# Solid Tennessee weekend



## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

My fishing buddies were taking a long weekend in eastern TN this past weekend. I was unable to leave early Friday with work and family obligations, so I got up at 4AM Saturday and drove down to meet them. We fished the Watauga about all day Saturday and the South Holston on Sunday for a half day before driving back home. God I love that place. In the faster/rougher water, a tandem nymph rig (usually a Frenchie and an Ice Hare's Ear) produced well. On the softer flat water, where I found a lot of rising fish, a small size 18 BWO Klinkhamer with a short dropper to a size 20 midge was straight up lethal. I am fascinated by catching fish on small flies like those midges. The funny thing was, I'm pretty sure at both places they were rising to BWO's that were coming off, but couldn't resist the midge. I did pick up a few on the dry, but it was about 90% on the dropper midge. I didn't catch anything too big, but simply ridiculous numbers.


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## zimmerj (Oct 17, 2014)

Nice looking fish. Good job.


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## trekker (Feb 18, 2013)

Did you target stripers at all?


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

trekker said:


> Did you target stripers at all?


No, just trout.


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## flyman01 (Jan 23, 2013)

Excellent report! Great fishing, awesome scenery, crystal clear water, Dr. Enuf & pizza......what is not to love about East Tn?


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## flyman01 (Jan 23, 2013)

TheCream, I too had a solid outing in Tennessee. This past weekend, my wife wanted to head down South to the cabin and relax for several days. What she is saying that she would like to enjoy the surroundings/quietness and work on her quilts; for me that says I am hitting the river!
Saturday the water was 39 degrees and a shad kill had just taken place several days before, the fish while a little sluggish because of the water temps were still feeding on shad related patterns, in my case a white woolly bugger with lots of flash tied into it. I was surprised but there was actually a considerable amount of pressure on the river in-spite of the colder temps which was a high of 37 degrees; I was still able to catch a good number of fish throughout the day and had one slam (brown, rainbow and a brook).
Returned Sunday morning with light rain and only saw two others on the river which was nice but kind of eerie to be honest. The rain cleared out to overcast skies and a high temperature of 48 degrees. There was one stretch of the river that is very flat with lots of aquatic grass, I could see fish rising to some BWO's and sipping midge off the surface. I changed my game plan and went to a size 20 CDC winged Olive emerger and casted to rings and rising fish. Turned out to be a good plan as I landed many browns, some brookies and a few rainbows. I love being able to fish dry patterns in the winter!
Aside from fishing, I saw a beaver swimming up stream, a flock of turkeys fly over the river, an osprey, a bald eagle and some heron. Was a great day/weekend on the river not to mention an awesome dinner of smoked chicken with some good beer followed by an evening of watching the superbowl.


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## gahannafly (Aug 11, 2012)

Those are crazy nice fish-if I either of you want to fish Saturday 17th through Sunday I'll pay for the gas! Family is out of town.


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## flyman01 (Jan 23, 2013)

Would love too however, going to be in California that weekend. PM me, we can set up another time to head down there, fishing and scenery is crazy good.


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

I could see myself retiring to that area. Screw Florida.


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## flyman01 (Jan 23, 2013)

TheCream said:


> I could see myself retiring to that area. Screw Florida.


Twenty years ago was the first time I fished a TN tailwater, the Hiwassee river and I said the EXACT same thing!! Thriteen years after my first trip, I was able to convince the wife to go along with me for a weekend jaunt down there and that was all it took. We returned to Ohio and she was on the internet looking for property and 2 years later, we bought our retirement cabin. Now, I just have to figure out how to retire........


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## flyman01 (Jan 23, 2013)

very sad news.......http://www.southerntrout.com/blog/2...ling-disease-found-in-watauga-soho-tailwaters


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