I worked but here is the take from fisherman on the river.  Fish ate high and low and in between.  Fish ate dry flys, emergers and nymphs. It was on is the word.

Tight Lines,

Rod

I got in Wednesday and of course stopped by the river on my way to shop.  Went looking for heads and finally found a few . I must make a public profession. The black flies kicked my butt. I caught a dozen or so fish but the fish and their blackfly counter parts had their way with me. That is fishing isn’t it? But a beautiful day it was.

On the slucing, it seems fish are either up eating dries or down . Nothing in between. So you either split shot and get on down to bottom or you catch them on top.

Yesterday, they cut the wheels off for 5 hours. I wasn’t there[ had to work in shop] . Customers said the black flies were everywhere. Fish were almost jumping in your back pocket  chasing them. Fish were rising everywhere. Then TVA started slucing again around noon. When there is a sudden change in generation it seems to always take fish a while to adjust. So it seems that is what yesterday afternoon was like. Pretty tough on almost all I talked with. Including several guides. Fish should resume their normal sluice eating habits today.  This is a good cloudy, cool day, maybe the BWO’s will bust back out full force. We will see.

Tight Lines,

Rod Champion

 There will be a daily outflow of 800 cubic feet per second on the Holston until further notice. Are we able to put our feet in the water while sluicing? My experience this week, grab your gear and head this way. It is different fishing however. You can wade the river, but not the same as on low water. It is like a 1 hour burp all day long. It is wise to not try to cross the river. Just fish one side of it. Instead of 6,000 trout per mile, you will only get to 3,000 trout per mile. What a shame, right? So don’t be afraid of 800cfs sluice, just be very careful. If the bugs are on the water, the fish will rise [ exception Friday ] and eat them. Even if they are size tiny black flies. And for the most part, plenty of fish have been close to the banks sipping. So deep wading has not been necessary.

Good Fishing,

South Holston River Fly Shop

There is not much I can say. Today the BWO’s poured off .  And very good fish were up, eating.  I mean, some Bruisers. I don’t remember the last time fishing was average.  What a river .. full of bugs.

Tight Lines,

Rod Champion

Fish rising everywhere is the best description. Blackflies aqnd BWO’s were the bugs of the day. I fished the muddy water down low and fish were rising to BWO’s even in the stained water.  This was the chance of getting close to big fish without spooking them.  How in the world could trout see and pick out blackfies size tiny and rise to them in the stained water beats me. But they were saturday afternoon late.  Of course I made the mistake of riding by the river on my way home. Yep, rings made me late again.

Looks like TVA is going to give a good wade schedule Monday and Tuesday. At least as of now, they are projecting a couple of hour burps only, both days. But make sure you check the schedule after 5:00 to amke sure. It should be great wade fishing.

Rod

Sunday, Matt fished a big BWO hatch that lasted several hours. Fish ate a thorax BWO dry like candy . Did not need a dropper. All that it does in that situation is get in the way. But that was Sunday. Then the dreaded warm weather moved in.  Highs in the low 70’s .  Actually beautiful weather , unless you like BWO hatches and solitude.  I have come to realize that flyfishing to me is not social event. Sometimes I wish I could be more the other way. I admire those who use it as group gathering and a social occasion. Maybe it is just the mountain fisherman in me. Or the old bird hunter in me. I have spent so much time alone on the water. Or chasing quail with just me and a good bird dog or two. The exception has always been Matt. He and I chased birds and trout together so much [ before he became a guide] that we were able to be together but keep that solitide feeling. Of course, now that he guides , we very seldom get to fish together.  Yuk!Sometimes it would nice to share a hatch with someone . Or show off a big fish to.  But I don’t know that you can share a deep feeling. Or the satisfaction of a good rise form. Or the love of a gentle take off the top. But for those of you who can , without losing the depth of the feeling, I salute you.

Now about the fishing. Tuesday was not near the BWO hatch [ thanks to warmer temperatures and sun shine] Still tons of blackfly spinners on the water and ever so supple rises. I understand it was a very good nymph fishing day. I decided to commit to a soft hackle to try to improve my skills.  Been fishing one that is tied with  a D-Rib body and partridge for the soft hackle.  Has been very good to me. The D-Rib is so much tougher than  pheasant tail. You are not going to tear it up. And it makes such a distinct segemented body. It has caught some very nice fish late in the afternoons for me.

Wednesday, I went to the Watauga looking for the signs of Black Caddis’. There weren’t many but a few showed up on my wader legs. In a week or two that hatch will light that river up.  The nymph fishing was good.  That same D-Rib ties a very nice nymph body, that will not tear up.  Matt and I have been fishing this pattern for many years . It has always been deadly here and most say, anywhere they fish it. Caught fish but the flow on the Watauga was tough on this old body. It whipped me quick. I am not in the shape I used to be went I chased bird dogs all the time.

Hopefully TVA will give us a generation break this week-end. They are projecting good wading schedules. So watch for some olives, blackflies and go ahead and throw a Sulphur Nymph at them. It isn’t long at all before the cases will break open and the Big Yellow Bugs will be on the water.

 Now a word from our Sponsors: I got 6 New AAA Hungarian Full Skins [ with tail and both wings attached] in yesterday. They are the best Skins I have seen. They are full. The Capes on each side of the neck are loaded with grey feathers. Many many size 18’s in them.  And of course 16’s and larger eveywhere. The backs are loaded with the brown feathers for caddis soft hackles and nyphm legs. These are priced at $26 and worth a million $ . If you are a soft hackler [ if that is a word] you know what I mean.

Call me . I will guarantee you liking these skins. Their are not many Hun skins left. The Shooting preserve business across the country has sufferd from these economic times. So Huns are scarce. I will keep looking.

Also have some very nice AA’s for $15. Just don’t have as amny of the 18’s on them . But plenty of grey’s for sulphur soft hackles.

As Roy Rogers said “Until we meet again.”

Rod Champion

This is a beautiful snow this morning. It looks about 2 inches of fresh powder. Some would say it is a good day to tie flies. Nay, it is a good day to fish a BWO hatch. They will come off and fish will be eating them. They did yesterday so they will again today. And along with the olvies will be millions of blackflies.  Should be another banner dry fly fishing day. We had better enjoy today , because tomorrow brings sunny skies and a warming trend. Suppose to get in the 40’s and even higher for Saturday. Then will be a good day to tie flies. For today is BWO day. Wonder if we can make that a national holiday.. there is one for everything else. And this is the important one.

Tight Lines,

Rod Champion

Headed for home Saturday afternoon but made the mistake of driving by the river to “check things out”.

I even[ innocently] got out of my car and walked to some areas to check things out.  Heads were popping up everywhere. Now mind you, this is 4:30 on Saturday and I have a 3 hour drive to see my lovely wife. I convinced myself – just one hour.. no more.  I was close.. I only fished til 6:20. … Could not help it. There were fish rising to black flies everywhere. See, I am addicted to heads popping up.  The fish were hot.. they fought like bulldogs.

I don’t know the moral of this story.. but I bet you’ve been there.

I got 6 more  MODERN MIDGES books.  1000 c0lor midge illustrations.  Retail $40 – our price $29 .

Also have some beautiful AAA Hungarian Partridge skins.  I mean they are nice- Tons of small grey feathers. Full skin, wings and tail.   $25.99

Got some nice AA skins also- full sking, wings and tail.  $16

AAA Grouse is in the house.. Beautiful – full skin with wings and tail… $24 . Soft hackle dream.  But there are many many uses for these skins. Barred legs on nymphs and wing cases on nymphs are just a couple.

Tip- on the upper part of grouse wings there are small barred brown cupped feathers, that are perfect for 20 and 22 soft hackle flies.

The AA Grouse skins are nice – full skin and wings .. no tail.   $12.50

Tight Lines ,

Rod Champion

423-878-2822