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November 26, 2009
Well as we all gather around the table with those we love for a day of thanksgiving, don’t forget about those who are off in foreign lands defending us and also those who are less fortunate than us and can’t be with or don’t have loved ones to celebrate this day with. Take the time this holiday season to remember what it is about. We read and hear on the news that it is not going to be a good time of year, these are the folks worried about how much money we spend this time of year.
Lets get back to basics, this season is about loved ones and how much we care and love them. Take the time to make something with your hands and give it to them, if you are not a crafty or handy person, do something for them, clean the leaves out of their yard, fix a broke fence, just look back at what and how our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents did during the lesser times in their lives. I can remember my grand mother traded her canned goods for a couple skeins of wool yarn one year and learned to knit. She knitted all of the grandchildren socks and scarfs for our Christmas presents. It was all she could do for us other than cooking a great meal. I didn’t understand why I didn’t receive more presents from her like I did from my other grandparents, but as I grew older I understood. I still have those wool socks and scarf. I wear the scarf on cold days and think back to how much love she put into those items she made for us. Those are great memories and I long to have been able to spend more time with her. A very hard life on the farm took her from us early.
There are no pictures to show from these great times, my Dad has some 8mm movies that I need to get put into DVD format, but I have many of those images in my head and will never forget them.
I am thankful for all things things all my grandparents taught me about how to be the person I am and I hope that I have passed them along to my daughter. Well have a great day and not only give thanks for your blessings, but go out and bestow some on someone less fortunate than yourself.
November 20, 2009
We have been doing the “Chuck & Duck” streamer tango on the South Holston for the past couple of weeks. It is cool to see the dark shadow chasing your streamer as you strip it through the water. This type of fishing can keep the adrenaline and heart rate high. Yesterday there was a big brown chasing the fly taking swipes at it and missing it, as the client kept stripping it closer to the boat the big brown just kept trying to get it. As he pulled the fly out of the water right next to the boat the brown came straight up out of the water to get the fly. It was totally amazing to watch how aggressive this fish was.
The South Holston is fishing very well with this technique and there are still some sulphurs popping off in certain sections and we are having good luck taking these fish as they feed on the rising nymphs. We are not seeing any fish taking the adults from the surface.
 
If this is your cup of tea, give me a call and we can do a “Chuck & Duck” Winter Discounted Float trip, for the incredible price of $235
November 18, 2009
November 16, 2009
I am offering Winter Float Trip discounts for trips taken from November 21st through March 15th. The cost for this trip is $235. This would be a 6 hour float trip for one or two persons with a lite lunch. Come fish the legendary South Holston or Watauga Tailwaters when there are little to no crowds.
The possibilities are endless
Call or contact me today to schedule your Winter Float trip.
November 12, 2009
 
Here are some shots from the past, they were great days on small streams and rivers with many whom influenced my style of fishing here in the mountains.
Fishing some special one piece bamboo rods made by RL King of Bristol Tennessee on Clarks Creek in Greene County. What a day catching wild bows on dry flies.
My first ever clients after I hung my shingle out as a professional guide. They are brothers Jim and Dan Seals. Jim is one half of the famous duo “Seals and Croft”. Dan was one half of the seventies pop group “England Dan and John Ford Coley” and later he had a solo career as country singer Dan Seals. We lost Dan to his battle with cancer this past spring. I will always remember him standing in the middle of a cool running tailwater fishing dries to rising fish and turning circles trying to figure out which fish to throw his fly to. What a way to start your business.
My good friend David fishing Stoney Creek. We used to fish together often, but each of our careers and families have not given us much time to fish together. Sometimes those things happen, but when we do get to fish it is a memorable day.
A float trip with my good friend and fellow guide Nes Levotch with some guys from the Bluegrass Trout Unlimited group of Lexington, Kentucky. It was a really good day on the Watauga, lots of nice fish. Nes telling us of the one the big one.
My first fly fishing show in Charlotte, North Carolina. Man what a weekend, I don’t think I have ever talked to so many people in my life. Thanks to all who came that weekend.
A trip to the Nantahalla for my first Fall PFF, the PFF stands for “Psycho Fly Fisher” which I am pleased to call myself a very proud member of this group of misfits. In this picutre are two very good buds, Billres and Croaker. You won’t see one without the other, some fine southern Georgia gentleman.
Here is another great friend, George Grant. He just finished a bamboo rod he built for the tailwaters and wanted to go to the South Holston to test it out. We went to the Rockhold area of the river and I believe this rod has the mojo. He spent an hour working this fish who was sipping flies from the surface and just as the rain and sunset was falling he took George’s fly.
Well enough for today, back to the tying bench, getting ready fro some upcoming trips.
November 11, 2009
Rainy windy days equal sitting at the tying bench. Here are some of the adult Black Fly dries, small midge pupa and BWO emegers I am working on for the South Holston and Watauga winter fishing trips.
These flies above produced this fine specimen of a South Holston brown trout.
The infamous stripper midge
a size 20 CDC thread bodied BWO emerger
You also don’t want to forget about the big boys, so here are a few streamers that we toss on sinking lines and dredge the bottoms of the deep pools with.
Well enough of a break, back to tying. Hope everyone has a great day and don’t forget to thank the veterans for their service today.
November 9, 2009
 
Yes our recent Fall and early Winter float trips on the Watauga and South Hoslton Tailwaters have been very successful. We are having great weather and catching some nice rainbows and browns coming to the wooden drift boat. Most of our success has come from deep nymphing techniques with various offerings from Copper Johns, Prince Nymphs, Pheasant Tails, San Juan worms and midge pupa. On the South Holston Tailwater it also doesn’t hurt to be throwing streamers on the banks. There is nothing like placing your cast right in that spot and as you make the first strip you feel the line tighten up and then the head shake as you set the hook. Then the fight is on as you fly rod loads up. Fighting this fish for what seems like eternity and then the sigh of relief as he slides into the net. If this is your type of fishing give us a call or contact us through our email link.
 
As we make the transition into Winter midge fishing you can swing small soft hackle flies to bulge rising fish as they feed on the midges rising to the surface to hatch. You make a down and across cast and start doing short two inch strips of the fly as it swing through the pod of fish. When you see the hard boil and see your fly line twitch you do a sweeping hook set and then fight some nice fish on fine 6x and 7x tippet. When the fish is landed in the custom wooden net you feel the relief that you fought the battle and won with those legendary South Holston Tailwater double PHD’ed rainbows and browns.
If you would like experience these types of float trips, give as a shout and book yourself a great day on either the Watauga or South Holston Tailwaters.
November 3, 2009
Here are a few rainbows caught on a recent guided trip on our private water Trophy Trout stream in Western North Carolina. These waters are one hour from our base of operation in Kingsport, Tennessee. We were catching these fish on Red Zebra Midges, various colored Copper Johns, San Juan worms, and Caddis dry flies.
There are two (2) miles of easily wadeable waters on this property. There is nothing like watching these fish come up for the Caddis dry fly and then go streaking off down river. The fight these rainbows and browns put up is awesome. We broke many fish off on 2x and 3x tippet. If you would like to come try fishing on our private trophy trout stream, click on “Contact Us” or give us a call at 423-360-1468.
Come fish these waters with us and catch that trophy fish of a lifetime.
November 2, 2009
We fished today on the South Holston Tailwater in the cold rain. I wanted to test out the new LineX coating I just had put on the bottom of my hand built wooden driftboat. The coating did its job and I was very pleased how the boat performed on this low water non-generation trip.
There were black caddis in a size 12 coming off all day. We also saw size 18/20 BWO’s coming off in the heavier rains showers and the fish were feeding hard on them. We used a size 18 brown zebra midge with a stripper midge dropper about 14″ under a small strike indicator.
When the generation hit us about 2:30 pm we switched to small white rabbit streamers and got a couple good slams.
This little brown hit this zebra midge and started bulldogging to the bottom, it made for a fun fight for my client as he tried to saw off the leader on the sharp jagged rocks.
This rainbow took a stripper midge and put up a great fight in the strong current. It is amazing how they can pull when they put their wide bodies sideways in the current. The camera washed out the really bright pinkish purple strip down his side.
Contact us and book a trip so you can fish the legendary South Holston with the winter time midges.
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