Wow! What an odd spring! - 86 degree afternoons at the end of March followed by April beginning with sub-freezing temps and SNOW!
The fishing has been a lot like the weather; hot one day and cold the next. Slow days have been producing 8 to 10 fish but we have had several good days with 25 plus landed and a couple of real nice fish, including a 19" Brookie, landed by a student taking fly fishing instruction. What a way to be introduced to fly fishing by landing the "fish of a lifetime" on your first outing! I'd say he's hooked for life!!
I was beginning to worry about what this year held in store. In the end of March stream temps were nearing 60 degrees! That's about 20 degrees above normal. Generally by the time our air temperature reaches 86 degrees there are leaves on the trees, creating shade over the creeks. This years early warm temps, combined with the lack of shade, had stream temps skyrocketing!! I was greatly concerned about water temps... [Read More]
Being a professional fly fishing guide and the dad of a twelve year old up-and-coming fly fisherman, can, at times, cause heartbreak...both his and mine!
One thing I've learned in my 32 years of fly fishing for trout is; they learn your tactics fast!! If you put a lot of pressure on trout using successful tactics on the same waters they'll quickly catch on and your tactics will soon loose their appeal to the fish, this is especially true in winter.
Nymphing for trout successfully is an art form, to say the least. This art form takes place on a somewhat small canvas, so you have to keep your strokes to a minimum. The more you use specialized tactics on the same water, the less productive they become. When making your living using these tactics, recreational fishing has to be kept to a minimum or your business pays the price of limited success... smaller catches.
When you're 12 yrs old and have a brand new fly rod and reel, these things are hard to understand. If you'... [Read More]
On Dec 27th I received a call from a lady in transit from Tampa Florida, on her way to the Smoky Mts with her family. She wanted to inquire about booking my guide service for a day of fly fishing instruction for her family... all six of them! I explained this was possible but stretching my ability because they were also interested in catching some fish. She had two college aged boys that really wanted to do some fly fishing and not just casting lessons. I again explained that there was six of them and only one of me, but I would do my best. I asked if they had any waders and she replied "no." I then let her know that I wasn't equipped to furnish waders for her whole family and the water was very cold, so we would be forced to fish from the bank. She inquired about the weather and let me know that they were wearing shorts and t-shirts. I looked out the window at the snow that had fallen the day before and thought.. this is going to be fun. But because the holiday... [Read More]
The winter solstice is not scheduled until Friday but its effects were felt on the Nantahala today. The sun never made it to the water. The word Nantahala is Cherokee for "land of the noon day sun". Today there wasn't a cloud in the sky but the sun was never seen on the DH stretch of the Nantahala. The only way you could know it existed was by looking up at the mountain top. But the trout didn't seem to mind. I had 2 anglers, new to the sport of fly fishing, but they were totally addicted by the end of the day!
The day started out slow, throwing every nymph we had while working on perfecting new casting skills. The first couple of hours saw no action at all, but while working on perfecting mends to get a good drag-free drift, I noticed a nightcrawler trying to make his way out of the river. Immediately the light bulb came on! I quickly rigged a San Juan worm with a yarn strike indicator on one of the anglers rods. Within 20 minutes we had landed 6 or 7 fis... [Read More]
From Oct 1 to June 1, Eighteen NC trout streams revert over to DH (delayed harvest) each year. Other than our very few (4) catch-and-release streams offered by NCWRC (North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission), the DH streams offer you the best chance to experience trout fishing at its best. The majority (almost all) hatchery supported streams, only provide decent fishing about one week per month (immediately after the stocking), due to the fact that the residents that live in the area know exactly the day that the streams are stocked and take the fish out almost as fast as the state puts them in. On most streams you can literally hear a sucking sound as the fish are taken out of the streams and put on stringers! Most bait fishermen in NC believe catch and release includes the term "into hot grease"!
The DH season offers sportsmen seeking a quality fishing experience the best chance for a quality day on the stream. Most DH streams offer an angler the opport... [Read More]
The right Gear Bag can make all the difference Know Before You Go - Tips for a Successful Experience
When life offers a last minute chance to hit an area stream, modern fly fishing gear bags offer the convenience of having all of your gear in one place... ready to go. We often have gear scattered around the house which means having to gather it all up before each trip. Waders in the garage, fly boxes in the tying desk, vest wading jacket and hat in the closet, rod tubes leaning in a corner. It is so easy to leave one needed item behind. Gear bags offer the opportunity to keep all of our gear together, organized, protected and convenient to our grab and go lifestyles. Today's gear bag conveniences include organized storage spaces for all your gear, with multiple compartments for your fly fishing accessories.
Today's gear bags range from small bags that are large enough to store a days worth of fishing gear but small enough to fit in the overhead compartments of a pl... [Read More]
Tips for Choosing a Guide Know Before You Go - Tips for a Successful Experience
A good guide will use experience to create great days on the water and, more importantly, possess the ability to make complete strangers feel like friends. A good guide knows when fishing gets slow and will revert to a style of fishing that will still produce fish.
Some guides don't like to teach while others love "newbies". They take a lot of attention, miss a lot of fish and some guides who aren't teachers think they make them look bad. On the other hand, some guides love beginners, enjoy teaching and feel they are sharing their passion. They have patience and derive great satisfaction in seeing someone land their first fish.
If you're new to the sport, don't be afraid to ask "do you like to teach beginners?" Before booking a guide always state your experience level along with the goals of your trip:
Stream Safety Know Before You Go - Tips for a Successful Experience
Fly fishing is a relatively safe sport, however, it often takes place in an environment that's not so forgiving. Carelessness, negligence and foolhardiness rate as some of the most common causes of injuries. Accidents are often just waiting to happen on our trout streams. Situational awareness is often our best defense to avoid accidents that can ruin the best fishing trip. Among the hazards that anglers often face include; rocks covered with slick algae, remote wilderness settings far from help, water temperatures that guarantee hypothermia, sudden storms, sunburn, dehydration, and insects (including yellow jackets and hornets that can be deadly).
With all of the hazards that our streams offer, it pays to be prepared:
The leaves have turned and fell, the bookings have slowed some for the guide service, the first boar season has come and gone, and weekday traffic on our streams has greatly decreased. It is now time for me to get some fishing in. Spring, summer and fall I seldom get the chance to have a rod in my hands unless I am giving instruction or showing a client an advanced cast or mend. Now it is my time to enjoy the sport.
Along with the crisp air and water temps, something that is seldom known to a lot of fly fishing anglers occurs in the mountains of Western North Carolina-big Brown trout enter small mountain streams on their annual spawning run where a lot of these "bruisers" spend the majority of the winter. A chance to battle with one of these "brutes" on a 4wt rod makes the air and water temps worth the price of cold feet and chapped lips!
Fly fishing for trout is often seen as a spring and summe... [Read More]
04-09-2007 12:16 AM
