Fishing Report

The Delayed Harvest fishing continues to be good on the Hi. Water temps are in the low 60's and there are good numbers of willing trout to take your fly. The fish are also better than average size for the most part.
Top flies continue to be olive buggers, princes, BHPT's and tan or dark soft hackle emerger patterns swung in the surface film. An olive bugger with a soft hackle dropper is a good standard rig right now.
We do have some sporadic BWO and dark caddis activity in the afternoon and evenings, but apparently the fishermen are the only ones on the river that are taking notice of this. The trout don't seem to care. I've noticed very few rising fish lately. Still, I can't resist tying on an EHC and drifting it through. Don't forget to let it swing at the end of the dead drift. That's usually a good technique on the Hi.
The fishing techniques needed to be successful continue to change from day to day as these stockers adapt to their new surroundings and the fluctuating water levels associated with a tailwater fishery. Feel free to stop in for the latest info. and advice. Tight Lines!

Tellico River Report

The Tellico River Delayed Harvest section is fishing great right now. TWRA stocked the river last week for the DH and the fish are holding up their end of the bargain. They are biting!
Good size fish noted on my exploratory trip. Many brought to hand in the 14" range with lots of better fish caught throughout the day. It would appear that good times are upon us for a few months. Get out and enjoy the many great DH fisheries in the area. They should all be fishing great right now. Tight Lines!

It's Time

It's that time of year again when we start to stalk the big brown trout that have decided to venture out of their deep haunts in search of a mate and suitable spawning grounds. Thought I would post a few helpful hints for those that are new to the game of stalking these fish with fly rods in hand. I'm not going to write a disclaimer about not harassing these fish while they are on their redds doing their thing. You already know that, so just enjoy the read. Good luck and hope you get lucky too.

 

1) October is the time!...They are starting to move up right now. They're not full blown love sick yet, but they are moving. Get out and begin your search, especially on overcast days. 

2) Be stealthy...You must dress for success. Neutral, drab colors are a must. Stay low and don't highlight yourself. I know it's hard to stay crouched down, but it could really make a difference. Also, remember to wade carefully. Be quiet and sure footed. Stay out of the water as much as possible to keep the disturbance to a minimum.

3) Feed 'em meat...LEAVE YOUR MIDGE BOX AT HOME. Think big streamers and other sub-surface flies. They're not concerned about you matching the hatch. They want a big meal. They need the energy to help them get through this stressful time. They are also in a defensive mode. Big streamers give them a meal as well as something to vent their frustrations on. THEY WILL hit a streamer out of frustration.

4) Use the right gear...This is not the time to try out your new 2 wt. rod. Leave that shit at home! There's no need to stress these fish out trying to land them on inferior gear. Below is a list of suggested gear to use in order to get the job done without killing these fish. 

Rods - I recommend rods in the 6-8 wt. range. This will give you enough backbone to land good fish as well as to throw the big grocery flies that we mentioned.

Reels - Use a good reel with a quality drag. These fish WILL run when hooked. You also want a large arbor reel in order to bring in line as quickly as possible. This helps when they decide to run toward you in an attempt to gain enough slack to throw your hook. 

Lines - I like to use a running line with a shooting head set-up. This allows me to change my line sink rates at will. Remember, we're probably not going to be throwing dry flies. Throw big streamers and be prepared to run them at different depths if needed. The ability to change out your sink tips can really come in handy when they're staging in deeper water before moving up.

Leaders - Don't skimp. Go with the fluorocarbon leaders and tippet. Several advantages to using it here. It's not as visible in the clear water, it's more abrasion resistant and it sinks better than mono. Also, go with at least 3x if you think you can get away with it. They will violently strike a streamer at times. You don't want to get broken off on the take. This becomes a real possibility with lighter leaders and tippet.  

Well, I hope this helps answer some questions for a few people. We've had several inquiries about this subject at the shop recently. After all, it is that time of year when our thoughts drift towards the hunt for big spawning browns. There are many different thoughts on the best ways to pursue these fish. The most important thing is to be careful and to respect the whole process. These are magnificent fish and we need as many as we can get to successfully spawn. Please be careful and enjoy the pursuit. Fishing for migrating fish is the ultimate fly fishing experience in my book. Get out and enjoy it. Good luck!  

 

   

 

 





Delayed Harvest Has Begun!

The delayed harvest program has begun on many of our area streams. This is some of the best fishing of the year. Many local fly fishermen anxiously await the change in regulations that brings on fresh stockings of fish and thins out the crowds. Get out and enjoy!