Cold Weather Fly Fishing

Ice and snow met Steve, Mark and myself on our trip to the river. We launched on partly cloudy skies and a whopping 24 degrees. Hoping the weather guessers were correct we kept an eye toward the sky for breaks in the clouds. The sun was peaking before we hooked up with the first Tennessee Tarpon. The US Army Corps was running two generators when we got on the water and turned them back to one shortly after. They also changed the generator as well, so the favorite boat position didn't work as well and we began a search for just the right spot. It didn't take long before Steve and Mark were into the fish and the action got pretty darn good.

Colors of the TN Tarpon

TN Tarpon are a lot of fun to chase. Since we support catch and release these fish are a great way to warm up the casting shoulder, before moving onto the main course of the river. These fish have some high flying acrobatics that are at times just short of spectacular. They make blistering runs and it is easy to tell one of them has been fooled by your offering when the headshakes are seen in the rod tip. We could have spent more time fishing for these fish,but it was time to move on for the browns and rainbows.

The browns are making a comeback in the river. With plenty of food to chase they were more active on this trip than any trip this year. We tried a few different colors and several patterns throughout the day. We tried to keep the fish looking and sometimes just experimenting with different flies. The key is to be persistent and continue throwing the flies at every chance. I expect to catch a fish on every cast, not that it happens on every cast, but it does keep me ready when they the fish do turn on.

The rainbows have been active on each trip this year. They have been gorging and it is showing. If we could get more calcium at the hatchery, when these fish are fingerlings, they might have a bigger skeleton to fill and when the periods of high food volume come to the river they would have something to grow into. We discussed this on the way home and Mark said this sounds like some good bucket biology. It does make an angler wonder, what if...

The day wore on with a slight wind. In the early part of the day and the evening the guides on the rods began the familiar freeze, then the sand paper sound would come as lines began running through the ice cubes. The final phase is shorter and shorter casts, before a dip in the water and at times having to break the ice away from the guides. Then back to casting only to do it all again a few minutes later. Sure it was cold and when the wind would pick up it turn quickly to almost miserable. But, then a fish would flash, follow or get on and fight and we would quickly warm up. While for some it was just too cold to get out, we are making 2011 the year of get out there...

Caught & Release

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

January 2011 Caney Fork Fishing Report

Christmas and New Years are now in the books. It was a good time at our house and hopefully it was a good time at yours as well. During the off moments, I tied flies and experimented with new patterns. Some patterns I even tied and put in the boat. David and I hit the river below Center Hill Dam and immediately the bite was on. We got into some skip jack and browns early on and with streamer rods in hand we made our way down the Caney Fork River.

The First Fish

David was in the casting brace and boated the first fish of 2011. The crappie was not only his first fish of the yea and the first fish in the boat for 2011, it was David's first crappie on the fly. The day was shaping up to get interesting. We finally moved on from the honey hole and began pounding the banks.

The Drifter at Rest

A Nice Way to Kick-off the New Year

Skipjack Getting Away

The skip jack were running on the river and although we did not have the preferred colors of pink & white, we did have half the combo and cleaned up with the streamers of choice. The skip jack were fun and we could have probably stayed with them all day, however we were on the hunt for trout and off we went.

David at Work on Another Fish

Lots of Green

The water was reasonably clear, especially considering the lake level. The river had a green tint, which is normal....whatever normal is, for this time of year. The flies did not have to land in front of the fish's eyes and they would come off the bottom to eat. This was a good thing because the flies would get to the fish before they could be spooked by the boat as it approached.

One of the Many Rainbows David Brought to the Net

Coming At'cha

When an articulated fly travels through the water and the angler stops, the fly will normally break down in the middle. If the head of the fly is made with something buoyant, like this Bank Maggot is made, the head will travel up toward the surface and the rear (without buoyancy) will break and fall. This action is not natural and many times the fish will break away from the fly. One way to assist is by tying in additional material and another is shorter-faster strips.

Rainbow Tails

That is a Little Better

(the shadow in the background is the Oar Blade)

It Took a Bit But We found Some Good Fish

Caney Fork Guide, First Decent Bow of the Day

David on the Echo Six Weight

We got off the river just in time. Because, yesterday the Army Corps dumped water from Great Falls and open up the generators at Center Hill. Our day was done, but not before we learned more about streamers. If you would like to learn more about fishing the marabou and bucktail, let me know. I am considering a streamer class to teach some of the basics and a few of the fundamentals of a great way to spend time on the river.

We Caught Several of These

The Last Fish of the Afternoon

An Elk River Fishing Report

A New Release Photo

I made a last minute, last trip of the year run down to the Elk with some friends. I wanted to try out a new underwater camera and catch a few fish along the way. The things I learned from this trip were many. I tried a few different flies, some worked and some are now in the trash, because I didn't like them when I tied them... confidence in the fly goes a long way.

The First Fish (yes it's a chub)

I started off with usual one nymph pattern and picked up a few rainbows. The water was much more clear than the last trip to the Elk and the fishing is always, without a doubt, better on the Elk when the water is clear. There were a couple other patterns of nymphs that just didn't work, so I went to a Tenkura fly that I tied. After a few drifts and some technique changes I hooked up with a feisty rainbow. It was just like a University of Tennessee Volunteer bowl game. The fish was in my reach, there were high fives all around, I think I even noticed a couple coaches shaking hands, then the fish just got away...

An Afternoon on the Elk


A Usual Suspect


A Break at the Bend Pool

The Tenkura lasted through a short walk downstream and then I switched to some midge patterns. Soft hackles produced a couple strikes and finally it was back to a nymph. After the break, the nymphs continued to produce, so I added an attractor midge above it. The midge was about a foot above the nymph and with a few adjustments it was game on again.

The View


An Interesting Underwater Shot

It was a fairly productive day on the Elk. I tried a spot on the Elk, I have seen many times but haven't fished. It was a good day all around with patterns used and fish caught. So, that was a wrap for 2010. It was a good year of fishing with friends and clients. Some people spend their lives watching others, so make 2011 a year of getting out there and doing it...

Back on the Bench

Tying Articulated Frotein Flies

Articulated Bank Maggot

The Articulated Bank Maggot

This fly is named after some of the folks who prowl the banks with bait and fish for big fish to take home only to forget to clean them and let them go to waste... We figure anyone who gets made about the name is probably the culprit.

.

The Bank Maggot is about 5 & 1/2" long and is meant to fish from the middle of the river out to the boat (or wading) on a sinking line. The fly has lots of marabou and a sculpin wool head. There is a little flash in the body and the fly has a red hula skirt for flash when it breaks in the middle.
The Bank Maggot also has two 2x long shank hooks for length and intimidation of the smaller stockers.

Swag Alert

It is 20 degrees here in Middle Tennessee. Anglers are tying flies and dreaming of new gadgets for Christmas. Also, it is streamer season and what better way to celebrate cold weather streamers than swag! These shirts are part of the 2011 edition Southeastern Fly t-shirts. Available in Charcoal (shown below) and sand.

STREAMERS- The Other White Meat:

Small Fish Anglers need not apply! We fish, for the fish that eat the bugs, most anglers throw. That's right big fish chase big meals and streamers represent some of the best fishing on the rivers! These shirts represent an attitude that only a streamer angler can understand. To order just click here...

Elk River Report

Instead of shopping, today I slipped away, went on a tour of the Elk and spent some time in Lynchburg too. I stopped in the fly shop and saw Rhonda, picked up some stuff and caught up on the latest news. Then I circled the square, drove by Miss Mary BoBo's and the folks were lined up waiting to get in for some good southern cookin. The parking lot at Jack Daniels was about a 1/4 of the way full, so today might have been a good day for the tour.

The Rainbows Sure Are Colorful

I checked some different stretches of the river and looked in on some old haunts from a few years back. Finally I got to a nice looking spot and layered up, because the temps were dropping. The creeks were running clear, but the river was stained from the discharge of the generators. The lake level is close to winter pool and the water is just simply off color. But, the fish were cooperative which is what I was looking forward to.

.

I also was on a mission to try out the new TFO-BVK 6 wt. A 6wt can be a little much for the Elk, but the wind was killer strong and the rod performed flawlessly. I did have to adjust the hook set a little and missed the first several fish then lost a couple more. Finally I adjusted and the catch was on. This rod will make a great hopper rod this coming season.

The Southeastern Fly 2011 Hopper Rod

The fish were feisty today and the first one came to a midge pattern that has been stuck in my truck visor for a year or so. Egg patterns worked OK when bounced along the bottom. The Fall migration of hatchery brats was on, with a nice fatty once in a while to keep things interesting.

Very Colorful Rainbows

Under Pressure

The best flies were size 14 nymphs. I tried several different patterns from size 12 down to size 20 and the fish settled in on 14's. It is amazing how they can see a fly just a little different and key-in immediately. The joys of fly fishing are endless...

At the end of the day I tried the Fish Skull Generic Shad in some faster moving water. It had good action and worked well on a floating line, but it didn't produce the few times I launched it. I got away from the river just before the rains started. There were several other anglers around, but it appeared there was room for everyone. Winter fishing can be tough, but if you find one fish you can usually catch a few more from the same spot. There it is another report from the Elk. I have to say this was a very enjoyable day!

Tying Streamers

With the rivers blown out and the Christmas decorations complete, it is time to get on the vise for trips to the river. Below are just a couple patterns we will be using in the upcoming weeks.

Fish Skull Generic Shad

I saw a variation of this pattern on a local message board. The head is a small Fish Skull. Daniel at Little River Outfitters "added these to an order" (said hey check these out) and I finally had time to put them to use on the bench. The white tail is marabou and the front collar is a white rabbit strip.

This fly should be productive on high water, from the boat with sinking line and good for wading, on falling water with a floating line. The head will break the water and the collar will give it a more full body that should push some water when stripped. There won't be as much side to side action, however the marabou tail will give it some rear end wiggle. If you tie and use it, let me know how it works.

Articlutaed Thunder Rooster

This fly takes longer to tie and should be good for streamer fishing from the boat. For some tips on tying with articulation see Tying Articulated Streamers (just some basics) .

Add white marabou and yellow marabou to the trailing hook. Attach the rear hook to the front. Tie in the skirt with the flashabou and then add the white and yellow marabou to the front hook. Add some pearl eyes, to help get the fly down when it lands in the water. I added the eyes further to the rear, because big fish eat their food head first and to aid with keeping the fish "on" as they get closer to the boat. Add red marabou to the bottom and trim. The last material to add is the rabbit strip, tied in forward of the eyes and then brought over top of the eyes and secured behind the eyes. Whipfinish and then fish it.