Little River Report

Up in the Smokies this weekend the weather is mild. The water level has been increasing and the other evening I made it ouy for the evening hatch. The wading was good and so was the catching. It is nice to be in my old stomping grounds (well I am not stomping, but trying to be stealthy), while fishing some old haunts.

A Pool Holding Some Nice Rainbows...on the Far Side

The fish are holding in the riffles and against the ledges, close to safety. So, what else is new? Wading in stealth is critical, as is a proper high stick. The pools are running somewhat quick and with the amount of vegitation, on the banks, a good roll cast certainly helps.

Getting Late

The fall sun sets a little earlier than I like, but that can be overcome by an even earlier mid day start. I tried nymphs the other day and eventually ended up on an old favorite, a Thunderhead. Since there was a hatch going and the bugs were about a size #18, I decided to match it with a size #10. I never said which hatch I was matching and wanted something worth coming to the top for, a reward as such. It wasn't long before the highsticking skills came back and.....

The Tools for the Evening Hatch

...and then there was more highsticking. I took the minimal approach with just a few things that seemed worth taking. The riffles and shoals were holding fish and only the best fish were taking the time to come up to the Thunderhead.

Just Before Dark

After much wading and dabbing, the pool just up ahead looked inviting. The wading was deep, deeper than I like and a god rollcast worked for the bigger water. After some missed opportunities and just before dark, this fish came up and made my day!

Fly Box Orginization