Fishing the Caney Fork with Streamers 2011

Just Thought This was a Pic With Cool Colors

Gary, Dan and I set out for a fly fishing float on the Caney Fork. After the last Caney Fork float I was very optimistic with thoughts of big fish on big flies. The first stop was for skip jack (TN Tarpon) and we made the early row for just the right spot. We stopped the drift boat and got it in the right position. Gary and Dan went for the fish, but they were not responding to last week's hot fly. Dan began searching for the right pattern and he struck first. Soon we were on skip jack that were hitting every cast. I got in on some of the action as we all swapped out and finally got tired of catching.

The Beginning

A couple tricks to the skip jack seemed to be fly choice and boat position. Holding the boat in the right place was critical. A few feet out of position meant the difference between a fish every cast and a zero cast. It was similar to being on the ocean over a wreck, only it was cold, windy and there were no waves making anyone sick...

Another "trick" is the retrieve. These fish short strike a lot, but if you just keep stripping the fly and don't try to set the hook with the rod, they will give you three sometimes four strikes per retrieve and sooner or later they are hooked.

The Brookies Were Out Again

The Tools We Use

Finally a Brown Completes the Slam

We boated brookies, rainbows and skip jack. But, it was getting late in the day and the big browns were still not showing. We fished the middle of the river through several different stretches and picked up some fish. The other species were hanging there, but those browns weren't this time. Finally we tried a bank that we haven't fish, from my boat, in several years. Who knows why we haven't fished the bank? Dan was behind the oars as Gary and tried for that elusive brown trout. After what seemed like several thousand casts and a handful of ibuprofen that brown was on the streamer. The slam was complete.

Break Time and More Ibuprofen

Gary Was The Brook Trout King on This Float

There Seem to be More Brookies in the River Right Now

Gary Trying a His Newest Fly Rod

One of Several Fat Rainbows

The rainbows don't seem to be growing in length, but they are getting fatter. Right now they are searching for protein and can't seem to pass up a dying bait fish or a sculpin. They will keep searching until Spring when the bugs become their primary food again.

Caught & Released

A Pale Brown

The sun started going down and the temps began falling with it. Streamers were the choice of the day and at times the action was fast and furious. Sometimes that action was followed by long, slow periods of discussion and shoulder crushing long distance casts. Streamers can make for a tough and rewarding day. Tough because the action can be slow and rewarding because the strikes usually come from more aggressive fish that want to kill the offering. Now is the time to get there and do it...go for the more aggressive fish in the river.

The Sky at the End of the Day