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Our Stream Report:
One of our favorite things about being a guide is surveying the verge ... going out and determining what's going on in our waters. It gives us a chance to look at water temperatures, flow rates, where the fish are, what's biting, where, and on what. It continues to be one of the most heavily visited parts of our website. We hope you enjoy it.
Early Winter Stream Report - 2011
~Boone Area Freestone Streams~
The freestone streams in and around Boone are full of water, and full of stocked and wild fish. In the bigger rivers, we have been targeting big browns and rainbow with various streamer patterns. Some of our "go-to" streamers have been olive sculpins and rubber legged buggers. When the trout are not in the mood to chase, we have been tossing nymph rigs consisting of stone fly and caddis patterns. In muddy or murky water, a San Juan worm or egg patterns have produced well. Some dry fly action can be had mid morning during the midge hatches. Griffith gnats in size 22-26 will do the trick.
~South Holston Tailwater~
This time of year, certain sections of the S. Holston River are closed for the spawn. Yet there is still ample water that is not closed, and it is fishing well. The upper river seems to be producing best with the run-spawning-fish upstream. The browns have definitely moved out of the flats and into the riffles or gravel spawning grounds. PLEASE DO NOT FISH FOR THE SPAWNING FEMALES!!! Pulling a spawning female off her redd with light tippet is a sure fire way to harm the fish. Good hatches of midges and bluewings are coming off daily, and dry fly action can take place on most days. Your best bet for catching good numbers is to fish lightweight nymph rigs through the runs and riffles. Size 20-24 bluewing nymphs and midges have been the best producers.
Mid September Tailwater Report
~South Hoslton~
The TVA has been generating between 300 and 500 CFS, providing us with optimal floating conditions on most days. The blue wings have arrived and the sulfurs are showing up most afternoons. The browns are in full fledge pre-spawn mode and feeding heavily at times. Scuds, tiny midges, BWO nymphs, and sulfur nymphs have been our go to patterns. Small blue wing olive parachutes and wetflies will catch you fish on top, as long as long leaders and light tippet are used. Now is perhaps the best time of year to catch a giant brown trout on the S. Holston.
~Watauga Tailwater~
The Watauga tailwater has been our go-to river for anglers looking to catch a boat load of fish. That doesn't mean we haven't landed some pigs out there as well. Fall is always a great time to float the Watauga River. Prolific blue wing olive, caddis, and midge hatches last through the fall and provide excellent dry fly opportunities. The streamer bite is picking up and should continue to get better as the leaves change. The brown trout are already beginning to gather in the gravel tailouts, preparing for the spawn. The majority of spawning activity will start early October and last through late December.
August 1st Fishing Report
~South Holston River~
We have been floating the S. Holston River on a daily basis, as the generation schedules have remained constant and the fishing very good. The sulfurs have been coming off every afternoon providing great dry and wet fly fishing. Size 16-18 compara dun and parachute sulfurs will get the fish to come up. For emerger-eating trout, try yellow or tan soft hackles and loop wing style emergers. Prior to the hatch we have been fishing scuds, midges, and beetles. The terrestrial bite has been excellent, with small hoppers, size 14 beetles, and size 16 ants producing best. Now is a great time to target some of the giant S. Holston brown trout in the deep flats. These fish will test the skills of even the most advanced anglers. Fish ranging from 5 to 10 pounds are usually hooked up with every trip.
Late June 2011 - Tailwater Trout Fishing Report
~Watauga River~
The Watauga River has been our go to float trip as of late. The river is fishing as well as it has in three years. Hordes of 14-16 in. rainbows are stacked up in the riffles and slots, and some giant browns are laid up in the deepwater tailouts and pools. Our biggest fish are being caught from the Trophy Section downstream to Boone Lake. While midges are the dominating hatch, we are also seeing flurries of size 16 sulfurs, size 16 blonde caddis, and a daily midmorning hatch of crane flies.
~ South Holston ~
Earlier in the month the TVA was spilling warm water into the tailwater, thus limiting the river to a mediocre at best bite. As of late they have been spilling cooler water at higher volumes, and the fishing has picked back up. While we still haven't seen the ridiculously great bite experienced last June, we are still catching large brown trout and decent numbers from the middle sections of the river and down. This trip is definitely geared toward the experienced anglers. Good hatches of sulfurs are still popping, along with decent hatches of crane flies. The midges and scuds are there as always and should be your go-to flies. We only expect the S. Holston to get better as the summer continues. If you want to catch a world-class sized brown trout now is a great time to give them a shot.
Smallmouth Bass Report: June 1, 2011
Smallmouth season has arrived in full force. We have been guiding on the Nolichucky, New River, and Watauga River for the past few weeks. Smallmouth are pound for pound one of the hardest fighting and most aggressive freshwater game fish. For those who haven't had the opportunity to chase smallmouth with a fly rod, you are truly missing a great experience. Whether headhunting trophy smallmouth, or catching numbers on one of long gorgeous float trips, we have the smallmouth trip for you!
The Nolichucky, New, and Watauga Rivers boast some of the healthiest populations of smallmouth bass found anywhere. Other than a few days following the last full moon, the smallmouth fishing has been excellent. The top water bite is becoming extremely productive with the warming water. However, you can catch fish consistently all day subsurface.
Our floats have been geared toward the evening or early morning bite. Trips are now taking place from 6 am till 2 PM or from 11 am till 8 PM, maximizing the top water popper bite and active fish. If the fish aren't looking up, we are throwing big buggers, flukes, and divers on the fly rod. Big white flukes, long jerk baits, and Texas rig worm patterns are working for the conventional tackle. Lots of hellgrammites and crayfish are on the rocks, so we have been matching our soft plastics accordingly.
May 2011 - Stream Reports
~ South Holston ~
The S.Holston continues to produce high numbers of fish almost every trip. While we were flooded out during a few floats, the S. Holston has been our consistent "go-to" river. Big hatches of blue wing olives and midges have kept the fish rising on our dry and wet flies. In between hatches we have been nymphing seams, riffles, and grass flats during high water generation. The big browns are starting to move upstream and stage in productive deep slots and runs. The biggest fish are being caught nymph fishing in deep water pool and runs during low water on the lower river. The TVA has began to cut off the generators allowing for some sightfishing opportunities in the lower river flats.
~ Watauga ~
While the headwaters of the Watauga River have been fishing good all spring, the tailrace has just now become productive. Light weight nymph rigs, dry dropper, and small streamers have been the hot rigs on the headwaters. Good fly choices are small pheasant tails, midges, yellow stoneflies, and small yellow or white buggers.
The tailwater of Watauga Lake is providing good numbers of 14-18 in. rainbow trout. The fish are healthy and fighting hard. We expect a better year for the Watauga Tailwater compared to 2009 and 2010. Blonde caddis, blue wings, and midges are the dominant hatches. Decent dry fly fishing can be had in the evening hours.
~ Nolichucky ~
The Nolichucky River is a free-stone stream, so we have been at the mercy of Mother Nature and her spring rains. The heavy rains knocked us off our big Nolichucky rainbows in March; however we have rebounded as of late and landed some monster trout. We saw some awesome action in late Feb/early March, as the fish were eagerly chasing streamers and big nymph rigs. Landing fish greater than 20 inches was no problem. The river is shaping up for a good smallmouth bass season. Higher water levels and stricter creel limits will hopefully help the fish per mile count high. We are currently scouting the lower sections of rivers preparing for the smallmouth topwater season.
Early March 2011 - Stream Reports
With the warm late winter weather, our guides have been on the water daily. We have been guiding the S. Holston, Watauga, and surrounding freestone streams. Prior to the heavy rains and flooding, the freestone streams were fishing great. We have primarily been fishing streamers and heavy nymph rigs. Go-to-patterns have been wool head sculpins and rubber legged buggers. Yellow stones, big copper johns, caddis larva, and San Juan worms are the nymphs of choice on our freestone streams.
The Watauga Trophy Section has produced good numbers during low water. While the bite got tough during our recent rains and high water, good fishing should continue when the water drops. Big hatches of midges and blue wings are showing up during most afternoons. Blonde caddis are also hatching from mid morning and on. Good nymph choices are size 20 blue wing nymphs, size 22 midge larva, and size 12-14 case caddis patterns. Look to fish size 20 BWO dries and midge patterns during the afternoon and evening hours.
Rainbows on the S. Holston are in full fledge spawning mode. The females have moved onto the redds and the males are hovering nearby. The big brown trout are stacked in deep pools, runs, and riffles, and gorging on blue wings, midges, and scuds. The midge bite is definitely the best early on, slowing transitioning to blue wings as the day progresses. Good dry fly choices are size 20 blue wing parachutes, and size 20 midge emergers.
Early February 2011 - Stream Reports
The TVA has been generating during the morning hours on the S. Holston and Watauga Rivers. We have mainly been fishing the dropping water on the S. Holston, slinging blue wings to any rising fish we see. Hordes of blue wing olives and midges are pouring off the river from 1 pm on, and they are providing tremendous dry fly fishing opportunities. Size 20 blue wing parachutes and emergers are your best bet for the blue wing hatch. Small Griffith gnats and midge emergers will catch the midge sipping fish. As the water drops, exact presentations and long leaders become required. During high water, the fish let down their guard allowing bigger bugs to be fished on heavier tippet. While the female rainbows are filled with eggs and preparing to hit the redds, most of the brown trout are post spawn.
When we're not on the S. Holston, we have been fishing the surrounding freestone streams chucking big streamers and heavy nymph rigs. With water levels high and clear from the ice melts, the streamer fishing should remain productive. Olive sculpins, white zonkers, and black rubber legged buggers have been our "go-to" patterns. Fishing intermediate sink tip lines has helped get our flies deep in the heavy flow.
Mid January 2011 - Boone Area Small Stream Report
We have been fortunate to catch some warmer weather, allowing for a few days of guiding on the small streams. We have been concentrating our efforts on the delayed harvest waters in the Boone area. Good numbers of rainbow and brook trout between 12 and 20 inches are being caught on each trip. We are seeing small hatches of midges and stoneflies in the mid morning, especially once the sun hits the water. Go to patterns have been size 18-20 bead headed midges, size 18 pheasant tail soft hackles, size 20 olive mayflies, and size 14-16 black stonefly nymph patterns. Attractor patterns such as small eggs and San Juan worms are also producing. Naturally, this time of year the fish are stacked in the deep, slow pools. Finding sunny, deep holes with sandy bottoms has been vital in finding the big pods of trout. The best hours to hit the water have been from 1pm on and the best bite has been on the warmer and sunnier days. Comfortable fishing can be had when the temps creep above 30 degrees.
Want to see more? Here are the links to the reports from 2010 and 2012.
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