Category: Tailwaters

Pleasant Weather makes for Great Fly Fishing in the Smokies and East Tennessee »

We’re having some incredible weather in East Tennessee right now and the fly fishing is superb! Water levels in the Smokies are great. You’ll do best fishing nymphs on the larger streams like Little River and Abrams Creek right now, but dry fly fishing is excellent on the medium to small streams. Wet wading is […]

Beautiful Time for Fly Fishing in East Tennessee »

We’ve been out on the water almost everyday and covering a lot of water. We’ve been on the Tennessee and North Carolina sides of the Smokies plus floating the Holston several times a week. The caddis are hatching big time on the Holston and dry fly fishing is in full effect throughout the Smokies.

Jim Gibson […]

Wherever You Go in East Tennessee Fly Fishing is Great! »

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 […]

Spring Fly Fishing Continues to Build in the Smoky Mountains and on Tennessee’s Tailwaters »

Fly fishing in the Smoky Mountains continues to build as spring progresses. Hatches are beginning earlier in the day, sometimes as early as 11:00 AM, and continuing a little later into the afternoon. Most of our experience in the national park has been on Little River but you can be sure the same trend […]

Tennessee Fly Fishing Season Off to a Big Start for Guides in the Smokies »

Spring fly fishing in the Smoky Mountains and Tennessee has been nothing short of phenomenal. Our guide season has really kicked into gear over the last week and we’ve been spending lots of time on the water. In fact, this post is probably several days late, but we’ll get you up to date.

Fly Fishing the […]

Spring Fly Fishing has Arrived in Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains »

Spring seems to have arrived in the rivers and streams of the Smoky Mountains and East Tennessee along with the great fly fishing that goes with it. We’re now officially in the month of March. We picked up our new Tennessee fishing license yesterday on the way to the water.

Flowers and trout stream insects usually […]

Spring Fly Fishing in the Smokies? Almost, but not quite… »

It was only 2 days ago that I was floating down the Holston River in my drift boat with Stan Smartt in the back seat and Tommy Vaughn in the front seat. It was sunny and 60 degrees. Tommy was wearing sandals and I was without a jacket, shirt sleeves rolled up, and pointing rising […]

It’s Official: We’ve got Spring Fever! »

Spring fever is catching here in the Smoky Mountains and across Tennessee. Fly fishers have begun to disregard the weather report and just go fishing! We’ve got it about as bad as anyone.
This is the time of year when we’re consumed with the mundane details of operating a guide service. We’ve been tending to details […]

Warm days provide great tailwater fly fishing »

We’ve had plenty of rain and some warm weather here in the mountains of East Tennessee. Local streams are just about where they need to be, perhaps even a little high, and more rain is on the way. For the first time in a long time our rainfall totals are caught up, even if it […]

New Regulations for Clinch River Trout and East Tennessee Smallmouth Bass »

There are some new regulations that have taken effect and should help provide better fishing in the future. These regulations apply to trout in the Clinch River tailwater below Norris Dam and smallmouth bass in several East Tennessee rivers.
Perhaps the most promising regulation is the new catch and release slot limit on the Clinch. The […]