Winter Blue Ridge Trout Fishing Report January 13th, 2008
26 degrees, cloudy, snow flurries – A great day to go fishing!! Honest – just think about it a minute. Our local streams now have good water levels, average water temps from 37 degrees to 42 degrees. A recent artic blast drove temperatures to the low single digits for several days, essentially putting a halt to all fishing (rumor has it that our guide Matt was dredging a streamer under the ice on Elk River these coldest of days). Now, however, the temperature has moderated and fishing our local Delayed Harvest & wild streams has been excellent. #10 & #12 streamers & flash buggers are doing well – be sure to get your nymphs right on the bottom. A rig using a bugger with a #16 beadhead zugbug dropped about 6-8 inches off the bend of the bugger hook works well. Our local weatherman has predicted a mild winter and we are still booking guided trips through February into March. One tidbit to remember: on calm, sunny days (even in freezing weather) you will often find our trout easing to the surface and sipping small midges – a #18-#20 griffiths gnat or #16 soft-hackled fly works well. Our local insect population seems to have flown south. We see a few afternoon midges and blue winged olives in the air. Of course, if you lift up a rock in the streams you will see a great number of nymphs(especially stoneflys) and caddis larvae.
A world away (weatherwise and hatchwise) are our fabulous tailwater fisheries – the Watauga and South Holston Rivers. Recent float trips on the Trophy section of the Watauga River have been very productive. Bluewing olives and midges with a scattering of cranefly adults are most commonly seen. Large nymphs and streamers are producing nice sized trout. Matt, one of our guides, has been floating this section of the river quite often recently. Call us (Foscoe Fishing Co.) at 828-963-6556 for Matt’s up-to-date report. The famous South Holston is once again acting like the fabulous and notorious fishery it is well known for. There have been few chances to float the river because the TVA hasn’t been releasing water that would allow for a float trip. But, WOW, the fishing has been very good. Various soft-hackled patterns, bluewing olive adults and emergers, and midge patterns are working well. Here is an example of a recent, typical South Holston week: Sunday through Wednesday provide good catches of nice sized browns (14 – 18 inches) both on the surface and just above the bottom. Thursday and Friday have the fish sipping on the surface throughout the day and very few insects are seen. The fish are showing no interest whatsoever in the old standby flies you have in your box. You finally remember that you are fishing the South Holston – “midges, midges, midges” – “small, small, small”. You finally are able to catch these rising fish on a very small (#28, #30, #32)(honest!) midge emerger pattern. Ed Engle has an excellent book on this type of fishing.On Saturday there are almost as many fishermen on the water as there are rising fish but a few fish are caught on bluewing olive patterns. Black flies are seen on the river this time of year. Black fly pupae are seen in abundance on rock bottoms below Emmett Bridge. Look for increasing numbers of bluewing olives on the water. Remember, the worst weather days can bring the best hatches.
All of us wish you and your family a Happy New Year. The Guys and Gals of Foscoe Fishing Co. 828-963-6556
