bed...the next day would have more adventures and we needed plenty of rest...

High Water 'Bow

Last weekend in the Smokies was difficult from a "standard" fishing perspective.  The streamers were fun, but Sunday was supposed to be a day to take some friends fishing.  We were hoping to fish dry flies or nymphs so we headed for the West Prong of Little River to find some fishable water.  The West Prong always drains out a little faster since it is a small stream with few feeders. 

We found some pools that were at a perfect level for fishing nymphs.  Everyone tried something a little different, but in the end the fish did not care.  I caught fish on a Tellico and on a Red Copper John.  The last rainbow was a nice sized fish for a Smokies small stream.  It was very acrobatic, putting on quite an airshow.  This 'bow was the perfect end to a nice weekend in the Park. 

Catherine McGrath Photograph

Spring!!!

The dogwoods definitely signal spring here in Tennessee.  Last weekend the trees in the Smokies were in full bloom.  I finally found some overlooking Little River that made a beautiful picture.  The early morning sun was illuminating the forest in the distance...

Streamer Action Hot

Last weekend's high water event in the Smokies brought the browns out to play.  I almost didn't find out until too late, but got in on the streamer action before things returned to normal.  Lots of fish followed my fly and several hit as well.  Only one actually got its mouth around the big Clouser though. 

Troubled Montana

Apparently special interests have convinced the politicians of Montana to override the wishes of the state's residents.  The state legislature passed a cyanide leach mining bill so now the best we can hope for is the governor to veto the bill.  Tom Chandler over at the Trout Underground is keeping up with the latest developments.  If you read further on his blog there are several other posts referring to the topic.  Educate yourself and then contact the Montana governor via email (email link on the Trout Underground post). 

Smallmouth Fishing Compromised

Those who enjoy fishing the Little Pigeon in Sevierville and Pigeon Forge for smallies may want to wait awhile before heading to the river.  Apparently there was a major sewage spill upriver at Gatlinburg...guess I won't be targeting smallmouth there anytime soon...

Stalking Risers

Spring in the Smokies is for rising trout.  Usually this means lots of 4"-10" rainbows with a few browns thrown in the mix.  Yesterday I had some business in Knoxville so as soon as I finished, the Park started calling my name.  The sunny skies and warmer temperatures had me dreaming of big hatches and even larger trout.  Large browns do not rise freely to insects very often, especially in the freestone streams of east Tennessee, but if you are going to catch one on a dry then spring is the time to do it. 

When I first arrived at the stream, there were good numbers of Blue Quills, Quill Gordons, and even some Hendricksons mixed in as well as a huge midge hatch.  Several fish were rising, but I was after larger game.  I spent a lot of the afternoon simply looking for large browns.  Some time was spent simply covering water with a dry or double nymph rig and I scored a few decent fish this way as well.  Several very nice fish were out feeding, but it wasn't until late in the day that I struck gold.

I was creeping along the bank of a nice pool when I noticed a dark shadow float to the surface to take an insect.  It was so unexpected that I almost ignored it, but thankfully my fisherman's instinct kicked in and I froze.  Thankfully the fish hadn't seen me, and I watched from behind the cover of a large tree trunk as the fish moved back and forth in the lazy current, rising occasionally to pluck something from the surface.  I checked the rest of the pool to make sure I wasn't missing something larger before returning to sit on the bank and observe the nice fish.  The brown was still there and another slightly smaller fish had moved in behind to feed as well. 

After considering my options and observing the fish, I carefully tied on a dry and crept down the bank to within 15 feet of the fish.  Stripping several feet of line off the reel, I carefully made two false casts and then dropped the fly gently above the fish.  For a second nothing happened.  Then the fish moved and began its ascent through the water column as my heart started pounding.  For an agonizing second (or was it an eternity?), the fish stared hard at the fly and then confidently inhaled my offering. 

As soon as I raised the rod tip, I knew I had a solid hook set and a good chance at landing the fish.  What I hadn't counted on was the fish going aerial.  My heart sunk as the fish repeatedly took to the air, but soon it grew tired, and I confidently raised its head prior to netting. After a couple of pictures, I cradled the fish gently in the current while it regained its energy before heading for a rock to hide under. 

At this point my day was perfect, and I couldn't ask for anything more.  I did spot another good fish, but finally decided to just head home and let the other fish in the stream feed in peace for that day.