october 18, 2003 east tennessee fly fishing report

Time for a quick update on the fishing here in East Tennessee. Fall is here!! The leaves are changing fast, and after a couple of cold nights it has warmed up again. The Watauga River has been fishing well when the generators are off. The water has been low and clear. There are still a few craneflies hatching. The caddis and blue winged olives are just getting started, and will offer some great fishing for a few months.

There are also caddis and blue wings on the South Holston along with midges. John Monroe and I fished a great BWO hatch on the South Holston last week, when the water was off.That afternoon we caught several browns and rainbows over 16in.

Some of the largest trout of the year will be landed from right now through December and into Janurary. Their is less pressure on the trout this time of year, and the large fish move out of their normal hiding spots to feed heavily before the winter. They also move out of the deep holes in the river, and move upstream to spawn.

I will keep you up-to-date on the fishing. As always, here are some pictures so you can see what we have been up to. You can call or email me to book a trip.