A Caney Outing and Vacation

The first of at least two summer trips for me has finally rolled around. Tomorrow I depart for Oklahoma and while I won't be sampling its trout waters this trip, I will be spending an inordinately large amount of time down at a small creek casting for whatever is out swimming.

Since it will be a while before I get close enough to a trout to be dangerous, a stop at the Caney Fork River seemed in order today. I was passing through on my way home from Nashville and stopped to fish for about 3 hours. Enough fish were fooled to keep things interesting but the severe headache I got kept me from doing too much damage. Word of advice for the day, stay hydrated if you want to catch lots of fish. If you don't, your reflexes will suffer... Several large fish were spotted throughout the afternoon and I got a few to eat but my feeble attempts at setting the hook (this was later in the day once the headache had developed) only worked on one of the better fish, and this was nowhere near the largest. Despite my troubles, I had a nice outing and then went home to sleep off the migraine.


Another recent stop at the river was good for this nice brown.

As you can see, the fish are healthy and quite colorful. As long as a catastrophe doesn't occur, this fall should bring excellent fishing with lots of good-sized fish. With this river it can be tough with the late summer and fall dissolved oxygen posing a problem. We can only hope...

I'll hopefully be bringing reports on my warmwater exploits in Oklahoma within a few days so stay tuned for details...

Road To Nowhere Put Down

Finally, after years of debate, it appears that the Road to Nowhere on the Southern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains might finally get the axe for good. From the Tennessean we learn of this great news. Apparently,

After 64 years of debate, the National Park Service says the best option for what's been dubbed "the road to nowhere" in the Smokies is not to build it.

We are encouraged with the news that perhaps politicians are finally making a good decision for the environment. The environmental impact study from the park service determined that the preferred option in the case of the Road was to not build it. Swain County North Carolina will receive a monetary settlement in place of the road. Interestingly, the road WAS promised to the people of this area years ago when TVA built a dam and not everyone appreciates the idea of a settlement. In light of this revelation, is the decision the best one? I think so, but I am admittedly biased. At least I will be able to fish Forney, Hazel, Eagle, and all the other creeks without hundreds of tourists watching. The last thing we need in a wilderness area of a National Park is another road. Of course, as we all know, the issue isn't dead until it is dead so keep your fingers crossed...

Protection for Rio Grande Cutts?

A few years ago (2002), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service denied protection to the Rio Grande Cutthroat. This decision was apparently contrary to the language contained in the Endangered Species Act.

Under the Endangered Species Act, an endangered species is defined as any species that is at risk of extinction in "all or a significant portion of range."

From the Environmental News Network, we read that the Rio Grande Cutts may get another chance.

In response to a lawsuit brought by the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced it will again consider the Rio Grande cutthroat trout for protection as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act.

This is great news especially for trout fisherman. I've always dreamed of a trip to southern Colorado or northern New Mexico to catch this special fish. Unfortunately, it seems that politics have stood in the way of recovery for this unique Cutthroat trout. One of the more interesting statistics?

To date, the Bush administration has protected just 57 species - the fewest for any six-year period since the inception of the Endangered Species Act. There were 512 species protected under President Clinton and 234 protected during George H. W. Bush's presidency. During the last six years of the Clinton administration, just 13 percent of decisions denied protection to species, compared to 52 percent during the six years of the current Bush administration.

Okay, so that was more than one statistic but disturbing nonetheless... Maybe the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will make the right decision and preserve this fish for generations to come.

St. Croix Comes Through

My St. Croix Legend Ultras have long been my go-to rods. The stories of their great customer service gave me some peace of mind in case I ever broke one. Of course, it wasn't so much a case of if as of when. Anyone that has owned many rods has eventually had one break. Mine broke right at the very tip. Thankfully, I was stopping by Little River Outfitters the next day and they sent my rod in to St. Croix for me and the waiting game began. I was looking for the rod to probably be back in two weeks or so. Instead, it was only a week and a half!!! St. Croix makes a very nice product and their customer service is second to none in my experience. Did I mention I love the Legend Ultras...

Epic Day

This week started just as most weeks do during the summer with me going to work on Monday to make some $$$ to pay for school next fall. However, I had two days off, Thursday and Friday. I planned to make the most of my time by making another trip to the Smokies. Most likely I won't be able to go again for awhile so I wanted to do something slightly out of the ordinary. A backpacking trip fit that bill well but I got lazy and decided to just car camp at Elkmont instead.

Thursday found me at Elkmont campground setting up camp in the afternoon and then off for the evening hatch. Despite casting over numerous risers and hooking up several times, I only managed a couple of fish. During a stop at a nice hole that I hit for large fish, I lost my last large Tellico to a big rainbow that snapped the 6x like a twig as the fly hit the water. It would have probably gone an easy 16 inches and perhaps 18. "At least it can't get much worse in the catching department" I muttered to myself. Surely the next day would yield different results, it just had to.

A great nights rest in the woods found me completely refreshed the next morning. I woke up and finally crawled out of my sleeping bag, then put together a quick fire to ward off the morning chill and sat enjoying the cool mountain air. Easy enjoyment when you have a nice hot fire. As I sat there, something clicked. Today was going to be like no other. Each year I have some good days and some great days. This would be one for the ages. I tied a few Tellicos in case I would need them but I was hoping the fish would hit dries.

After a quick breakfast and packing up the camp, I wandered over to the Little River Trailhead and started hiking. Just a short distance into my hike, something else clicked. I would see a bear for the first time while out hiking and fishing. I've seen plenty from the car but none while out fishing and hiking before. This was a strange revelation because there was really nothing to make me think this, yet the thought persisted and was so strong that I really just had no other option than to believe. With this in mind I kept hustling up the trail at my usual fast pace. I passed many fisherman on my way and was doubly thankful that my plans involved a good hike.

After hiking for about an hour and 15 minutes, I finally was in the vicinity of where I wanted to fish. I slowed down and watched for a good place to get in the stream. An opening in the solid thicket between me and the creek finally showed itself and I quickly scrambled down to the stream. I sat down on a rock to look around and make my first fly selection. A yellow stonefly buzzed by about that time so I pulled out an imitation. As I was tying it on, I eyed the little pool just below me. There it was, the obvious rise of a fish taking something on or very near the surface. I slowly moved down and made the short cast with only a couple feet of line out. The very first cast rewarded me with a chunky little rainbow. Slight nervousness set in as I snapped a picture of the first fish of the day. A fish on the first cast is NEVER a good sign. But then I remembered. I KNEW I was going to have a good day. I made another four casts before the next fish hit, just on the other side of the little pool beneath the other main current tongue. Relaxing, I allowed myself to take in the moment and just enjoy the day.

I kept working up the stream and surprisingly caught a brook trout before any browns. "Just one more fish for the slam" I thought. Then it was rainbows again for awhile, constantly falling to the dry with reckless abandon. Finally, at fish number twenty I saw the buttery brown flash I had been watching for. After a quick picture for documentation, the fish slid back into the current and was gone.

Moving quickly, I covered a lot of water before I decided to take a break for snacks. It was great to take off the small hydration pack and relax beside the stream for a few minutes. The brilliant green hues of spring merged with the foaming white water above the small plunge pool to paint a perfect picture. A few minutes were spent trying to recreate the scene with my digital camera but in the end, I knew you just can't reproduce a picture like that. While I was eating, I noticed some bugs starting to hatch a bit more consistently.

If the fish had been looking up before then, they were doing so even more now. Once again I started moving quickly up the stream. A couple of casts here and three there and it was time to move on again. I didn't want to miss out on this golden opportunity of perfectly stupid trout. And the number of fish just kept rising, 30, 40, 50. Somewhere in the forties I surpassed my best fishing day in the Smokies and with my 56th fish it was officially my best day ever personally. I don't know why but for some reason I kept fishing. I've had other days where the pace of catching was just as good but I quit fishing after catching 40+ fish or moved elsewhere to seek a greater challenge. Today, I just enjoyed the moment. At one point I jokingly wondered to myself if I was going to get to 70. When fish number 60 came to hand it became a legitimate possibility. Finally, as I was approaching the point where I would get out and hike back, number 70 hit and came to hand.

I couldn't believe it. My best day of catching (notice I didn't say fishing, its not all about the catching always...) was finally done, or so I thought. In the end, the fishing part was done and in the excitement, I forgot that I was going to see a bear. Or maybe I was just hoping it was a silly thought. Regardless, when I rounded a bend shortly into the hike back, I was still surprised to actually see the large bear wandering around in the trail. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRAIL... "What now" I wondered. I had to get back to my car and I was exhausted. Seventy fish in 6 hours is hard work on anybody and I still had to make the two hour drive home. I thought for a couple of minutes and remembered that you should make noise so the bears know you are around. He was still around 200 feet off so I started whistling and then slowly waved my arms so he could see me. Bears have poor eyesight so I bent down to pick up a couple of rocks to toss in his direction. When I stooped over, he realized how big I was and took off up the hill. Glancing nervously at the spot where he had evaporated into thin air, I hurried on past and back towards my car. As the last bit of daylight was leaving, I made it back to my car.

I still can't believe everything that happened yesterday. Some of it is just too crazy. Even the 70 fish and especially the bear, the part where I knew I was going to see one. That's the way the mountains are though. They always provide great moments. You can just count on it. That is probably why I keep going back. The fishing is a great excuse though and next time I get a chance, you'll find me hustling up a trail away from the crowds to find the pristine wilderness experience I left up there somewhere.

California Loves Their Frogs

The fight for frogs and other native species continues in California. According to this NBC story,

Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Patrick Marlette said the state's trout stocking program fails to meet environmental laws designed to protect threatened and endangered species, although he declined to temporarily shut it down.

Trout fisherman will be unhappy with the ruling I'm sure and it does raise numerous issues. For example, poaching is generally a problem with just about any fishery including trout and normally, the stocked trout are an easy target. For that matter, what about all the people out fishing for their supper legally? This is all very theoretical, but what happens when there aren't as many trout to go around in the first place? Do native fisheries become a new or more focused target of the catch and keep crowd?

I agree strongly with protecting native species. However, I believe that some very well meaning people are trying to simplify the whole picture. Do trout eat frogs? Possibly, probably likely on occasion at least but is that the only reason for the decline? What about air quality issues which would ultimately affect water quality? Might this not be a culprit?

Not being a fisheries biologist, I cannot offer any support for any of these ideas or questions. That point remains however that the trout seem to be a convenient scapegoat for other problems.

According to the ruling, the California Department of Fish and Game must complete an environmental assessment. Great, once again it is a good idea and well-meant I'm sure. For that matter I'm all for it but if I go to California to fish, I would MUCH rather for my license fees to go towards improving the fisheries and enforcing the regulations instead of funding a study to see if trout eat an occasional frog.

One thing against the California Department of Fish and Game, they used a lousy excuse for their stocking. From the article:

The department had argued fish stocking was exempt from environmental review because the program, which the department took over in 1945, was in place long before environmental laws protecting sensitive species were enacted in 1970.

I give up, they deserved to lose the decision...

Not necessarily the right perspective but thats my two cents...

Another "W" For Politics

It looks like politics might triumph over common sense fisheries management once again. Through the Fly Fishing in Yellowstone blog comes this story on the future of Arctic Grayling in Montana. It all sounds too familiar with the Montana Dept. of Fish, Wildlife and Parks reasoning that because there are plenty of the Grayling in Alaska and other points north of Montana, then we really don't need to worry about the fish in Montana. This sounds a lot like other arguments that have been used under the current Bush Administration. For example, hatchery versus wild salmon....enough said...

More Work, Less Fishing

Now that summer is here, it is time to start working hard to make some $$$. Unfortunately, in the short term my trout fishing time will probably suffer because of this. However, it will all balance out as I have my Yellowstone trip to look forward to in August. I will also spend a lot of time tying flies for this trip and making other preparations. A few local streams that contain smallies in addition to some other fish also beg for exploration so I will still be getting out at least some.

So I don't get too bored anytime soon, I recently got some new fly fishing entertainment. Two DVDs on fly fishing and a great book should provide plenty of time to dream about fishing. So far I have really enjoyed the DVD entitled "Small Stream Brook Trout." I recognized some favorite water in the Smokies and it also whet my appetite for some western trout fishing this summer with the great footage from Montana. Check out the Fly Fishing DVDs website for more information on this and other DVDs.

I also recently picked up a copy of So Many Fish, So Little Time by Mark D. Williams. So far it has been nearly impossible to put down. The author does a great job of providing the facts while mixing in interesting fishing stories. I have already found some new places to fish someday. For example, want to know where to go to find brook trout that average between 3 and 4 pounds in a river no less? And did I mention this is in the United States, not Labrador?

Expect a complete review of this book within a few days. I already can tell that even when I've read it all, I will still sit down and spend time day dreaming and planning future fishing trips by looking through its pages.

Annual "End of School" Trip

The last week has been very busy for me. Semester finals and the end of school meant it was time to go fishing for a few days. Each year I do a trip, sometimes brief, sometimes long. This year I had planned a long weekend in the Smokies. The weather forecast was for a 60% change of rain for Friday night and Saturday. Usually this means you will have some showers or storms but they will not last too long. Throw in a variable in the form of the Trout Underground's Tom Chandler visiting on his yearly Tennessee trip and you should expect a significant rain event. Significant rain is usually not good for the streams. Little River still looked like this on Monday.

I had forgotten the strange effect he has on Tennessee weather so I went ahead with the camping trip. Thankfully, we had changed from a backpacking trip to just car camping at the last minute and this made things much better.

I met my cousin and his girlfriend at Little River Outfitters in Townsend before driving up to Elkmont to camp. This gave me the opportunity to drop off my St. Croix Legend Ultra that had broke just days before to be sent back to St. Croix for repair. After getting fixed up at LRO, we went and set up camp.

Friday evening included the traditional drive around Cades Cove to gawk at the everpresent wildlife. After seeing plenty of deer and turkeys, I managed to get a few minutes of fishing in on Abrams Creek. This nice trout took a #16 sulphur parachute pattern.

A few other fish came to hand on nymphs and then it was back to camp for a hot meal. We sat around the fire sipping hot cocoa and roasting marshmellows, enjoying the warmth in the cool mountian air. Then it was off to bed, presumably to wake up to a nice day. Instead, it started raining at some point during the night and didn't let up until well into Saturday afternoon. I can't complain though because my Big Agnes tent kept me dry the whole time and the streams never really got blown out.

Saturday morning, we finally got up in the light rain and cooked a huge breakfast that included the staples of eggs and hashbrowns. Once again, I was glad I wasn't backpacking. We then all piled into my car to drive over the the North Carolina side to drive a small park road up Straight Fork and then back down the Blue Ridge Parkway. Straight Fork turned out to be a beautiful little stream and I got in some more fishing time. Only a few minutes were necessary to catch several rainbows and one brown, all on a Tellico nymph.

I also saw this nice March Brown flying around. We continued on up the road only to find a "Road Closed" sign blocking our way. So we drove back down and then headed back over the hill. As we came over the ridge, we saw just why mountains are named "Smoky." Shortly after this, I got a few minutes on a brookie stream and caught this beautiful fish while wet wading in the chilly 51 degree water.

The rain had finally quit so we went back to camp and started putting a fire together to cook supper. After a bit of effort splitting wood to get dry kindling, we had a great fire going and supper was soon cooking. We were tired and so we just ate and went to bed.

The next day I had made plans to fish Deep Creek with a buddy. He showed up promptly at 10:00 and we drove over the hill. I had fished upper Deep Creek before but this was my first trip to the lower end. It proved to be a beautiful stream full of healthy rainbows and browns. The fish seemed to all be sitting down on the bottom and despite what turned out to be a gorgeous day, would not take our dries. Tellico Nymphs accounted for plenty of fish however. Later, we drove back to the Tennessee side to hit the evening hatch at Metcalf Bottoms. The fishing here was excellent. I caught rainbows and browns and broke off on a couple nice fish. The hatch was incredible as well with Yellow Sallies and Sulphurs (two types) coming off in large numbers plus lots of other random bugs. Most of my fish here came in the heavier pockets and runs but I managed a few on dries as well.

Monday was my last day in the mountains and I decided to just fish Little River. I packed up my stuff and tied a few Tellico nymphs before heading out to fish. The fish were cooperative again but they were still on the bottom. Tellicos and George Nymphs accounted for most of my fish. I got a nice brown to eat a midge in one of the large pools on Little River but didn't get the hook set. Later I broke off on a good fish in heavy pocket water. The nicer fish were obviously feeding but catching them was a different story.

There were more snakes around then I care to ever see while fishing...

Overall, this was a great trip!

Smokies and Crowds

As finals are wrapping up today and tomorrow, I can start looking forward to my upcoming weekend in the mountains. Each year when school gets out, I make at least a weekend trip to fish, camp, relax and recuperate from the demands of the academic world. One year it was the Black Hills, the next it was Yellowstone AND the Black Hills. Last year it was the Smokies and it this year I will be returning to where I learned the intricacies of the sport. The Smokies are my home waters and probably my favorite place to be (please remind me I said this when I start bragging about the great fishing out west later this summer). They provide the perfect opportunity to relax and enjoy myself.

The main concern about the upcoming weekend is the crowds. Tom Chandler of the Trout Underground is supposed to be in the area and we can only assume that there will be hundreds of fans out hoping to catch a glimpse of him fishing dries to rising trout. The potential exists for the traffic snarls to eclipse the famed bear jams of Cades Cove. Thankfully, I really prefer the backcountry and won't think twice about hiking the extra mile (or 7 or 8) to avoid the crowds. My idea of a good day trip is in the 10-15 mile round trip range which will put me beyond all but the most dedicated day trippers. The weather should be nearly perfect with highs in the mountains forecast to be in the 70's. The Yellow Sallies are rumored to be hatching already so look for me flinging a yellow stimulator somewhere on the Tennessee side of the park this weekend. Unfortunately, coming just after a full moon, the fishing may be on the slow side but that is unimportant. Just get me away from the books for a few days and I'll be satisfied. Catching fish will just be a bonus...

Make Your Voice Heard

From the Knoxville New Sentinel, we have learned of a great opportunity to make your voice heard in the states fisheries department. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

is seeking comments from fishermen about the 2008 sport fishing regulations. Fishermen can make suggestions about size limits, creel limits or any other idea or concern they have about the state's fishing regulations. Public comments are considered by fisheries managers and may be presented as proposals for regulation changes.

While I don't know if it will make a difference to send in my comments, I do know that nothing will happen if I keep quiet. I definitely have some suggestions I would like to see implemented, specifically about my "home" tailwater, the Caney Fork. It has the ability to grow very large fish if people would just leave 'em in there a little while. Even with the high pressure from the catch and keep crowd, it still produces very nice fish consistently. While enforcement would be an issue, I would love to see a slot limit on the rainbows. My idea of a good slot limit would be 12-14 or 12-16 inches. This river can support plenty of large trout and I know I would have a great time fishing over 16-20 inch fish each trip. There are already special regulations on the browns so I believe it is time to do the same for the rainbows.

Regardless of what you want to see, take the opportunity to make your voice heard. To send your comments, simply take the time to send a brief email to twra.comment@state.tn.us and be sure to include "sport fish comments" in the subject line.

Hitting the Books

Finals Week has arrived. Perhaps the worst week from a fishing standpoint of the whole year. Gone are the days where I can procrastinate with "I'll just do it later." It is crunch time and as such, my fishing time will suffer for a few days. Thankfully, tomorrow is they hardest day and by Tuesday, if the weather cooperates and I feel like it, I can take a bit of time to bother the Hiwassee fish one last time (or maybe Wednesday will be the last) before I head home for the summer. Once I leave the Chattanooga area, my fishing focus will shift to the Caney Fork, the Smokies, and perhaps a trip or two to NE Tennessee and the fine tailwaters there. Still, I have a fish I need to pay a visit to on the Hiwassee so I'll probably fish it once more before I quit there for the summer...

Environmental Advocates Push TVA

Environmental groups are pushing the Tennessee Valley Authority to work towards providing more renewable energy. According to the Knoxville News Sentinel,

A group of environmental advocates used a public meeting Monday to urge TVA to meet energy demand by looking to conservation and renewable energy instead of new power plants.

Several of the people in attendance at the meeting

stressed the need for TVA to grow its renewable energy production. The federal utility gets most of its power from coal-fired plants, which emit the greenhouse gases that are blamed for global warming.

This is a topic that should be important to east Tennessee fisherman, particularly the ones that enjoy fishing the freestone streams of the mountains. The biggest obstacle to all the trout streams is the continuing problem of acid rain. Of course, we all know that coal-fired plants are not helping the acid rain problem so we applaud the efforts to get TVA to work more on renewable energy production. Some of our favorite brook trout streams are very acidic, keeping the fish stunted. Hopefully TVA will listen to the concerned citizens and work towards more environmentally friendly solutions to the problem of providing enough electricity to the growing population in the Tennessee Valley region.

Peak Fishing

Great fishing once again looms just around the corner, or at least, it does if you believe the solunar fishing tables. Available from many different sources, we will occasionally check in with the Best Fishing Times Charts from In-Fisherman. The latest glance at the fishing charts indicates that the best fishing will be occurring this next week during the full moon. This is terrible timing because of final exams that are scheduled for the first half of the week. Thankfully, I'm done with the last one by noon on Wednesday and after that, it will be out to the stream for me!!!

Eyes Turn Westward

As summer approaches, the realization that my trip west is approaching has me scouring the Internet for any and all information on the Montana and Wyoming areas. I enjoy keeping track of the fishing Journal at Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone just to see what they have been catching and what works at various times of the year. The Dakota Angler & Outfitter maintains a fishing report as well that I check from time to time. Western South Dakota really has some excellent fishing and is a must-fish stop for me when heading to the Yellowstone area.

The latest word from the Billings Gazette in Montana appears to indicate the the Mother's Day Caddis are starting on the Yellowstone River. Rumors have been floating around of good numbers of caddis showing on the famed Arkansas River in Colorado as well. Of course, this leaves me wondering why I chose to head west at the hottest and most crowded time of the summer. Some of my best fishing in western South Dakota has been during early May to mid June. The early season in Yellowstone National Park can be an experience as well. The Firehole is often one of the best options for early season fishing in the park and it provides reliable hatches of BWOs, PMDs and evening caddis.

The early season can be a hazardous time to plan a trip around however. Depending on runoff, most western rivers will be high and dirty at best and quite possibly downright unfishable. If you time it right however, early season fishing can be among the best of the year as the crowds are nowhere to be seen and big trout hungrily feast on the bounty of spring. This can be the best time to fish the high country lakes throughout the Rockies. The expert stillwater fisherman will generally all tell you that the time for large fish is either soon after ice-out or in the late fall just before everything freezes. Some of my best early spring memories involve high country lakes. From Apache trout in Arizona to Grayling in Yellowstone, the early season often provides non-stop action for the adventuresome angler.

That's all well and good, but this year I'm going to settle for the terrestrial action of summer. I've been dreaming about the big Cutts in Yellowstone for awhile now and this is the year to make it happen, which reminds me...I've gotta tie some flies....

Stuck a Couple Nice Ones

As promised, I went fishing yesterday afternoon for a couple of hours. The rain that was falling as I rolled east gave me high hopes for a good hatch. However, it had basically quit raining by the time I got to the river. The clouds were still thick though and I figured the bugs should pour off sometime in the middle of the afternoon. I started fishing with a parachute Adams and red Copper John as a dropper. "Assuming the hatch was about to start, the fish should be looking for nymphs drifting in the current," I reasoned. The fish were feeding occasionally on top when I arrived, providing me a good opportunity to figure out where they were. I waded slowly, watching for feeding fish and as often as I saw a rise, I got a fish to eat.

It was one of those magic days when you feel that you can do no wrong. Everything happened naturally and smoothly as fish after fish succumbed to the dropper. I would cast straight ahead only to see a fish rise at a 90 degree angle away but no problem. One back cast and then a quick change of direction and my fly was floating right over the feeding fish. Unfortunately, this couldn't go on to long as the generation pulse was rapidly approaching. I saw the water rising upriver and quickly worked my way out and back to the car. A short drive upriver put me above the pulse and back into fish.

Frustratingly, the sun was making a reappearance putting an end to any hopes of a large hatch with fish slashing everywhere. Recalling something I read by Dave Hughes where he recommends using wet flies on small streams when the sun is on the water, I figured maybe it would work on a larger river as well. This proved to be the ticket and I soon was catching lots of fish again until something big broke off my fly. I quickly retied and continued slowly down the river, swinging the softhackle through every likely spot. More often than not, a fish would hit and sometimes I would catch several out of one little pocket.

I finally worked my way to a spot that has a nice deep run with some big overhanging rocks breaking the monotony. "There's got to be fish better than these little stockers in there" I thought to myself. I cast my parachute with the softhackle dropper to the top of the undercut boulder and watched as the dry sucked under. "This better not be hung up on the rock" I grumbled. The hook set provided quick proof that it was definitely NOT stuck on a rock as something on the other end started shaking its head. I immediately started putting a lot of pressure on the fish, trying to get it out from under the rock and it came out but not towards me. It rain downstream a little ways and then back up, bulldogging hard the whole time. A glance at the red flash and I knew it was a rainbow, and a bit better than the usual 8-12 inch stockers also. After a battle that seemed unusually long, I had the nice fish in for a quick picture. It was sporting what was left of a kype jaw which was interesting. While not a huge fish, this was the best rainbow I've caught on the Hiwassee and made the day worthwhile.

"Maybe, just maybe....." was running through my head as I approached the second undercut boulder. This time, my dry was soaked through and so I highsticked the unweighted flies along the rock. The leader gave a brief twitch and I set the hook, again feeling the weight of a better than average fish. After another battle, I admired a beautiful brown that was fat and healthy.

These two fish definitely made my day. I always catch a bunch of the recent stockers and while that is okay, the larger fish provide a much better challenge to land. The softhackle was easily the fly of the day and continues to produce the best fish so far this year.

Tuesday Happenings

This morning I have spent a bit of time perusing the internet, debating whether I should go fishing or not. While checking out a few online forums I frequent, I came across a new fly fishing blog based here in Tennessee. It is the Southeastern Fly blog and is brand new! It already has some well-written fishing reports so check it out!

Back to the subject of going fishing today, the weather forecast is for rain to continue for most of the day. It has started raining in the last hour or two here in Chattanooga with a few heavy showers but for the most part, it has been the slow steady rainfall which will help bring the water levels up without blowing out any streams. Oh yeah, and the lovely weather should trigger some excellent hatches. I think I'll go fishing... Check back this evening for a report!

The Crowds Are Out

The time of year has arrived that I always dread. Last weekends excursion was probably one of the last times fishing the Hiwassee without the crowds for awhile now. Yesterday I made the routine trip to the river to fish the Big Bend with a new fishing buddy. We met up before sunrise and the river was socked in with fog. The fog slowly began lifting as the sun peaked over the ridge and lit up the banks with the brilliant colors of spring.

The fishing was okay but not great. Over the course of the day, I caught somewhere between 12 and 15 fish with several 'bows in the 11-13 inch range and the rest smaller browns anywhere from 5-9 inches. The fish were picky for the most part. I had the best luck when the generation pulse came through and I swung softhackles for risers in a large hole. The fish were definately looking for emergers and kept hammering the softhackle. The only thing preventing me from catching more fish was the fact that most were rising safely out of reach. No fish pictures to show, I find myself leaving the camera alone more and more except for the most notable catches, and none were worthy of this distinction. The scenery was excellent however, especially early in the morning and I found myself getting distracted from the fishing trying to capture the everchanging mood of the river....

Anyone interested in fishing this river, pick your time carefully. The river was packed by the middle of the day. I really wouldn't recommend fishing it for awhile unless you are hiking in or it is a weekday. Also, if the weather gets nasty it will provide good fishing again without the crowds. Until this happens, look for me to start spending more time in the Smokies which is where I'll be doing most of my fishing for the next 3 months.

Fly Fishing the Smokies

A great new website on fly fishing the Smokies contains just about everything the angler needs to know to plan a trip to the park. One of our favorite sections of this site is the park "streams" section. This gives an overview of all major waters in the park and provides excellent information on what to expect. It is a great place to spend a few minutes or longer daydreaming and planning that next trip. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out!!!

The Evening Rise

The BWO action has been insane the last 2 afternoons on the Hiwassee. This short video was taken with my digital camera, hence the lack of quality. However, it gives you an excellent idea of the number of rising fish... The water was literally boiling with rising trout at times!!! See below for the rest of the report...

Foul Weather, Epic Hatches, and Hungry Trout

The last two days have been less than desirable weather-wise. Of course, as a fly fisherman I start thinking about BWOs during inclement weather. The dreary conditions got the bugs going and the fish have responded enthusiastically (see video above). The surface of the water was carpeted at times with the little mayflies. Today, the hatch started in earnest while it was raining and this made it even harder for the bugs to take flight. The fish were feeding with abandon, completely oblivious to any potential dangers around them.

Yesterday was the better day as far as numbers of fish caught, but both days will be remembered for a long time to come. This was by far the largest and most concentrated hatch I've witnessed here in Tennessee. At times, I felt like I had been magically taken to the Firehole in Yellowstone where I have experienced similar blizzard hatches.

These bugs were everywhere and were being eaten by these...

The best two fish took my softhackle dropper instead of the dry fly offering...

The monotony of clouds and rain was broken when the sun made a late afternoon appearance, lighting up the opposite bank...

New Camera!!!

The frenzied pace of the last month of school had prevented me from fishing as much as I would like and has taken a lot of free time, hence the continued lack of updates. However, I just got my new camera a couple of days ago and this was the perfect excuse to go fishing. Being the nearest trout water, the Hiwassee was my destination for an evening on the water.

Caddis were hatching steadily when I arrived with the fish taking notice. As always with this type of fishing, the takes were not subtle. The fish were exploding on the caddis before they could escape to the air. Occasionally fish would jump clear of the water in pursuit of the insects. I fished an experimental pattern I tied recently and it performed very well. The fish were strong and full of fight with several in the 12-13 inch range caught. I spotted some larger heads breaking the surface but couldn't get them to eat. At least I know where to go back and look...

The new camera performed very well. I experimented with the underwater capabilities this camera has and had some decent results (see top picture as well). The camera is the Pentax Optio W30 and is perfect for the fisherman. As long as everything is securely closed, there is not any concern about the camera getting wet if dropped in the water. If there is such thing as a hassle free camera for the fisherman, this is probably it or as close as you're going to find...