Clay and John Target Rainbow Trout in Middle Tennessee

I wondered in the early morning hours before this float if it would be a good day? Clay and John would climb aboard the drifter early and we would do our best to beat the recreational traffic. Clay said he had fished the river several years prior and had a good understanding of fly fishing and the river. His son John might need a little help. Before this early morning float was over John would prove he also had a good understanding of fly fishing.

Knocking off the skunk took a short time. The guys were throwing nymphs against the backdrop of a clear morning. The temperature wasn't cold but it was cool, the water was still and clear. The guys were quickly getting good drifts as we hopped from the more productive areas of the float. At each stop the guys had a fish on the line. This made for a more enjoyable morning. We stopped the drifter at one point to rig some different offerings when we spotted a big fish...this was truly a big brown. We threw most of the fly box at this one but it was weary and spooked from the start. So, I marked this one in my mind as a place to hit at another time. The guys kept at it as we continued our float and talking about the fish we just saw several more times. With John in the front brace and Dad in the rear brace we moved on and stopped at the next productive area.

John makes the 20+ Club- As I was rigging Clay's rod for a different pass at some feeding fish, John was messing around with a nymph. The next thing we knew he was standing up straight with the fly rod practically doubled over. The big rainbow was making runs and then stopping. With Clay and me coaching and John staying on top of the situation we knew one more run was coming. John was way ahead of the fish and we began to move it toward the waiting net. After a couple misses with the net John raised the head and the fish made a last ditch effort. When the big rainbow got it's head going toward the bottom it found the waiting net. Game over. The rainbow was in the net and John was in the Southeastern Fly 20+ Club. Nice work Clay and nice work John. Looking forward to the next float and hopefully another good day on the river!

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