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February 11, 2013
So with all the excess rain we have had in East Tennessee on the South Holston and Watauga Tailwaters the rivers are high and TVA is puching lots of water through the dams. Most folks think that with all the water it is streamer time, we are seeing some great BWO hatches on the Watauga and BWO and Blackfly hatches on the South Holston. When the BWO’s are coming off the clients are hooking up best with a loop wing biot bodied emerger pattern that our guides have been working on. The fly sets deep in the film giving that “stuck in the shuck” look that turns on that predatory instinct of the trout. Here are a couple of these fly, one is a BWO and the other is a Sulphur imitation. When putting floatant on the fly, hide the body and tail in between your fingers and only apply the floatant to the loop wing. This really makes this fly ride low in the water, don’t pick it up at the end of the drift, let it sink and twitch it a couple of times before picking up to cast back up in the run. I hope this information helps you have a better day on the water.
December 14, 2012
How about fishing for smallmouth bass all winter long. The fishery we have is perfect all winter, even when the snow is flying. The past week was filled with smallmouth trips and they were hitting poppers, yes you were reading that right, POPPERS!!! We are using medium sized poppers and giving them some good tugs to make a good POP, just after the rings settle and let it float. They were hitting it very hard, there was no mistaking a take.
Do you struggle with throwing sinking line or sink tips as well as working them? We will be offering classes on how to cast heavy lines and flies along with how to work them in the various types of waters, from slow pools to fast running riffles. Learning how to fish with these types lines will open up a new way of fishing for you. Why stick with the floating line, in your daily job do you only have one tool to help you accomplish your goals. Why limit yourself when you are outside enjoying the great outdoors while fishing. Let me help you learn and understand how to use this new tool and deepen your knowledge of fly fishing.
Why set at home dreaming of warmer weather, put on your layers, waders and a hat and lets hit the Holston Proper.
 
 
August 15, 2012
You will need to decide how thick the butt section (the section that attaches to the fly line) has to be. It should be compatible to the diameter of the fly line for the proper transfer of energy through the connection of the flyline to the leader. The diameter/poundage of the butt section will be totally dependent upon what type of fishing, rod and fly size you will be fishing. Your fly line diameter and the monofilament or flourocarbon leader material diameter are listed on the spool or line package. For example the leaders I build for these types of fishing techniques on 3 to 6 weight rods use butt sections ranging in size from .018 (20 lb) down to .o14 (12 lb).
Cut the butt section to 36 to 48 inches in length. Make a Perfection Loop on each end and connect one end of this section to the loop on the flyline.
Most modern flylines now come with a loop built into the end of the line, if yours doesn’t have a loop, make a short section loop out of the 20 lb butt section and nail knot it to the end of the flyline and put a Perfection loop as close to the nail knot as possible. If you don’t feel comfortable with this process, ask your local fly shop for assistance. The loop on the other end is to attach the next leader section and makes switching out these remaining sections much easier.
The next leader sections will all be made from fluorocarbon leader/tippet material to ensure a quick descent through the water column getting your flies into the proper feeding zones of the fish. Cut the next section in a 3x tippet size to a length of 30 to 48 inches and attach it to the loop at the end of the base leaders section with a 5 to 7 turn clinch knot. This section sets the depth of your first fly and varies based on the depth of the water you are fishing.
Using a double surgeons knot tie in the next leader section of 5x cut to 18 inches in length after completing the knot. Remove the tag that is pointing away from the flyline side of the leader with your nippers and tie in the first fly to the other tag, When using the tag pointing towards the flyline it will help in keeping the fly from tangling around the main leader line when casting.
For the remaining leader section in a size of 6x or 7x repeat this process and cut the length down to 12 inches, tying the second fly to that tag and then finish the leader by tying the third fly to the end of the leader.
The fly line and leader should roll in a steady loop as you cast this triple fly fly set-up settling into the water and getting down quickly to where the fish are located in the water colum. You use a strike indicator just above the loop/clinch knot connection or if you prefer you can leave the strike indicator off and use the “feel the strike method”, we will cove this type of fishing in a future tips and tactics blog .
When selecting the flies for this system, I always use a bigger fly on the top tag, size 8 to 12. Then the second fly is usually based on what is the best food source in the river, caddis pupa, mayfly nymphs, midge larvae, and such. The bottom fly on my rigs only varies to a couple of patterns, they would be Zebra Midges, San Juan Worms, and Scuds. I also vary the lead/tungsten on my flies to help with how they drift in the current. We will cover more of this in another blog.
I hope this tactics tip helps you become a better mutli-nymph fisherman. Most clients fishing this type of rig while on a trip with me, like the ease of casting and working through the drifts and mends.
These knot illustrations courtesy of John Sherry at www.netknots.com
July 24, 2012
Fishing in stained to muddy water conditions can be challenging, let me take a few minutes to give you a few pointers that will help save the day. When most folks get to a stream or river that has been blown by heavy rains and has the look of your morning coffee with two creams, they decide to move to better clearer water, why? This type of fishing, once you understand how to fish it, can be very rewarding. When you walk to the stream or river bank in clear water you feel confident that you know where the fish are based on foam lines, current seams and mostly seeing the fish working and feeding. Now when you walk up to the same waters and it is muddy, you have to rely on your intuition and fishing skills to help you catch fish that day. The competition fly fishing teams have to fish what water they are given on that particular day so why can’t the rest of us. See the muddy water and what can come from not going to find clearer water.
 
The first thing to do is you will need to step up the sizes of your fly choices, going from size 14 to 20 nymphs up to size 2 to 8″s. There are differing thoughts on color choices so why not try a double nymph rig with two completely different color combinations. Yes you will be nymphing in these conditions, there usually just isn’t a dry fly bite. I would use a black or brown nymph and then the other with some variegated color that has a bright yellow in it. The style of nymph depends on the bug life in the waters you fish. Some great examples would be bead head Copper Johns, Stonefly’s, Prince’s, Pheasant Tails, even many of the Czech nymph designs from the competition fishing world.
 
 
 
Second, make sure these flies have lots of weight in or on them. The flies need to be on or as close to the bottom as possible. Thats where these fish will be during these conditions. I tie my own flies and uses many wraps of .025 and .030 lead in the bodies to get the flies down quick. Those that purchase flies will need to get the tungsten beaded flies to help in this aspect. I personally don’t prefer to use some type of split shot to get the flies down. This seems to create a hang up spot on the leader.
Third, learn to fish without a floating strike indicator, the current on the surface is usually different from the current down where the fish are and the forces of current acting against a strike indicator can actually be putting drag on your flies hanging under it. Using just your leader and keeping the flies at various depths using the rod in a high sticking method (refer back to last weeks blog) will give your flies the proper float because the thin leader material isn’t as influenced by the upper water column currents. To help see these fluorocarbon leaders we use in these nymphing rigs, we put a sighter (differing colored section) at the top or middle connection of the leader to assist in detecting the bite.
I hope this weeks tips and tactics will give you a day of fishing instead of a ride to find clearer water or just going back home. The fish are there and willing to be caught you just need to try add some new methods and thinking to your fishing styles.
Until next week, may you have many tightlines and heavy nets.
February 5, 2012
My good friend Mr. Bob Clouser and the folks at Temple Fork Outfitters have put together a chart to help you understand what fly lines to use compared to the weight of the flies you will be throwing. This has been very helpful in matching the various techniques we sue in guiding, making the rigs we use very easy and accurate to cast. Hope this helps you understand how to rig your current rods, but also to help you with any additional rods you might be considering to purchase for new ways to fish.
CHART
We must understand that a fly line is used to move weight forward to the end of the cast, whether it be a hook, small dry fly or a heavy weighted streamer or nymph.
Fly lines are measured in weight by grains and this grain weight is used to move weight forward. For example; a 5 weight fly line weighing 140 grains is not capable of pulling the same weight thru the cast as a 210 grain 8 weight does. There are many variables to consider while casting such as wide open loops, chuck and duck, over powering or lobbing.
This chart is designed upon the ease of the cast plus normal tight loops that will cut the wind with ease. An oval back cast along with the use of the body is a must when casting weighted flies.
We will start with a 5 weight fly line, anything under that is specially designed to cast small light flies and is not suited for any type of weighted fly.
Lead Eye Weights most suitable for these line weights.
Line Ounce of weight
5 weight = 1/120, 1/80, 1/50
6 weight = 1/120, 1/80, 1/50
7 weight = 1/120, 1/80, 1/50
8 weight = 1/120, 1,80, 1/50, 1/30
9 weight = 1/120, 1/80, 1/50, 1/30, 1/24
10 weight =1/120, 1/80, 1/50, 1/30, 1/24
The above listing of course is not written in stone but if the formula is followed, long easy casts can be made. In many instances a heavier eye weight than listed can be used but it will test the caster and the capability of the rod and line.
Note” The above suggestion for choosing the right weight a fly line can move forward with ease has it variations of course, most variations comes with the style of casting being used. The most proficient style developed by Lefty Kreh where the body is involved in the cast will make casting weight more efficient.
Bob Clouser
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