Michael, Scott and Austin Murphee came up to fish with me on the South Holston. We meet up at the shop in the morning and headed to the river. When we got to our first stop we got into the water and I sent Michael upstream of us then got Scott started. The fishing was a little slow at first, but then Michael and Scott both started getting into fish. Scott hooked into one big Rainbow that took off downstream and the hooks pulled out. Then Michael got into the action he started working a dry and dropper and hooked into a really nice Brown trout but he came unbottomed. After catching a few more fish we decided to go grab some lunch. After lunch the fishing continued to be good. Michael was catching fish downstream of me, Scott and Austin. Austin moved upstream and was catch fish above us. I moved upstream to see how Austin was doing and saw Scott hook up. I ran back down to help him land a nice 18″ Rainbow. Then I moved downstream to see how Michael was doing and we hooked into what I thought was a big Brown but it turned out to be a big Sucker.

I had a great day fishing with Michael, Scott and Austin.  Good fishing and great company.

If you would like a Guided Trip give us a call at 423-878-2822.

Tight Lines,

Matt Champion

South Holston Fly Shop

>online casinoon the water at 3:00 and stayed til 8:00.  No dry activity seen where I was. But did see a few sulphurs on the water. It will not be long now. I caught a bunch of fish on a size 16 copperhead and an #18 red ass.  It is funny.  There are wars about who created this fly. As far as I know, it was created in Arkansas a long time ago. It is a pretty simple tie: I make a few wraps of red thread right below the bend of hook.  Then tie in a peacock body. [ I tie with silver bead] Then use a partridge soft hackle and tie off at bead with red thread.  Make sure the fish can see the red thread behind the bead. It makes a difference.

Caught a ton of 8″-10″ wild browns with a few  14″ browns thrown in  batch. Then around 7:00 , I put on a size #20 copperhead. The size of the fish went up quick. No monsters but each each brown went from 14″”-16″ .  Not a small one in the bunch. This was quite, slick water. And the good fish ate the smaller fly, fished 18″ down.

Tight lines,

Rod Champion

Bob and Gail came into the shop on Thursday so we got everything together and headed to the water. When we got to the water there was some fish rising. So I started scanning the water and saw the fish were rising to Blue Winged Olives. There were fish rising to the dries, but they were really feeding on the BWO nymphs. The fish were hitting our nymphs regularly and we were having a great time. Bob worked his way upstream of me and Gail, and started hooking up on fish. Bob hooked into two really nice Rainbows out of the run that both pulled the hook out after a hard run downstream. Gail had moved up to fish a run above Bob and hooked into a nice Rainbow out of that run, but it also pulled out. It got time to call it an afternoon so me and Gail started back for the truck. Bob stayed to fish a few more minutes in the run he was fishing. When he got back to the truck he said that he hooked five more fish out to the run before the left.

Man the fish were really feeding good. We only fished about 200 yards of water all afternoon.

I did see a few Sulphurs start mixing in with the BWO’s so it will not be long before the Sulphur hatch will be on strong.

If you would like a Guided Trip give us a call at 423-878-2822.

Tight Lines,

Matt Champion

South Holston Fly Shop

It all begins the second week in April. These Big Caddis’ are quite an event on the Watuaga . The bigger fish do back flips for them… literally. We still have some openings for those two weeks. It is a float in only deal on the quality section of the Watauga river. That Tailrace is 20 minutes from our shop. This hatch will fill the boat with caddis’. It is that big of a hatch.

At that time, the sulphurs should have begun here on the South Holston river. These are the size 16 yellow olive sulphurs. They look very much like a PMD. That is the beginning of the Sulphurs and the bigger fish feast on this early hatch.

If you wish, call me for more information.

Tight Lines,

Rod Champion