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This month we’ve focused on Abrams Creek, the best wild trout stream to fish in the Smokies when the weather is brutally cold. Charity and I fished through the winter blast we experienced a few weeks back. The weather was freezing, but the scenery was spectacular and we always managed to pick up a few fish.

Advice from the Guides – Winter Fly Fishing on Abrams Creek from Ian Rutter on Vimeo.

This video is also available via YouTube.

Hang in there! Spring is coming soon!

It’s still winter but many of us are already planning our fishing in the months ahead. We get numerous emails and phone calls over the winter from people planning trips. Many of those folks are trying to hit a particular hatch, good flows on the tailwaters, or the best conditions for an extended backcountry fishing trip.

February There’s not usually a whole lot going on in during the heart of winter, but you can get out on the water more than you might think. Focus you attention on the tailwaters for the best action. It’s been a long winter with little to no tailwater fishing depending on the exact river, but TVA should begin to moderate generation by February. The South Holston and Watauga Rivers always have the most consistent schedules for fishing, but look for the Clinch, Holston, and Hiwassee to get good.

Fat rainbows can be caught on the Clinch and Holston in the late winter

The South Holston is the head of the heap for dry fly fishing with great Blue Wing Olive hatches. Also bring some midge patterns along with a few Sulphurs. The Clinch can have some superb midge fishing in the winter. Try some sowbug patterns if the midges aren’t hatching.

Most of the streams in the Smokies will fish slow. Abrams Creek in Cades Cove usually fishes better than most other streams because it has warmer water temperatures from numerous springs that feed it. Delayed Harvest streams like Paint Creek and Tellico River in Tennessee and the Nantahala and Tuckaseegee Rivers in North Carolina are also good bets in the winter.

Periodic mid-winter “thaws” can provide some very good fishing on all waters. Warm, sunny days will get midges hatching on the tailwaters and fish in the mountain streams will become more active as well. Some years spring weather can arrive by the last week of February.

March is really when spring fishing kicks off in the Smoky Mountain region. Fishing on the tailwaters can be good, but dry fly fishing on many of the creeks can be nothing short of phenomenal. Quill Gordons and Blue Quills are mayflies that hatch on the larger streams and bring trout to the surface.

Little River, Deep Creek, the Oconaluftee River, and Bradley Fork have some of the best dry fly fishing in the Smokies during March. These hatches can start as early as the first of the month or as late as the 15th. Bugs will start hatching between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM and may linger up until 3:00 PM or later.

One thing to be aware of in 2010 is that Cades Cove will be closed March through May while the road is re-paved. This means no fishing on Abrams Creek this spring.

Midge fishing is usually pretty good on the Holston and Clinch Rivers in March. There might be a few caddis on the Holston to whet your appetite for the coming months, but focus your efforts on fishing nymphs. Small Woolly Buggers can also be quite effective in the spring. Bring them across riffles with an erratic retrieve for the best results.

April is when things start to heat up all over. Fishing starts to pick up on all the tailwater rivers and the streams in the Smoky Mountains only get better. The Clinch, Holston, and Hiwassee Rivers are all usually on a “pulse” generation schedule. This is a minimum flow schedule when flows are generally low and generators will give occasional pulses of water to keep water flowing. Caddis usually hatch on the Hiwassee and Holston while Sulphurs start to hatch on the Clinch.

In the Smokies the trout will be rising very well and certainly eating nymphs when they’re not. Quill Gordons will begin to fade from the scene but they are replaced by Hendricksons and March Browns. The yellow mayflies start to hatch by the end of April. Light Cahills and Sulphurs hatch late in the afternoon into the evening.

Watch for Yellow Sallies to start hatching by mid-April but the real action with these bugs happens later in the month when they lay eggs on the water just before dark.

Yellow Sally stonefly

May is one of the best all round months for fly fishing in East Tennessee and western North Carolina. Fishing is excellent in the Smokies at all elevations. Hatches are well under way on the tailwaters and smallmouth bass are also active on the rivers.

Light colored mayflies and stoneflies come out in the evenings on Smoky Mountain trout streams. The caddis hatch on the Holston River can be downright ridiculous at times and the Sulphurs usually have trout rising on the Clinch. Dry fly fishing is certainly part of the experience no matter where you fish for trout, but don’t leave the nymph box at home.

Charity hooked this brown trout on a dry fly

Nymphs are often required on the tailwaters in the hours leading up to a hatch. They continue to work well during a hatch, but who can fish a nymph when trout are rising to the surface? May is usually our best month for dry fly fishing on the Holston River. Caddis hatches can get crazy at times!

May is also the best month for Sulphurs on the Clinch. Last year was the best Sulphur hatch we’ve seen in a long time and we’re hoping for a repeat in 2010!

Fly fishing in the winter is different than spring, summer, and fall. Nymphing skills are more important now than any other time of year. Here is our best advice for catching trout on nymphs in the winter.

1. Fish the middle of the Day – Fishing is rarely very good before 9:00 AM in December, January, and February. In fact, fish may not be moving around much until 11:00 AM or noon. Trout will move most after water temperatures have risen a few degrees. Aquatic insects also move around a little more when things warm up a bit and this gives the fish the best reason to clock into work. Fishing often slows down by 3:30 or 4:00 but can continue to be good right up until dark on unseasonably warm days.

2. Choose the Water you Fish Wisely – Any angler who is skilled at reading the water will always outfish another who isn’t as discriminating. This becomes even more important when fishing in the winter. Shallow riffles and long stretches of pocket water don’t give up trout as generously in the winter as other seasons. Skip swift water lies in favor of slower flows. Trout move to the swifter water when food is more plentiful, but lie in slower water when insects aren’t very active.

One of the best spots is the point where a shallow riffle transitions to deeper, slower water. Cast the fly into the riffle so it has time to sink and falls naturally into the deeper water.

Also keep an eye out for slow pockets in stretches of pocket water. Not all pockets will be productive, but some might give you the best opportunity of the day. Patches of dead water framed by swift water are prime.

Watch for stretches of water that receive plenty of sunlight. Direct sunlight provides a little extra warmth to get both bugs and fish moving. We often spend winter days chasing sunny spots and will occasionally find a few rising trout.

Fish during the warmest part of the day and try to find sunny spots where fish may be more active

3. Plan Your Fishing Around the Weather – Most anglers fish when they can and squeeze a day into a busy schedule when possible. Keep an eye on the extended forecast during the winter months and try to hit the water on a day that will optimize your chances for success. A string of cold nights with temperatures in the teens and daytime temperatures that struggle to rise into the mid 30′s are sure to provide slow fishing.

Water temperatures in freestone mountain streams will often plunge right down to the freezing mark. This is sure to produce a “lockjaw” pandemic among the trout population. Trout are only marginally active when the water gets below 40 degrees. We see the biggest activity swing between 40 and 42 degrees. Fishing is pretty good at 42 but noticeably slower at 40. Get down to 38 or 39 and fishing is extremely slow.

One of the best weather features to watch for in the winter is a period of rain when the overnight temperatures stay in the 40′s or barely dip into the 30′s. A rainy 45 degree day brings relatively warm water into a stream and can get fish and bugs moving. This can jump start a stream after a long cold snap and even keep a stream warm for the first day after temperatures have made a sudden dip.

Even waterfalls start to ice up when the water is 32 degrees. Fishing is guaranteed to be slow when the water is this cold.

4. Use Split Shot – No other piece of equipment is as maligned by fly fishers as split shot. This is in spite of the fact that we find it more useful than almost anything else in the winter. A $5 – $10 investment in split shot will go much further toward catching trout in cold weather than a much pricier investment in rods or reels.

We typically use shot in sizes 4, 6, or 8 depending on the depth and velocity of the water. Pinch it on your tippet 6″ – 8″ above the fly or in between two nymphs tied as a dropper. This will ensure that your flies sink to depth quickly. A fly that sinks quickly is a fly that is in the strike zone sooner and stays there longer.

5. Use the Best Strike Indicator For the Job – Expect subtle takes from the fish. This requires a strike indicator that can support the weight of heavy nymphs. If you use a strike indicator that sinks under the surface on every other drift you’re very likely to miss a soft strike when a trout does eat. You might even realize it was a fish, only too late to get a good hook set.

Yarn can be a good choice but be sure it’s a big piece. Foam footballs and other other indicators made from high floating materials are the best choice. Sticky pinch-on indicators don’t allow for depth adjustment and are sometimes too small to float a heavy rig.

6. Try Fishing Without a Strike Indicator – Many fly fishers are surprised to hear us say that no strike indicator might be the best way to go. This isn’t a technique we recommend for inexperienced anglers, but those who are already skilled at high stick nymphing with a strike indicator may be surprised at how effective this can be. Strike indicators place a limit on just how deep your nymphs can go and might place a limit on just how effective you can be.

Start out by trying this technique in slow pockets with short casts. Be sure your rod tip is downstream of your nymphs. Use only the minimum amount of line necessary. There should be no extra line on the water. Move your rod tip downstream at the same speed your nymphs drift in the current.

Most fly fishers are shocked at how obvious the strike is. Your leader and the short amount of fly line you are using will twitch or even jump upstream. Another benefit is that you can actually feel your nymph bouncing along the bottom. Just a little practice with this technique will make any fly fisher more effective with nymphs.

7. Use Heavy Tippet – Some fly fishers are extremely conscientious about using the lightest tippet possible so fish won’t see it. This is fine when fishing tiny midge patterns to cautious tailwater sippers in slow water. Light tippet has no benefit in cold mountain streams. Most fish eat size #8 – #14 flies better than those in the range of #18 and smaller. This is probably because the fish are opportunistic and they see the larger patterns better.

Heavier tippet casts heavy nymph rigs better than light tippet. A leader with two nymphs, a split shot, and a strike indicator is naturally clumsy to cast and stiffer tippet helps it turn over better. We generally use 3X on flies down to #8 – #12, 4X on sizes #12 – 14, and 5X on sizes #14 – 16.

8. Use a Dropper Rig – If the fishing will be slow you should do everything to maximize your chances for a hook up. One of the best ways we know is to fish two flies.

There are two big advantages associated with fishing a couple of flies. The first is that you can fish two different flies to a single fish with one drift. Sometimes fish will have a definite preference for one fly over another.

The second advantage is that you can fish two flies at different depths on the same drift. We like to fish a #8 – #10 stonefly pattern on bottom and a smaller beadhead on top. This allows you to present a fly deep for the fish glued to the bottom and another fly higher in the water column for those fish watching for emerging mayflies or caddis.

9. Try Fishing a Streamer Like a Nymph – This is something that doesn’t require a new skill set for fly fishers but is rarely done. You can simply fish a Woolly Bugger or Muddler Minnow under a strike indicator or add a new dimension to your tight line nymphing without an indicator.

We’re strong advocates of putting action on streamers, but they will do better in the coldest conditions with little to no action. After the dead drift you can allow the line to come tight and fish the swing.

Those who opt to use the tight line nymphing method should consider giving the streamer a slight twitch with the rod tip when they feel it tap bottom. Most strikes come when the streamer shows a small sign of life.

10. Stocked Trout are Far More Active in the Cold than Wild Trout – We’re sure there’s a biological reason for this, but stocked trout will continue to feed in the coldest water when wild trout have completely shut down. Our best theory is that stockers don’t have as much survival savvy. They continue to forage for food even when wild fish seem to know it’s a waste of energy when there are no insects moving about.

We’re strong advocates of fishing for wild fish, but if you can only get out during the coldest weather you’re going to have better opportunities to hook some fish on a stocked stream.

What’s size leader and tippet should I use?

This varies depending on which rivers and streams you’re fishing. For most water in the Smokies we use a 7 1/2′ leader tapered to 5X. This is probably the best overall leader for the Smokies. We’ll sometimes use longer 9′ leaders on larger streams like Little River. Ultra short leaders of 6′ and sometimes smaller are best for the tightest, brush choked brook trout streams.

We don’t use anything shorter than 9′ long when fishing nymphs or dry flies on the tailwaters. 6X is pretty standard on the tailwaters, but most anglers are surprised to see that 5X will work most of the time.

Any time we’re fishing with streamers we use a short and stout leader. We consider 3X to be light tippet and only use it on patterns smaller than #8. If we’re using a floating fly line we generally fish a 7 1/2′ leader that’s tapered to 1X or 2X. When we fish big streamers with a sink tip fly line we’re more likely to use a 4′-6′ leader. Those are usually hand tied with two segments: a butt of 20 lb mono tied to a 12 lb piece of mono.

When should I consider using a streamer?

Very few of the anglers we take fishing use streamers very often. Most are unfamiliar with the techniques and tend to steer clear of the method.

Streamers are most effective on the mountain streams when water conditions are high and/or stained. Not only is this the best time to fish with streamers in the creeks, it is sometimes the best way to fish under those conditions.

Spring and early summer are among the most critical times to consider using a streamer. Spring rains and summer thunderstorms create high are dirty water conditions. Most anglers reel up and leave when this happens, but we’ll often toss the tackle bag in the car and head for the stream. This is the best time to have a chance to catch a big brown trout in the Smokies.

While bigger pools and long runs are prime targets for large brown trout, don’t ignore the same pocket water that you typically fish with dry flies or nymphs. Brown trout and rainbows will both take streamers in these spots.

Keep your streamers relatively small to catch more trout, but fish large flies to attract bigger fish. A #10 Black Woolly Bugger is the most basic pattern that attracts the most fish. Bulkier patterns like Zuddlers and Double Bunnies attract few strikes, but the fish that do tackle these large flies are generally pretty big.

I’m not catching any trout in a pool. Should I change flies or move to a new spot?

This depends on the situation. If there is nothing going on and you’ve fished the pool thoroughly then we suggest you move on. Unfortunately the situation is rarely this clear cut.

Most anglers asking this question are wondering about fish they can see but can’t catch. If the fish are actively feeding you should keep changing flies until something works. Sometimes the same fly won’t catch all the fish in a pool. Some trout may eat a bushy fly pattern while others are only fooled by sparsely dressed imitations. We usually keep several imitations on hand for a hatch.

In the spring we use parachutes, Haystacks, and standard Catskill style dry flies for a variety of patterns to imitate the same insects. This way when a fish refuses one fly we still have other patterns to fall back on. If a really nice fish rises to a fly but doesn’t eat it, we never cast that fly right back to him. The fish made peace with the idea that the fly would drift away and never come back; just like anything else in the stream. If you cast the same fly back multiple times you stand a good chance of arousing the trout’s suspicion. Change the fly immediately to something similar yet different. The chances are very good that the fish will eat the new fly.

It’s not uncommon to fish over actively feeding trout and get a few dragging drifts. The more bad drifts you put over a fish, the less likely he is to eat that particular fly. The fish has seen the fly acting unnaturally multiple times so he is less likely to believe it’s real once it does drift properly.

Trout rarely resume feeding after you nicked them with a missed strike. However, if a hatch is particularly strong a fish may start to rise again, but expect the fish to be more discriminating in the future.

The more you fish a pool the more difficult the fish will become. There ia a point that even though fish are rising, you may do better to move to a new location with fish you haven’t already educated.

During the spring hatches we prefer to fish the large streams like Little River where we find rising fish. On weekends we go to streams that aren’t as well known for more privacy.  As the heat of summer arrives we move to the higher elevations where trout remain active. Some of these streams are strenuous to wade, but the fishing is usually great.

TVA generation schedules influence our float trip choices more than anything else. Spring is an easy season to find good water to float for trout. By late May the fishing is great but we have to pay close attention. The Holston River may have levels too high to fish at times. The Clinch can get too low to float some days and can be too high for good fishing at other times. Fortunately we have a number of floats and several rivers to choose from.

Question: How have the recent drought and even more recent flooding affected trout populations?

This is a question that seems to be on everyone’s mind. We’ve chatted about this several times in the past few years with Steve Moore and Matt Kulp, fisheries biologist in the national park. The worst effects from the drought took place in 2007 and were mostly confined to streams under 2000′ in elevation. Rainbow trout populations took a big hit, but brown trout populations remained stable. Abrams Creek is a noteworthy stream under 2000′ that did quite well. Cades Cove is 1900′ elevation and the stream originates there and flows to Chilhowee Lake at 900′. Most of the water in Abrams Creek flows from springs in Cades Cove so the water is much colder than other streams this low. Sample sites didn’t show much effect on trout populations here.

There didn’t seem to be any effect on rainbow or brown trout populations at or above 2500′ elevation. Brook trout populations remained steady as well, but some streams even saw population increases. Both brook trout and brown trout populations make up a larger percent of trout in streams where rainbows occur. 2008 was the first year when brown trout outnumbered rainbows in Little River downstream of Elkmont. The weather pattern seems to have shifted and things are getting back to normal so it will be interesting to see if rainbows regain dominance of the stream or brown trout remain the primary fish.

Floods are short term compared to droughts. Their effect on trout populations depends on when the flood occurred. Eggs in gravel and sac fry are the most vulnerable to floods since they get washed away. Juvenile and adult fish handle the high water quite well. We may have lost our up and coming browns after recent floods, but we probably won’t notice. Browns are more common now than they have ever been.

Regardless of flood or drought, trout seem to always fare better than most people think they will. Even when populations take a big hit like they did after the massive floods of 1994, they rebound nicely. There was a 50% reduction in fish populations, but the average size fish went up in subsequent seasons and catch rates changed little. Fewer fish in the streams meant that there was more food for the survivors.

Question: What’s the biggest mistake you see fly fishers make?

We help anglers with all kinds of issues, but two things stand out. The first is that many approach the water a little too quickly. We advise fly fishers to approach the water slowly and keep their eyes open. We commonly spot a fish before we get in the water and re-configure to cast to the fish. A slow approach also gives you a chance to see if any bugs are on the water or fish rising.

A quick approach can spook fish. Sometimes we’ll see anglers wade half way across a stream without ever breaking stride from their car. Without a doubt, trout ran for cover before the fisherman made a cast.

The second mistake we see is how far anglers cast. Most try to cast way too far. Our rule is to cast from as far away as possible as long as you can get a good drift. The part about a good drift can reduce the effective range to ten feet away. Charity has a simple concept she calls the “Two Foot Rule”. Make your first cast into the tail of a run. Gradually cast two feet further. Continue to either make a short step or add a short amount of  line to fish your way up the run two feet at a time.

This is a new feature where we answer your questions. We answer fishing questions every day and realized we could help more people by putting those questions and answers in a place where people could see them.

Have a question for us? Shoot us an email. We’ll answer your question via email and may use them later on our blog and newsletter.

How do you decide what fly to tie on when you get to the river?

That’s a great question! Local knowledge is a huge advantage, but there are several fly patterns that are a good place to start.  If you’re on a small to medium size trout stream during the spring, summer or fall a #14 Parachute Adams or #16 Elk Hair Caddis is a good way to start. Same thing with a #14-16 Beadhead Pheasant Tail, Hare’s Ear, or Prince Nymph. All of these flies have worked on every creek we’ve ever fished in the East or West.

Big tailwaters like we have here in East Tennessee call for a little different strategy. Unless we see bugs on the surface that are getting eaten by rising trout we tend to tie on a nymph. A #16 Beadhead Pheasant Tail is universal. Midges are important food sources for tailwater trout so we always have plenty on hand. We’re partial to our Skull & Bones, but virtually any midge pupa or larva pattern #18-22 will do the job. A Zebra Midge is perfect.

Droppers are a great way to experiment on new water. Either use a dry and dropper or fish two different types of nymph. Eventually you’ll notice more about which bugs are hatching and what flies the fish seem to have a preference for. Refusals are imporant too! If a fish inspects a dry fly but doesn’t eat it that means you’re close. See if a fly one size smaller will convince them or maybe your size is right but the color is wrong. It’s extremely gratifying when you work these things out and catch fish.

 Could you please suggest a method of attaching a yarn strike indicator to the leader, preferably one that can be removed without crimping the leader?

We use a slip knot to attach yarn as a strike indicator. Unfortunately we’re not aware of a way to get yarn on a leader without crimping it.

There are other styles of indicator that can do that. They’re usually foam pills or balls that use rubber tubing or pegs to place the indicator. I think they work great in rough water, but don’t like the “plop” on quieter water. Yarn certainly lights on the water much quieter.

One thing we’ll do is use 7 1/2′ leaders tapered to 3X. We’ll tie on 18-24″ of 5X and tie the yarn on further up in the heavier leader. Since we’re tying tippet on further down the yarn is on relatively heavy mono compared to if you were fishing a 9′ 5X leader. The yarn turns over better this way. I will say that from a boat we use separate rods to nymph and fish dries. Just easier and quicker to change than constantly re-tying. I’m not really concerned with a kink in the leader on mountain streams. The water is usually broken and the fish don’t seem to care.

What size fly rod do I need?

For the Smokies we like to say that a 8′ 4 weight is the best all round fly rod. However, we like 8’6″ – 9′ rods for larger streams like Little River, Abrams Creek, Oconaluftee River, Hazel Creek, and the prongs of the Little Pigeon. A longer rod is useful for high sticking to get good drifts.

Many believe that short rods will prevent them from getting hung up in streamside brush, but that’s not really the case. The best way to keep your fly out of the trees is to cast less line and use side arm and roll casts.

On the tailwaters we use a 9′ 5 weight more than anything, but 4 weights are often appropriate since most of the flies we fish are #16 or smaller. We like to use a stiff 9′ 6 weight with a quick sinking fly line to fish streamers from the drift boat.