On Saturday, I met up with Ray who had traveled 2hrs from Virginia to come back down to the South Holston River. We we’re planning a full day trip in the afternoon with dry fly fishing in mind and catching the spinner fall in the evening. We started off the afternoon nymph fishing for a few minutes before the sulphurs started hatching down river. We quickly switched out to dry dropper to meet the conditions. We worked our way up river through some very nice runs picking off rising fish on the dry and some on the split case dropper. I was working with Ray on the reach cast and making good mends through the morning. His success was definately paying off. After moving up to an area with some slack water above a run, Ray cast into a likely spot with a bubble trail in about 6 inches of water. No sooner than his flies hit the water and a very nice 16inch rainbow sipped in the dry very confidently just as though he had taken a natural. After a perfect hook set this fish started taking several blistering runs up and down through this stretch of water. These fish are just so strong and healthy. In a heartbreak moment this fish had gotten off right at the net. Cutting our losses we continued our pursuit upstream catching several more fish. It was about time for a late lunch or early supper. So we ate lunch and enjoyed the Air Conditioning for a while. We discussed some aspects of the influence of European fishing techniques into competition fishing and everyday approaches. After we ate there was a pulse rolling through the top end of the river so we headed down river to one of my favorite spots. I find that it’s important in the heat of the day many times to find holding water that’s 4ft or more deep to target fish with nymph rigs that are (like we are) trying to stay cool. Within minutes of finding some holding water, Ray was catching fish on just about every cast pulling several fish from one spot. After working through some various other spots, we headed up river to find some rising fish for the evening and to search out the spinner fall. The late evening pulse caused the water to be covered in a dense fog that was making it difficult to see the dry flies. Ray was fishing with my 9ft 4wt Winston Biix. He was amazed out how light it was and easy it was to cast compared to his orvis rod. As the spinners started to fall we fished a Soft hackle on the swing. I showed Ray how to figure 8 retrieve a wet fly. With darkness falling upon us and visibility waning, we decided to call it a day.
It was a great day out on the river with Ray, with many fish caught, techniques learned, and much fun to be had. I look forward to fishing with Ray again in the near future. I hear the New River and smallmouth bass calling. I will answer that call.
Guide-Josh McFadden
423.367.8618
guide@hatchhunters.com
