New Year is off with a Bang….A Wet Bang That Is….

Wed….Jan. 25, 2012……Looks like some wet weather coming as I talked about earlier today.  We have been working through a computer hard drive crash….like a brand new laptop hard drive crash…..like having our legs cut off.  Great fun!   I have been playing catch up to get our first Newsletter of the New Year out…and it looks like I will just get it out before the deadline of Jan 31 I had imposed upon myself.  But at any rate, its got a ton of info in it, perhaps more than I have ever put out in a newsletter.  You can check it out  here .

Have a couple of specials, one is a Y2K Fly Assortment….and I am offering this  Y2K specials again per customer request.  By far one of our best big fish flies….plus a great top fly in a double nymph rig setup.  Also one of the best high water patterns you can use.  You get 12 of these great bugs in size 12, four each of three of our top colors:  Watermelon/pink, Watermelon/Chartreuse, Golden/McCheese.  Total for these is $19.40 which is flies plus sales tax and I will ship for FREE.  If you purchased these anywhere they’d be $25 by the time you add tax, that is if you can find them.  They are great flies, pictured below…  Click Here to Purchase

I also get a ton of requests for the yarn I use to tie eggs and Y2K patterns.  To me, there’s only one yarn for that, and I have used it for years.  It is McFlyfoam.  Here’s a mini assortment of colors, enough to tie about three dozen flies, maybe more that varies from tyer to tyer.  This assortment has these colors, the ones we use most often here…..Watermelon/Cerise, Chartreuse, Illiam pink, Golden, McCheese, and Early Girl.  This stuff used to be hard to find….not anymore.  With each order I’ll include the downloadable/printable recipe sheets for a Y2K pattern at no extra charge.   Total is $4.95 plus tax ($5.33) and I will ship for FREE …even with multiple packs.              Click Here To Purchase

Here’s A Bit About the Full Fishing Scoop Area Wide…

Wild Waters/DH Waters
Like the past month, DH waters have been fishing great while wild waters have been fishing pretty good too, if at all, warmer winter temps have produced viable fishing opportunities on wild waters from late morning/midday to late afternoon when the water temps rise a little.   No need to get out early, sleep in and start fishing at 10:00am and beyond if you are fishing a wild stream at higher elevations.  DH waters, on the other hand, have fished well all day long.  If cold weather ever sets in for a while we will find fishing from 10/11am on to be the best time on DH waters too.   Try the usual suspects, small bead heads (copper johns, pheasant tail bead heads, hares ears, old standbys),little winter black stones  stonefly nymphs, small wooly buggers (dead drifted), small egg patterns, and two fly rigs with a midge dropper.  Fish slow, concentrate on the deep holes, forget the riffles.  As cold as its been your fishing is to be found where its deep and slow.  Also a good time to drift Y2K’s, nuclear eggs, Mc Eggs and standard egg patterns.

VA/TN Tailwaters
In VA, the Smith River has been fishing fair and very few other anglers, that is when you can get on the river, and there’s some fishing to be  had between generations during this week,with through the week schedule, that is through the 27th, they are generating from 5am-11am and 4pm til 11pm. No generation planned for Sat and Sunday.  In town in the stocked water Egg patterns, bead heads, Y2K’s in pink and orange shades, and Elk Wing Caddis #18 on top with a small bead head dropper (small copper john in red or chartreuse or black, or #20 Zebra Midge) should work well on the stocker rainbows and browns.  In the special regs area, try small bead heads w/a small dropper of some sort, early on,  Quasimodo PT’s size 18,20, Micro Mayfly Olive 18/20/22.  You will see smaller BWOs’ in size 24/26 (Pseudocloeon), midges, and maybe a few #18 winter black stoneflies, and if you encounter rising fish its quite likely that is these are what they are eating.  Remember to always double check as the schedule can change at any time and the Corps of Engineers, assumes no responsibility……276-629-2432.

SOUTH HOLSTON
On the South Holston, the TVA has been doing a constantly changing schedule, and it has affected the fishing a whole lot…and the past week the TVA has been releasing a ton of water…..with no reasonable end in sight.
The fishing had been fabulous when you can get on the water.  Some Sulphurs were still coming off up high if you can believe it.  In addition to the sulphurs, blackflies, midges, and Baetis (blue wings)20/22 and 24 also, that is a #20,22,24 Baetis (tan/olive body and dun wing).  Small nymphs and assorted midge pupa patterns are working well either fished like a nymph or dropped off a dry fly.

WATAUGA
On the Watauga the release has been almost all day too as on the S Holston, except for the morning to around noon time.  In other words you can get in some morning fishing here, as they are only releasing minimal amounts early.  There have been times when the Doe has been swollen and off color and coloring the river below Elizabethton.  Some afternoon BWOs have been showing up on the Wag’ as well as a few little winter stones.  Nymphing is the best way to fish the Wag right now, a good assortment of Princes, Rainbow Warriors, small CJ’s and Zebras will serve you well.

JACKSON RIVER (VA) – - –Releasing 800 cfs and water temperature  around 42F, pretty good but the river is unwadeable at this flow. If the flows are cut back, look for this month on the Jackson a few little winter black stoneflies, small Black Caddis #20, small BWO’s #20 and #24, Blackflies #24, plus some midges round out what’s on top.  Caddis will come in full force later.  Also, a box of small bead heads will serve you well, and  I’d have a #18 or #20 bead head Quasimodo in the box as well as some small copper Johns, and some Black Conehead Wooly Buggers.   The river can offer good streamer fishing, at times, particularly for browns…..and certainly if floating the river.

Looks like spring is knocking at our door.  I love winter fishing and snow, and am a bit bummed that we haven’t had more of it….but spring coming means catching more on top.  If that’s the case, an early spring is fine by me.

Have a great evening…!

Jeff

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