# Weekend run to TN



## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

For the first time in almost a year I got down to TN to fish for the weekend. We left in time on Friday to hit the water briefly that evening, then all day Saturday and half of the day on Sunday before coming home. The TVA schedule made the South Holston fish tough, but we were able to fish other water and catch fish. No large fish were caught, but some of the small stream rainbows were large for the size of the water they were caught in.

Fish 1 of the trip. Only way to go was up starting with a dink.










We hit our favorite pizza place that night.



















Nymphed some fish the following morning on the Watauga. I didn't do as well there as I usually do, but still caught fish. There wasn't much surface activity and the stretch I really like to fish didn't produce like it usually does. There was also a lot of angler competition, both bankies like us and drift boats.



















We did try the South Holston later that day, before dinner with local friends, and those fish were cracked out. A typical wading flow rate on the Soho is about 220-240cfs. They were running 10cfs. TEN. The water was low, gin clear, and slow. The fish were the spookiest I have ever seen them there. Casting from downstream to them was out. A 12' 6x leader was spooking fish and you couldn't wade anywhere near them. I resorted to a small bugger and long cross-stream or down and across casts to pick up a few rainbows.










Yesterday we did what we considered doing before burning the afternoon on the Soho. We hit a small stream nearby and absolutely clocked the rainbows. It was 3wt madness, fishing nymph patterns to the deeper runs. My buddy and I alternated fishing each run, sort of hop-scotching up the creek. Basically, every run that looked juicy had at least one fish, usually multiples. The fish ranged from 6-14" with both of us catching a 14"er. 





































We really lucked out on the weather. Originally it was an 80% chance of rain on Saturday and about 70% Sunday, and I'd guess it sprinkled for a grand total of 25-30 minutes in 2 days.










Always stop at the shop if you're in the area. There's good folks working there that can be really helpful on fly selection or advice.


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

Sounds like a great trip !
Might be worth the drive just for the pizza  and the fly shop sign made me laugh out loud.








Nice pics n good luck and good fishing


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

That sign cracked me up, had to get a pic.


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## landin hawgs (Jan 27, 2008)

He should sell bait, but my guess is the fly purists will get their vests in a bunch!


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

landin hawgs said:


> He should sell bait, but my guess is the fly purists will get their vests in a bunch!


It's a fly shop. Do you go to AutoZone and expect to find bicycle parts?


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

Landin Hawgs, why would he sell bait when 2 flies will bring in the same revenue as a dozen crawlers. Most people go through half to a dozen flies each trip.
This is the fly fishing forum, no bait allowed. 
Rickerd


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

I bet 10 guys walk into that shop every W/E looking for nite-crawlers 
That sign is funny (to us) but it's probably there for a reason  
Good luck and good fishing !


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## Sonder (May 9, 2020)

TheCream said:


> It's a fly shop. Do you go to AutoZone and expect to find bicycle parts?


Lol doesn't everyone?


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

I stopped into a bait shop and they didn't have any fly tying materials. Dang those bait-chucking purists...


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

Be a good April fools joke to throw one of these up in front of the shop * especially if they change the other one.
Good luck and good fishing !*


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