I was able to make it out this afternoon for a little while. I was scouting out the 800 cfs sluice on the South Holston River. After a brief survey of the river looking for bugs and easy wading I headed back to a spot that’s been productive for us lately. I wadered up and strung up the 9ft 5wt Winston Biix. I was fishing 3 tungsten nymphs underneath the indicator. With the sunny day that we had, I could only assume that the big blue wing hatch happened much earlier in the day. Found a good place to enter the water. On my 3rd cast I locked into a 15 inch brown that was peeling drag and charged up with all the vigor a trout gets from super-cold-oxygen-rich water. He took to the air 3 times before coming unbuttoned. In the next few mintues I landed a couple of wild rainbows and browns that were smaller as well as a bruiser of a South Holston Brown Trout. The nicer brown you’ll see on the video I landed as a double without the net (PSA: Don’t come to the South Holston without a net. Even if just for a quick trip.) I had a wild brown on my top nymph and a nicer brown on down below. He took me for quite a ride with the extra current on his side. “March has come in like a Lion and looks like it’s going out with HOGS”
Just a few notes for those thinking about coming up to wade fish this weekend with the extra flow.
- Bring a Net
- Wading staff is a must have
- Wading Belt Required
- Studded boots are very helpful
- Lastly, map your course through the water carefully, so that you can return to the bank the very same way that you came.
Book your trip for Spring 2010 now. It’s almost here!
Guide- Josh McFadden
423.367.8618
guide@hatchhunters.com
