February 3, 2013

Dropper Knot for emerger fishing

When the mayflies are hatching on the South Holston or Watauga Tailwaters in East Tennessee, do you struggle during the time they are feeding on emergers just under the film. I use this easy to tie knot on a three soft hackle rig that has made for some memorable days for clients on these great tailwaters. I use an anchor soft hackle with a oversized brass or copper bead in the thorax, the upper two flies are standard biot body, peacock herl thorax soft hackles. This system is tied on a straight piece of 3x or 4x fluorocarbon leader. The first fly is 6 feet from the flyline/leader connection and then each fly is 20 to 36 inches below that. Here is the video on tying the dropper knot. I hope this information helps you have a great day on the water.

January 22, 2013

Forcep Knot to attach flies

Many of you while floating with me have watched me do this knot. Just wanted to post this as a refresher as we get closer to those times when we all get back on the water more often.

We have secured a good entry and exit set of ramps on the Nolichucky River. This river offers you the chance to float and wade for smallmouth and musky. We also have the ability for you to stay in a great cabin right on the river at our exit ramp. Check out the pictures of the cabin, don’t forget right now is prime musky hunting time and we have the winter pricing in effect so lets go chase some toothy critters.

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Don’t forget the Kentuckiana Fly Fishing Show this coming Saturday January 26th. I will be there, stop by the booth and watch me tie some South Holston and Watauga Guide Special flies. I will also have the TFO Tenkara rod with me so you can learn more about rigging or casting techniques.

January 1, 2013

Happy New Year

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

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

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.

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November 19, 2012

Streamer Season is in full swing

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.

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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.

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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 23, 2012

Fall is beautiful and it won’t be long….

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.

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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.

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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

What are those small tan, gray and black things flying around?

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.

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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.

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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 4, 2012

Great weekend with Saluda TU group

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.

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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

Almost a striper meal

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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June 11, 2012

Summer is upon us and…

The fishing is awesome. The past week has been spent working with and teaching folks some new ways to fish the tailwaters and rivers of East Tennessee. From custom built bamboo to lengthy low line weight all the way to Tenkara rods, the South Holston and Watauga Tailwaters are giving us many options. The Holston Proper is in a post spawn feeding frenzy and the big boys are HUNGRY!!!!.

The sulphurs and blackfly adults are coming off heavy on the South Holston, we are using parachute sulphurs when the hatch is in full swing and when you see the bulging rises add a size 22 Rainbow Warrior hung about ten inches off the bend of the hook. The Watauga has had the cicadas singing their mating song along the river and the browns really seem to like them when they fall out of the trees, a few pig rainbows also wanted to gorge themselves on them as well.

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The post-spawn feeding frenzy is in full swing on the Holston Proper. They spent a couple of weeks recuperating and now they are hungry. The bite has been on minnow and crawdad imitating streamers, we are getting them all throughout the water column. Mr. Bill “Nick” Boyd of the “Dubbing Teasers”, you can watch him tie at Troutfest as well as during the Fly Tiers Weekends at Little River Outfitters Fly Shop. Here he is holding is TWRA Angler Recognition 22″ smallmouth bass.

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Nick said the big ones are nice, but it doesn’t matter the size its the tug that matters. The other member of the “Dubbing Teasers” that was along on the trip, Wendy, was enjoying fishing with her Walter Babb custom built bamboo rod as well as what she called “Tourist Mode”

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Tourist Mode

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Be sure to tune in again when we will be covering some leader techniques and fly selections for Tenkara fishing in East Tennessee.

Heres to tightlines and heavy nets!!!!!

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