Fly Fish Nashville

Wow July has passed by quickly. As we head into August, it looks to be shaping up to be a good month. Reflecting back on August of 2015 and August 2016 there are reminders of how many anglers caught good fish on the F/V Southeastern Fly in the month of August over the past few years.

There have been many days helping folks catch their first trout, while it has been great to help other anglers catch their largest trout. After a trip to Colorado and reading back through fishing reports from previous years, it is time to bring some summertime techniques back to the river. So far those techniques have been productive.

More bugs are hatching with the warmer weather and we are catching fish as those bugs move quickly into their different stages. Compared to other seasons of the year, it seems the next 45 days should be epic. 

Fish aren't the only ones eating on trips. Guide trip foods consist of round bars (donuts) for breakfast. The shore lunches are best served while sitting in a riffle or under the shade of a tree, riverside. The nutrient of the afternoon continues to be chocolate and the anglers as well as the guy in the rower's seat are both appreciative. Early morning and late afternoon half-day floats are created with snacks for anglers in mind and snacks for the fish too.

The Elk River and the Caney Fork are both fishing well for us right now. So if you are thinking about getting on the F/V Southeastern Fly, in my humble opinion the month of August will be a great time. Anglers could possibly catch their first fish or the fish of a lifetime. 

If you are a seasoned angler or have never picked up a fly rod and want to set up a day on the river e-mail or call/text 615-796-5143 to book a day on the water. For additional booking information see our Homepage and to see the latest fishing report click here.

Howard is Back in the 20+ Club

Howard has been fishing with me for several years, probably many more than either of us would like to admit. There was an evening several years ago that we had a disagreement about a fish that should be in the Southeastern Fly 20+ Club. That fish was actually just about a 1/2" short or so. He caught it on a dry fly which is supposed to add length. But, well, it wasn't quite 20" so that fish didn't make it on the tape, so that fish didn't make it into the club. 

Fast forward to several more trips down Middle Tennessee rivers and more hours on the water, we returned to a stingy river. On this day there were some tight-lipped fish, at least for a while.

We got on the water early and began sight fishing. With super-clear water we were looking for our stealth but the fish were on to us more times than not. We tossed a lot of stuff and could not find our consistency.

We spent the morning staying just ahead of the traffic and playing defense with other watercraft when we came to the better holes, runs and shoals. We were seeing some friends along the way which was making for a nice day. We were on nymphs and fishing deep in a slow pool. With a blowdown coming on the outside of a slight bend, Howard was in a perfect position to get a clean presentation. He flipped the right mend and the fly settled into a slow drift. Then the fish ate and Howard came tight. The fish made a nice bend in the rod and the fight began. Watercraft began to stack up behind us as he stayed with the fish and I tried to keep the boat in the best position. There was a nice audience as Howard brought the nice bow to the net. It was good to see such a nice fish, especially with people watching.

We snapped a couple photos and taped the rainbow before reviving it, then released the fish to catch another day. This fish would make the club, but I still caught grief about that other fish, so many trips ago. After a slow day Howard put the icing on what little cake we were able to find. Good work Howard and I am looking forward to the next time we can get our schedules to line up!

If you are a seasoned angler or have never picked up a fly rod and want to set up a day on the river e-mail or call/text 615-796-5143 to book a day on the water. For additional booking information see our Homepage and to see the latest fishing report click here.

Fishing a River-Flat

There are many structures in any river. Most of the time when angler's talk about fishing a flat, they are talking about chasing bone fish in saltwater. But after studying the river bottom for more years than I care to admit there are also "river-flats"on the waters of Middle TN. 

Definition- A River-flat: A long stretch of water that is relatively straight with a consistent and many times 1' - 3' in depth.
(Disclaimer- The same stretch of water could be known by other names. However, for the purposes of this article we will use the definition above.)

So if we use this definition, some stretches of water will come to light on many rivers that you may fish. Even though a section of the river is relatively flat there are some holes, points, and other objects that might hold a fish or two. Some flats hold an entire morning of fishing fun.

Holes- there are holes from the size of a hat to the size of a drift boat in some rivers. A lot of times a hole will appear behind or downstream of an object. To get a clear picture of how an object can create a hole, I suggest reading Kevin Fedarko's- The Emerald Mile. In the book Kevin tells how a lump the size of a walnut, in a concrete tunnel, caused a hole the size of a moving van. 

Many times a fish will hold against the side of the hole. The side of the hole is a good resting place with access to an occasional passing meal. Although we fish the structure a lot of the time, fish come out of the hole more times than not. Fish just hang around and wait for something to pass. Picture a cowboy leaned up against a wall, with one foot against the wall, waiting for something good to come by. When something passes that he wants he just reaches out there and grabs it. Fish seemingly will do the same thing. If the fish is hungry they might reach a little farther then if they are not hungry.

Points- The flat may also have slight points along the banks from time to time. The point may be made of rocks that were put there to save a bank or it may just be a natural point. That point will speed up the water and create more oxygen. The increased oxygen is something fish seek.  It's real hard for a human to get too much oxygen and for fish it sometimes seems they can't get enough, especially on a slower flowing river. With the increased flow across the point there is also food. Increased oxygen and food are both a bonus. Also for those soft water resting fish there is normally a small eddy downstream of a point. The eddy is a great place for fish and hopefully a big one, to hold. 

Other Objects- I've seen many things laying on the flats of Middle TN rivers. Objects such as tires, huge sycamore trees, grass beds, and rocks. All these objects and many more have the potential to hold a fish or two.  Obviously after discussing holes earlier in this article, there are holes behind most of this type of structure. Fish will also hold in front and beside objects as well. The fish are moving their fins just waiting for some food or your fly to pass. The speed of presentation on dries and nymphs means a lot. The flat sometimes leaves the fish more exposed so clean presentation is a must. Streamers, fished over structure, can entice a fish leave their cover and eat from reaction.

Keven, in the photo below, was fishing a flat the other day. I had just tied on a new bug and he settled it into a clean drift. This fish was sitting on the flat before the bottom dropped into a large hole. Just before the hole there is a rock-pile and Keven's drift was right in line. The currents were conflicting across the rocks and this fish was just waiting for some food to float by in one of those currents. The fly must have caught the eye of the fish and it stepped out to grab the bug. Keven set the hook and did a fantastic job keeping ahead of the fish as it took off upstream and then made a quick trip around the boat. The fish finally came to the net. We snapped a quick photo before letting if go back to the rock-pile. 

Fishing the structure on the flat can be rewarding, but knowing the holes, points and other structure can produce a good day of fishing. Anglers who are a long way from the saltwater flats can spend a day fly fishing the river-flats on the waters of Middle TN

If you are a seasoned angler or have never picked up a fly rod and want to set up a day on the river e-mail or call/text 615-796-5143 to book a day on the water. For additional booking information see our Homepage and to see the latest fishing report click here.

Fly Fish Middle Tennessee

The weather has been on the wet side this year. The lakes are just high enough and anglers will to watch the generation forecasts closely. There are still good windows of excellent flow to get on the water and find yourself in the casting braces of the F/V Southeastern Fly. Clay found himself in the front brace on high water, slingin' streamers, and came up with some nice browns and this fine rainbow (see above). On the other end of the flows we found Eddie some nice brown trout (see photo below), with as little flow as I've seen in a while. Plenty of anglers have been with us and found good flows and good fish.

Both the Caney and the Elk have been fishing well. We are finding ways to beat the heat and the traffic by scheduling at more the right times than not. Don't let anyone tell you different, you can get some water to yourself even on the weekdays and weekends. We are having a good time on both rivers.

If you aren't following Middle Tennessee Fly Fishers on Facebook, I recommend pulling up their page up and take a look at the entomology work they did on the Caney Fork the other day. There are good photos and those photos can provide plenty of ideas for fly tying.

For anyone waiting until just the right time to book your date with me in the drifter, the summertime bite up top is just around the corner. The fish are starting to look up and those terrestrials we have been holding in the box are getting some good looks. The calendar is filling so if you are ready to fish, please get in touch with me to get your date set.

If you aren't following Southeastern Fly on Facebook and Instagram you are missing some of the action. Good and entertaining conversations on very serious subjects like chocolate and Fishtail Fridays. It's worth a click and a follow for sure. 

For all the people who booked trips this year, some who had rescheduled for weather and those who repeated already, thank you for choosing Southeastern Fly! It's been a good year so far and there is much more to come.

If you are a seasoned angler or have never picked up a fly rod and want to set up a day on the river e-mail or call/text 615-796-5143 to book a day on the water. For additional booking information see our Homepage and to see the latest fishing report click here.

Fly Fishing Nashville TN

Tonto and Bubba came back again this year to the casting braces of the F/V Southeastern Fly. Last year they caught good numbers of fish. This year we got on the river with a high flow and struggled throughout the morning. Well, Tonto struggled, or was it Bubba that struggled? It's hard to tell who is who, but it wasn't hard to tell who was having a great time when the water was shut off and the fishing picked up. That was all of us! The Little Southern Tailwater came to life and the holdover browns decided they liked the way our nymphs looked. See you next time guys.

The Elk River- With the big rain events, that have been spread out just right, we have been fishing more high water than ever. The fishing on high water can be hit or miss and getting the fly in exactly the right spot is critical to success. Proper mends in the right seams make for good presentation and that's what we work on...always. As we move into summer we will see lower flows. So far this year the Elk has been fishing good on low water. The normal Middle TN bugs have been working just fine to trick the fish and don't be surprised when a good holdover challenges your A-game.

The Caney Fork- This river reminds me of a saying I heard once. "Good fishery - Good fishermen". The Caney continues to give up some nice fish. Streamers on high water and nymphs/midges on low water. Anglers in the braces have been bringing plenty of nice fish to the net. Timing is everything on this river when the traffic is heavy, but we've stuck good numbers of fish in traffic. Also, believe it or not, we've been the only boat on the river several times too. 

The Streamer Bite- This year the streamer fishing has been as good as I remember. And, well, it's lasting a little longer too. The hot color has been easy to spot, just look on about any tree limb it seems and you will see a streamer hanging out of it. But, the color may be starting to move a little darker on the the ole color wheel soon...

The days are getting busy- It's been a little tougher to post the report like I want to post. However, I'm going to try to do better with this report. If you want to keep more "up to the minute" on what's happening on the river just follow Southeastern Fly on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. There seems to be something going on every other day or so. 

The calendar is filling up with more days on the water. If you want to get on the river just call, text or email for the open dates! Until then thanks for stopping by the fishing report. Well gotta run and get an afternoon float in before the storms arrive. See you on the river.

If you are a seasoned angler or have never picked up a fly rod and want to set up a day on the river e-mail or call/text 615-796-5143 to book a day on the water. For additional booking information see our Homepage and to see the latest fishing report click here.

Jim Steps Into The Front Brace

There are days on the river that just leave you with good memories. This was one of those days. Jim was given a gift from family, for a day on the river, to learn fly fishing. We met for the first time at the ramp. The weather was warm with a significant threat of rain. We were going to get on the water and just hoping the day would give us a good float and the weather would hold off until we were finished.

We floated for a short distance and then dropped the anchor. We went through the usual drills as Jim began to understand what I was asking with his cast and his presentation. Jim was quick to understand my ask and was soon getting good distance and a presentation at just the right speed. So we began to fish.

It wasn't long before we were coming into some soft takes, but the fish were eating so softly that commitment was in short supply. The fog was still hanging close to the surface and with coffee still warm in the cup, Jim set the hook and the fish that had once again ate softly, came to life. The fish made a fast run toward the boat as Jim tried to gain line. When Jim got control of his first trout, it had already spent most of its energy. The fight went quickly and soon Jim was lifting the rod and bringing the nice little rainbow to the net. From then until lunch we fine-tuned casting, presentation, and the fight. Oh and he brought a lot of fish to the net.

The usual gravel bars were taken and as lunch approached we were running short on space. So, we pulled the drifter out of the flow and just set the table in the river for our own quick bite. Summer in Middle TN is getting an early start and the cool tailwaters running over our feet were a welcome change. At one point Jim confessed he was hoping to catch at most just a few fish. We recounted some of the fish caught and realized he was deep into double digits well before lunch. That conversation has been common on many trips this year and the discussions on this day came easy between angler and gillie. Lunch was complete and clouds were beginning to push. We loaded the boat and moved on. 

As the afternoon wore on, Jim was really getting dialed-in on the hook set. It was becoming more and more evident with each fish. Jim was dialing-in when he set the hook on a nicer fish. Was it the largest of the year? no. Was it a nice fish? Yes it was. Jim handled the fish like a veteran. Sitting on the rowers bench, the most impressive part of that fish was the hookset. It was decisive and stung the brown hard. It took a little bit of time, but Jim made the right moves at all the right times, then the slid the fish in the waiting net.

We finished out the day just a short time later. Jim was a lot of fun to fish with and responded to direction like a dedicated angler. This was a good day on the river that left us both with good memories.

If you are a seasoned angler or have never picked up a fly rod and want to set up a day on the river e-mail or call/text 615-796-5143 to book a day on the water. For additional booking information see our Homepage and to see the latest fishing report click here.

The 2017 Middle/West TN Casting for Recovery Retreat

The 9th Annual Middle and West Tennessee Casting for Recovery was held under overcast skies and sometimes rainy condition. Fourteen ladies were invited again this year at no cost to the participants. There was food, fun and fly fishing.

My job, again this year, was to get fourteen guides to show up and spend the morning helping the participants to "perhaps catch a few fish". And as usual their was a waiting list to be a guide, which makes my job really easy. Catching fish and fun was high on the agenda... in-spite of what was at times pretty crummy weather.

The Duck River was high when we started so the guides kept the trout flies in the boxes and prepared for the day by pulling out the warm water ammo. We would be fishing for bass, brim, crappie and catfish from five lakes on the property. Within minutes the ladies were casting, thanks to their lessons the day prior. It wasn't long before the rods were bent and fish were coming to the net.

The morning moved along quickly under the grey skies. In-spite of the liquid sunshine the ladies were having fun as one after the other felt the tug of the fish on the end of the line. The guides were not lacking for smiles either. They seemed just as happy as their partners when the fish would decide to eat. 

Our morning of fishing was coming to a close. One after the other the ladies brought their last fish to the net. After the waders were stowed and the last of the rods were broken down we all made our way to the dining room for some of my favorite BBQ of the year. Finally we said our good-bys and went our separate ways. 

The Middle Tennessee fly fishing community came together under the direction of the Music City Fly Girls for another fantastic event. As always it was an honor to be part of this day and as usual I'm looking forward to next year! 

Phillip and Ed- Like Shooting Fish in a Barrel at Times

Disclaimer- No, we really didn't shoot any fish in a barrel or otherwise... and no none of us have ever shot fish.

We did, however, catch enough fish that it seemed like they were just going to jump in the net, if we held the net beside the boat. The plan was to float the river and perhaps catch a few fish. The day started out with just the right weather. Shorts were fine as the sun warmed the bones and brought the fish out to join our quest. We were still sitting at anchor, talking and rigging rods when Phillip brought the first brown to the net. I threaten to call it a day and go get the truck and trailer...sometimes catching a fish that quick puts a damper on the rest of the float. But, soon there was another fish coming to the net and then made sense just to get the float underway.

The float started out on a positive note and for a while continued to get better. We made several stops along the way where we caught fish using several different techniques. Most anglers who fish the river know that streamers have been working well. We went to some meatier patterns and the fish responded kindly.

The guys were busy all morning and were bringing all sizes of fish to the boat. Several doubles and even a triple happened a couple of times. The average size was in the 13" - 15" range but as with all good floats, the best was yet to come.

After lunch we were back on nymphs and the guys were getting good drifts. There were some longer dry spells in the catching department, but there were no complaints as fish would respond with just the right timeing. Ed was in the back of the boat and getting back in his groove after several years of not getting out to fly fish. Phillip has been getting out with some trips to NC, those trips would help him prepare for what was to come.

Fish hold in all kinds of different water. The fish that sits at the head of the run is sometimes the biggest fish of the pod. The head of the run can be the position that gives that fish the best location to get the best food. The biggest and I would assume even the best tasting bugs have to pass by, as do all the other bugs, and if the big fish wants the first chance at all the food, the head of the run isn't a bad location to hold.

So, here we came floating down the river. The guys were dropping nymphs in the a run by the bank. Phillip lifted the tip of the Orvis Recon and dropped his bug right at the top of the run. The fish must have thought his bug was going to taste real good and decided to try it out. Phillip set the hook and the fish began to fight. Phillip told us it was a big one but Ed didn't believe him OK Ed was the second person in the boat to see the fish and we were soon well into a hard fight from one of the larger rainbows of the day. Phillip did a great job keeping the fish out of the fastest part of the run. All he needed to do was to keep the fish out of that one blowdown and that one blowdown was only a few feet away. Phillip used the backbone of the Recon to steer the fish away from the one safe place and bring it to the net. It wasn't long before we were taking a photo and the measurement. 

This fish would be our longest of the day and would earn Phillip a spot in the Southeastern Fly 20+ Club. Congratulations Phillip. We floated out catching more fish, first here then there and as the sun began to fall behind the tree lines. It was another good float and one that will go down in the books as a really eventful and nice day. Nice job guys!


If you are a seasoned angler or have never picked up a fly rod and want to set up a day on the river e-mail or call/text 615-796-5143 to book a day on the water. For additional booking information see our Homepage and to see the latest fishing report click here.

Stephanie and Steve Fly Fish High Water

Stephanie has been on the drifter before and this time she decided to let Steve come along to see what the rivers of Middle Tennessee can produce. Both our happy anglers would catch their share of fish and fish new styles on their way from the launch ramp to the take out.

We started on top water. The brookies and some brown trout were looking up and when they looked up Stephanie and Steve's flies just happened to be floating overhead. We messed around with that for a while then pulled out the 6 weights with sinking line.Stephanie began by catching her first brookie as her first fish.  Soon we were bringing fish to the net but not at the rate we wanted. We stopped at one point and it was like someone was throwing bowling balls into the river. The river was getting crazy and like the fish we were getting hungry.

After fueling up and getting our anglers back into the casting braces we got down to business. We pulled into the upper end of "Brown Town" and began catching fish on a steady basis. We caught fish on every color we tried...Well, we only needed to try one color so I guess in reality that statement was still 100% the truth. The action kept coming on top with floating lines and down deep on heavy sinking lines.

The fishing continued to get better and better. Every stop seemed like it was productive and when a fish would rise it wouldn't be long before it was sliding into the net. These days don't come often and when they do it is pure magic. We made stops at the likely places that have been producing over the years and were finding our share of opportunities.

We waited for some other boats to pass, then the anchor came off the bottom and we floated into a productive portion of the river. The fish began to rise. A larger fish came to the top and Steve got his fly in front of that fish. The fish ate and Steve set the hook. The fish went to the bottom and put a deep bend in Steve's 5 wt. Orvis Frequent Flyer rod. The fish tried to stay on the bottom and the fight was full of give and take for quite a long time. Steve kept after the fish and soon the it was coming around to our way of thinking. The brown made one last attempt to get away and Steve brought it back, then to the edge of the net. One last pull on the 5 wt. brought it into the big Brodin net. We got the fish in the boat and removed the fly, then back into the water for some refreshment. With Stephanie witnessing the measurement, Steve made his way into the Southeastern Fly 20+ Club. 

We continued the day catching some really nice fish. Fish that on a normal day would be a photo op, but on this day they were just regular fish that we were catching and releasing. It is hard to explain how good this day really was to all of us.

Stephanie and Steve were a pleasure to spend a couple days with on the river. After we were done, plans were made for follow up trips. Next time I hope to see Morgan come back. Morgan if you come back, you bring that cast and I will bring us some more chocolate! Steve and Stephanie thank you again for spending some quality time on the river.

 If you are a seasoned angler or have never picked up a fly rod and want to set up a day on the river e-mail or call/text 615-796-5143 to book a day on the water. For additional booking information see our Homepage and to see the latest fishing report click here.

Video to Compliment the Last Fishing Report

After the trip with M.E. and Ethan I received a text with some footage from our float. Ethan did a fantastic job with his video the production. There were a lot of laughs and this video shows just a few. Hope you enjoy his work and thanks again Ethan!