26 Dec 2010
Twas the day after Christmas and the sun was out, generators stop at 11:oo going fishing no doubt. That is about all the rhyming I am able to do at this time, however, it was a great day to go the the South Holston River. Woke up this morning and made a cup of coffee. Looked at the weather the night before and new it was going to be a good day. Got to checking on the family, had one that was dealing with some pain yesterday and wanted to make sure everything was in order. Did a few things around the house then began my adventure.
I headed down stairs and tied a couple of flies. I am trying some patterns from materials I have, hoping that I get one right soon. We have a fantastic fishing report from Randy Ratliff of Troutfishers Guide Service for the SOHO, however, I seem to be short on some of the materials so I adapt as best I can. Whipped out a couple of flies, the first one turned out as I had anticipated and the second, well, hopefully the cement will hold the thread from unwrapping.
Well I go up, move the car, get in truck, grab my gear, including my Christmas flies from the daughter and take-off. I get to the river and realize, I wasted time tying flies because I left both of my flies sitting on my fly tying bench (portable). I hand out a couple of cards and start down stream. The crowd was there, but there was a nice little spot to go. I wade across to the other side and begin to fish. I am using a prince with a midge dropper, and with this set-up I get a couple of hits. I notice then that a sulfur hatch is coming off. I switch flies, not having any sulfurs I go to a yellow fly that is in my new little fly box. I don’t know what it is, but I hope the trout recognize it. After a few cast, I catch the above trout, I had forgotten my net (which adds to the forgetting of the flies) and have to attempt to get a photo, while holding, and then remove the hook without getting the phone wet.
Snap the shot, fish a bit longer, but this fly is no longer effective. I switch to an old what used to be a sulfur but is now an over used, not a very good looking sulfurish type fly. Use it a while, and one nails it, I set the hook, fight for about 3 seconds, gone. I fish a few more cast, then decide to look at why I could not see the fly floating and realize that it had came untied.
Well, with the leaky waders my feet are pretty chilly. I have missed a few fish, felt three on the line and got a photo of one caught. All and all it was a great day fishing and beautiful weather. The fish were rising, the water was cool, and pictures were taken. Hopefully this will not end the new year by being the final December entry, but if so, talk to you in January. Happy new year and may God bless you.
18 Dec 2011
December has not been my most impressive month, however, you can tell by the journal entries as to the reason the website was started. This year’s journal has seen more fish than I typically catch. This month of December is producing the number of fish that I usually catch. I am not bragging, but today I was skunked. I had attempted to tie up a midge, so I set out with it first. I go to the grates at the South Holston River (SOHO) and begin with my version of the midge. I do get about 3 hits, but they did not produce any trout. I aboser one fly fisherman pull in a couple of trout a little past the bridge, I covet ever so slightly.
There were a few young folks, teenagers doing a little fishing. I saw one of them hook what appeared to be a very nice trout. He fought for quite some time, but as the fish got close, the line snapped, I was going to try to get a photo of that one, it looked like a big one. Well I decide to go down stream. As I find me a spot, I go with the thought, fishing is always better on the other side. I wade to the other side of the river, there is a fly fisherman upstream about 100+ yards. I look upstream about 6-7 times and 3 of those times he was pulling in a pretty nice fish. I think apparently I cannot tie a fly very well and I am going to have to do a little more work in regards to my attention to detail.
I fish for a total of about 2 hours, ended up with about 3 bites, did not get the smell of fish on my hands, but had a really good time. Going out to the river is peaceful, relaxing and all and all just a really nice trip. I get to meet other fishermen, watch others catch fish, and enjoy the wonderful outdoors that the Lord has made for us. I will try to do a little better next time in order to show some pics. But there again, I tend to do a lot of fishing and a little catching. I guess that is why they call it fishing. Have a great Christmas and may God bless you all. Remember this time of year is about the birth of the Savior.
09 Dec 2011
I had worked a little over the past week, trying to get it all done prior to Christmas, which got me off work early Friday. The generating schedule is checked, they don’t stop till 1:00 so I get home a do a few chores. After a few little things were accomplished, I sit down to tie a few flies. Now I had been doing some research and found a few flies that should work, but I thought, why make this thing easy, so I tie one hare’s ear and another fly. No name for it, but it has a few similarities to some others I had seen on line, but just used what I had. Anyway, take a gander at them and maybe you will get a laugh, still haven’t gotten the photography down yet:
Again, sorry about the blur, but after whipping these two out, taking care of a few other things, tying both of the flies on my line, off to the river I go. I go to the Dam thinking the water may still be up down river, and there is a nice crowd. I find a spot on the grates, waders still leak and the temperature is chilly, and begin the adventure. After about 15 minutes, I get a big hit, I go to set the hook, but missed the rascal. I do more fishing then some folks are leaving or changing positions. I hand out a few business cards and start talking.
Let me tell you that I have met some very fine folks handing out cards for this website. I am getting some good insight on the fishing. Some recommended flies, black flies are good at the grate. As I get to enjoy the conversation, as they leave I continue the fishing. My intentions were that I keep about three today, daughter wants some more smoked trout. I end up using a great many of my flies. As I am looking at my choices and remembering what the gentlemen have told me, I realize that my arsenal is not quite the right weapons. I begin to think that I have taken a knife to a gunfight, but I continue fishing.
I watch as a spin fisherman brings one in to the grates, then I see a fly fisherman pull one in past the bridge. I start getting a little chilly, thinking I am hungry, realizing that I have missed the one blind fish that bit my fly and think, maybe it is time to go home. I get to spend a couple of hours on the river, meet some very nice fishermen, and enjoy the tranquility that is fly fishing the SOHO, it has been a great day. Perhaps next time, we will be able to produce some fish, if not, it is still a great time on the river.
03 Dec 2011
Saturday morning and leaf burning is on the agenda. Figured to start that in the evening, so I have some time. I begin to tie up a stripper midge, or at least my version of it with the limited quantities of materials that I have. This fly appeared to fail, but in all fairness, I didn’t even give it a try. I get online, check out the generating schedule, stops at noon. So I put a few fishing reports on the site, call a fishing buddy, gather stuff along with old magazines and head to recycle. Drop off magazines, pick up fishing buddy and we are off to the Dam, arriving about 12:30.
We get there and I hand out some business cards and fish at the grate for a while. I throw a great many flies then tell my buddy, well the definition of insanity is repeating the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Down the river that I go, and let me tell you the nice December weather has a lot of people out. There are fisherman about every 100 yards, then I find a spot.
I am beginning with a pheasant tail then a while into it I see a believe it or not a sulfur hatch coming off. I quickly switch, see a nice break, cast my fly and it is hammered as soon as it hits the water, I lift the rod and the hook is set. I get real excited and this trout is nice. I have a great deal of confidence in my 4 lbs test line and try to allow the rod to take most of the pull, then all the sudden slack. Confidence was unfounded at least without me allowing the fish to take some line. The trout broke the line, but not my spirit. I go to get another sulfur, but all the ones I have on me now are too bright.
I switch to a modified hare’s ear and fish it. Boom this one had no chance of defeating my line as you can see from the photo. I fish a bit longer, get two hits with the green weenie, which I tend to use every trip for no apparent reason. After speaking with other fishermen, egg patterns seem to be the choice for the trout, fortunately I did not have any. Many trout were being caught that day, however, I left a great many for you to go enjoy. I look forward to going back, good day and God bless.
