Me and Daddy decided to take a quick float yesterday afternoon down the river. We got started around 3pm or so, and there were already Sulphurs on the water. Just a short ways down the river we started seeing fish rising to them. I was seeing trout rise in places that I have not seen them rise in a long time. The longer into the float that we got the heavier the bugs got on the water. It was one of the best hatch I have seen is a good while. There were also some BWO’s mixed in the Sulphurs, but there were far more Sulpurs on the water. An there were fish rising all up and down the river, from top to bottom. There were still fish rising to the Sulphurs at 7pm. It was a awesome hatch, and it was fun to watch all the trout rising everywhere.

It was a awesome hatch on a cool, cloudy, windy day. Go figure.

If you would like a Guide trip give us a call at 423-878-2822.

Tight Lines,

Rod and Matt Champion 

South Holston Fly Shop

Say it isn’t so. But it is. A very strange feeling.

The family came and stayed at Darin and Elizabeth Anderson’s log cabin here. They have a wonderful place. It is located below the  South Holston Lake Dam . The beauty of this new log cabin, is that it is .9 of a mile off the main road back in the mountains. It is secluded with a private locked  gate and surveylane cameras. The neat thing about the cameras is that you can watch wildlife thru them; Deer-Turkey and Bear. We saw all three of these from the porch.. now that is special. You can see their place at : www.andersonsriversidecabin.com.

Now about the fishing. On low water , it is lights out. You can flat bust them on midge pupae. On high water, the sulphurs are pouring off. I guided the last two afternoons and the bugs poured off. Yesterday, it was quite a show.  If you want to see the South Holston at it’sd best, come now.  Because on high water it is” Show Time”.

Tight Lines,

Rod Champion

Dangest thing I have ever seen. There must have been millions of sulphur nymphs in the river this year. Everyday this week the sulphurs have come off big time. I floated the last three days.. and man what a bunch of sulphurs. That does not mean that fish are easy to catch dry fly wise. A challenge,yes, fun.. very. A friend of mine form Shelby NC came up for a couple of days. His name is Mark Folk. It was fun to see such excitement from him on seeing such bugs and rising fish. Look.. look there.. man , a big fish over there…. over there.. Mark had never seen such an event as these hatches that are occurring dailey.

On low water people are catching fish really well on midge pupae, jujubees and split case nymphs, big time.  He fish are healthy and willing to eat.

If anyone is intersted in combining a streamer float for Browns and ending the day with a shot at a striped bass or two, let us know. It can be done. Or come to think of it, you can dry fish the sulphurs, then head on for stripers. I promise a striper is one hard pulling fish!

Buzz us at 423-878-2822 if interested.

Tight Lines,

Rod Champion

I fished with Richard and Pat Holden from Richmond, TN on Sunday. We started out doing a little wade fishing, because TVA was not cutting the water on till 12pm. We got in the water and the fish were rising to midges well. So we started with a dry and dropper. The fish started eating the midge dropper well and we hooked pretty regular. After a good morning of wade fishing we headed down to Webb’s Store for a good lunch then up to the grates to put the boat in. It was still nice and overcast so I knew that it was going to be a good day. We started out catching fish on nymph rigs then the Sulphurs started. After the Sulphurs started hatching. The fish started rising so it was time to switch over to dries. We pulled up on a pod of rising fish, and Rich made a good cast on a nice rising fish. The fish came up and took his dry then the fight was on. After nice long fight we netted the nice 18″ Brown trout. We worked rising fish for the rest of the afternoon, and there were tons of fish rising everywhere along with tons of Sulphurs on the water. It was the biggest hatch I have seen in a while. Sulphurs were everywhere on the water. When we got down river to Jack’s the Sulphurs started dying out so we switch back over to the nymphs and caught several more fish.

I really had a great time fishing with Rich and Pat. It was fun to see how much they enjoyed the fish and the massive Sulphur hatch.

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

Tight Lines,

Matt Champion

South Holston Fly Shop

Man.. what a week of Sulphurs on high water.  They have poured off everyday,  with today being the big climax .  Some places on the river looked like someone had thrown trout chow in. Fish were rising to Sulphurs, everywhere.  It was a sight to behold. The afternoon floats have been very, very good.

On top of that, in the mornings, wade fisherman have flat spanked the fish.  Midge pupae and sulphur nymphs have been the hit of the party . I am sure BWO nymphs are working also, because they are hatching on high water, in pretty large numbers.

Now is one fine time to do an afternoon float. You WILL see fish smacking Sulphurs, BWO’s , Blue Slate dunns , black flies and midges… all on top.  Good stuff.

Tight Lines,

Rod Champion