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 [...]

It’s been a couple of days of cold, gray, and wet days on the rivers and streams. The fishing has been decent, but more sporadic through the day than consistent.
Fishing in the Smokies has been best in the afternoons and water levels are workable. Nymphs are the way to go in the mornings, but hatches [...]

It’s only a short time before our spring guide season gets under way so we’re trying to get as much fishing in for ourselves as we can. While driving to a show about a month ago one of us said that we’re both on the river hundreds of days each year, but relatively few are [...]

A New Book From Ian & Charity Rutter

Fishing with streamers is not only the best way to hook a big trout on a fly rod, it’s the most exciting way. Ian & Charity Rutter eliminate any confusion by presenting clear instruction in this book. Fly fishing artist Paul Puckett contributes beautiful drawn diagrams to illustrate [...]

We’re finally home and while I always get a bit misty when I leave Yellowstone country, it’s very nice to have the beautiful Smoky Mountains and colorful trout to return home to. Every year is different on the Madison. September is a time of dynamic weather in Montana when you can get a sunburn one [...]

Fly fishing on the rivers of East Tennessee and the streams of the Smoky Mountains has been excellent this spring. Our fisheries seem to have only suffered minimal impacts from last year’s drought and water levels are excellent this year. Tailwater fishing was as good as we’ve seen it this spring. We’ve already moved into [...]

Spring is truly here in East Tennessee and fly fishing has been great this week. The dogwoods are starting to bloom, hatches are taking place on the rivers, trout are rising, and even the smallmouth bass are beginning to take flies.
We started the week in the Smokies. Greg and Frank Norris walked into the back [...]

A box of appropriate flies to entice the big one.
Fishing with streamers is perhaps the best way to connect with an oversize fish. However, this is one of the least utilized means of fly fishing. Even when anglers do use streamers they often go about it wrong. This article will explore the best ways to [...]