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.
         
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February 3, 2013January 30, 2013Winter MidgesWhen you are fishing a tailwater like the South Holston or Watauga and the surface is covered with midges and you want to have a successful day. Here are a few of my best producing midge patterns during the winter. I hope this information will help you have a more productive day on the water. January 23, 2013Tools of the tradeSo 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, 2013Happy New YearHappy 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. Hope to see you at the shows or fly shop visits. Thanks December 21, 2012Merry 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.
November 19, 2012Streamer Season is in full swingSo 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!!!! November 5, 2012Trophy’s and Tenkara, Debbie Griffith please readOne quick note, Debbie Griffith, please call me at 423-360-1468, your email address did not come through on the email you sent me. So you think that with winter coming your smallmouth bass addiction has to end until next spring? Not here in East Tennessee, we have the privilege of having a smallmouth bass fishery that gives us a great bite on smallies all year. The winter fishing season brings out the Trophy Bronzebacks. You want to try out this crazy winter fishing for smallies, send me an email to fishwithrandy@embarqmail.com and I will send you and introductory trip coupon good from November 26th, 2012 through February 28th, 2013. This coupon will be good for a one or two person, six (6) hour float on this special water for only $295. Smallies in the dead of winter, yeah you heard right. There also may be some big trophy trout in the 4 to 10 pound range thrown in at no extra charge.
Tenkara style of fishing has become very popular and my recent casting and technique demonstrations have really brought out folks looking for information on this new style of fishing. I am seeing a new group of fisher persons who want to get into fly fishing but get frustrated with the traditional western style of rod, reel, line, leader, tippet and fly. Then there is all the casting techniques, mending skills, stripping skills, and such. With Tenkara it is just simply rod, line and fly. The cast is simple and the new rods that Temple Fork Outfitters has brought onto the market make casting effortless. The folks I worked with on casting at the recent WNC Fly Fishing Expo were amazed at how quick they picked up the casting skill needed, you could see the confidence that they could go fly fishing and not have a high level of frustration. The Tenkara style of fishing is bringing new blood into the sport and I like this. I know how much I, my friends and clients enjoy the benefits of being in the great outdoors and it makes me happy to see others joining in on this fun. You need to take a hard look at Tenkara and join in on the simplicity of it, don’t we all need something a little more simple to help bring down the stress we all face each and every day in out lives.
October 30, 2012Choosing the right outdoor gearCHOTA 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, 2012Fall 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.
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, 2012What 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.
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” |
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