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January 23, 2013
So how many tools do you use during your daily activities on your job to help you accomplish the tasks in front of you. You undoubtedly will have many and some will be very specific in what they do. With this in mind, take the type of eyeglasses/sunglasses you wear while fishing. Will the tool you are wearing do the best job for you and help make your angling outcome best the best possible it can be? Here are a few pictures to help you see how a good pair of polarized eyeglasses (for those needing prescription eye-wear) or sunglasses can make a big difference when out on the water. Without good polarization you will see glare and distorted views that will not allow you to visibly see the fish working and feeding.
without polarization
with polarized Costa sunglasses held up over camera lens
Get yourself this good tool to go along with your rod, reel, waders and boots. I personally have found Costa sunglasses to work for me. The reduced silvery glare in the early mornings and late evenings is gone.
Check out the Costa’s at your local retailer and go see for yourself.
January 1, 2013
Happy New Year to everyone. Hope you have a great 2013
Here is the first newsletter for the year, it contains all our trip specials and what shows and fly shops we will be at. Check it out and let us know your thoughts.
January Newsletter
Hope to see you at the shows or fly shop visits.
Thanks
December 21, 2012
As you gather with your family and friends I wish you a joyous holiday season. Thank you for being part of my life and making it so rich and rewarding.
November 19, 2012
So you want to target big browns with streamers, we can make it happen. It doesn’t matter if you have never thrown big heavy flies on sink tips or sinking lines. I have developed the right rod, reel and line systems that make it possible for everyone to have a chance at one of these big trophy browns that the South Holston and Watauga Tailwaters are known for. Here is a sampling of some of the fish from the past week.
Don’t forget about the Winter Smallie Floats, yes thats right smallies in the dead of winter. A float this past week yielded 30 smallies and some nice rainbows all in the same stretch of water. If you want to try some winter smallies, I am having a introductory price for these new floats, $295 for a trip down this awesome section of river. Here is some of what’s available.
We are launching a new website after the first of the year and are already promoting it on Facebook, click here: East Tennessee on the Fly click on the like button and be sure to send your friends to like it as well.
Until next week Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
October 30, 2012
CHOTA OUTDOOR GEAR
When looking at outdoor gear for your fly-fishing, canoeing, wading/hiking outings, what is on your list of standards that this equipment must have for you to look at these products and then purchase them? As a fly fishing guide I look at the same attributes you do, only I have to make sure that these same criteria are met more aggressively.
We fly fishing guides expose the products we use to many days of hard, often abusive use and if the product is not well designed it won’t last long. There is one thing I won’t tolerate, that is a piece of equipment that lets me down, especially on a guided trip. This is why I choose the companies products I use very carefully. I will purchase these products from a local fly shop or other outdoor equipment company and then spend a good amount of time testing and literally trying to make it fail. Then if it can stand up to my and my fellow guides abuse, then I bring it into my guiding business for my clients to use.
That is one of the reasons I choose Chota Outdoor Gear Company for my wader, boots and rain gear. They are outdoorsmen designing products for you to use in your outdoor activities. Not only do they design, build and sell them, they use it themselves. The owner Frank Bryant personally tests each and every piece they design to ensure it will be what you need in your outdoor gear. I have been using their products for over three years in my guiding business and have not had one failure on any product. My customers talk about the many great features of the Chota products. The customers who return from year to year and wear the same waders and boots, also the occasional rain jacket, and they talk about well they hold up.
So if you are looking for the best gear for you’re for outdoor experiences check out Chota Outdoor Gear. You will not be disappointed, because I know I’m not.
Be sure to come to the WNC Fly Fishing Expo in Asheville, North Caroline this coming weekend November 3rd and 4th. Chota Outdoor Gear will be there displaying all their new products for 2013 as well as the great products already out there. The owners and I will be working the booth this weekend. Be sure to stop by and talk withus. We will be glad to answer all the questions you have about the products, and we can also talk some fishing, canoeing or hike if you like.
I will be doing casting demonstrations on the casting pond during the weekend using the new Temple Fork Outfitters Tenkara rods. I will be teaching the different casting techniques and giving you tips on how to use these rods. This new(old) type of fishing has been around for years in Japan but just started being introduced in the USA a couple of years ago. Be sure to come watch the casting demos, I will also be tying some Tenkara flies and building level line systems in the A & S Outfitters or Chota booths during the weekend. See ya there!!!
October 23, 2012
until the snow is flying. The browns on the Watauga and South Holston are making redds and beginning their spawning ritual. The colors on the browns have been spectacular this year.
Soon it will be time for our Winter Float Trip Specials and you can go sling some streamers for the big trophy trout these tow tailwaters are noted for. Keep an eye on this blog for the Winter Trip Special pricing announcement.
Mark your calendars for November 3rd and 4th, 2012 and be sure to attend the WNC Fly Fishing Expo at the Ag Center in Asheville, NC. It is located across the street from the Asheville Airport. If you want to learn more about Tenkara casting and fishing techniques then be sure to come to the show. I will be giving casting and fishing technique demos on the casting pond throughout the weekend. When I am note giving casting demos, look for me in the A & S Outfitters Fly Shop booth, you may also find me in the TFO, Chota and Flymen Fishing Company booths as well. I hope to see you there.
October 1, 2012
That was the question one of my clients asked the other day, I answered “MIDGES”. When you see those little specks of dust with wings then you know its time to break out that special fly box that only measures about three inches by 4 inches and with the center leaf in it, holds over 400 flies. Thats right it’s that time of year here on the South Holston and Watauga Tailwaters where we get serious with small bugs. We usually do a double nymph rig under a strike indicator during these midging trips, but the rewards are great. This year we have started using a new strike indicator that was developed by a fellow guide and it is called the “New Zealand Strike Indicator System” and you can find more info at www.strikeindicator.com
Here is a picture on how this simple system works, it lands softly when casting to those spooky fish and is extremely sensitive to the slightest touch from the trout. As they say in one of the famous marketing slogans “Try it you will like it”. If you local fly shop doesn’t carry them ask them to get them.
Here are the midges we have been having good success with during the midging trips this fall. Get out those 3x cheaters and yes that 7x tippett.
Hope you are enjoying a great day and you are getting to wet a line. Be sure to support your local fly shop and with the holiday’s just around the corner be sure to stop by the fly shop and pick up a gift certificate for that outdoors person this year.
Until next time “tightlines and heavy nets”
September 18, 2012
The Fall fishing season is upon us, we are seeing lots of Blue Wing Olives on both the Watauga Tailwater near Elizabethton Tennessee as well as the South Holston Tailwater near Bristol Tennessee. The Watauga Tailwater is also having awesome Cranefly and Caddis hatches during the day. We have been fishing the past week with nothing but dry flies and having a ball. The fish give us all kinds of rises to the dries, from explosive hit and run to gentle sipping “where did my fly go” takes. The folks are loving fishing dry flies all day.
Here are a few of the happy folks from the past couple of weeks.
Doubles on dries!!
look at the tail on this one
A father and son fishing/golf trip, Rich’s first trout on the fly rod, way to go!!
Day two, another good dry fly fish for Dad!!
We can’t forget about the smallmouth and largemouth bass on the Holston Proper
the Todds Wiggle Minnow getting it done!!
The time is now to start thinking about booking your trips as we begin the “Hunt for Troutsquatch” on our Fall and Winter streamer trips, I am already booking dates in November and December for these memory filled trips. Give me a call and get yours booked.
We are also blesses with wintertime smallmouth bass fishing, nothing like catching trophy smallmouth bass in the dead of winter. Give me a call to get the lowdown on this great winter fishery.
September 4, 2012
What a great weekend guiding the Saluda River Trout Unlimited group from Columbia, South Carolina. We did smallies on the Holston Proper, and trout on the Watauga and South Holston. The fishing was good and the company was great. The TVA made it challenging to get our floats in but we worked around the generation schedules and got in the trips. The weather was great except for right at the end of the day on Saturday, we had to take refuge in a riverside shelter in the Cedar Rapids area while it rained cats and dogs. I think I pumped nearly 4 inches of water out of the boat before rowing out in the dark. Here are some pictures from this great weekend.
 
Mark your calendars for October 8th and come see me give a presentation to the Saluda River TU group. I will be speaking about how to be more successful on the South Holston, Watauga and Holston Proper rivers when you come to visit out great fishing destination.
August 18, 2012
The lower Watauga Quality Zone float has become home to some big stripers, the fishing is tough as the smaller fish are very weary of these mighty preditors. Today while floating at the start of the ledges, Bill was saying we need a twenty incher today and BAM!!!. As he was working and fighting this rainbow a big hungry striper cm charging after it and was only inches away from attacking when Bill lifted the fish away from him and worked it to the net, It was great fight and Bill and his brother John were very excited. I promised them to put them on my blog with the “Hero Shot”
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