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Fishing Reports
| Dukes Creek June 2007 Diane Sharpe with 26" rainbow! |
| Dukes Creek July 18, 2007 Who says you can't catch trout when it's hot. A couple of Dukes Creek beauties caught by Ron Sharpe. |
| Smallies from Upper Mississippi Minnesota Craig Riendeau |
| FLFA Delayed Harvest Trip Feb. 20-23, 2008 by Moye Walker |
The first attempt at having a club trip to fish delayed harvest waters turned out different than expected.
However, club members were able to get in some fishing during the four days from Feb. 20-23. This is a long
report but covers four days of fishing and bumming around N. Georgia.
On February 20th I fished with a friend on Dukes Creek. It was my first trip back to Dukes since last year and
my fourth or fifth trip ever. Dukes is a somewhat technical stream to fish and has always been a difficult stream
for me to fish. On this day my friend and I started the day fishing our way up Section 1. The water was low and
very clear. By late morning we had not even scared a fish and decided to walk back to the truck for some
snacks and to catch the shuttle to the lower sections. When we arrived at the truck another fisherman was just
preparing to go out. Luck was on our side because this fisherman was none other than John Rice. He is a well
known fisherman and guide on Dukes Creek and a treasure trove of fishing information. We talked with John
until we had to catch the shuttle. He freely shared some Dukes Creek secrets with us that helped us beat back
the skunk in the afternoon. Around mid-afternoon I fished a long slow run of about 40 yards that headed up in
some faster water. In this faster water I hooked and caught a nice, brightly colored rainbow that took me on a
jog up and down the creek. As we ran through some of the deeper holes I saw numerous large trout running
at my hooked fish. Once I netted the fish I told my friend to fish the same run and he caught two more nice
Dukes rainbows. That was the extent of the “catching” for the day but the knowledge we gained would help us
another day.
We spent the evening of the 20th at my friends cabin. Jim Sehorn met us for dinner at the cabin where we
shared steaks and fish stories. Jim had spent some of the day on the Chattahoochee in town before going to
Unicoi Outfitters. While visiting the fly shop a local fisherman offered to take Jim to the river and educate him in
the ways of the North Ga. trout. It amazes me that no matter how much time you spend fishing trout waters,
there is always one more character to meet. Jim met one that day.
Thursday, February 21st came with the promise of rain. Jim, my friend States, and I decided to hold court at
Smith’s Creek. It was my first trip back to Smiths since the 05-06 DH season. The creek had changed so much
it was like fishing a totally new place. All the holes that typically had guaranteed you fish in the past are now full
of blow downs and debris from the beavers that now seem to be inhabiting the area. Jim was able to strike
quickly and catch a nice rainbow not long after we arrived. The rest of the day was slow with only one other
fish being caught late in the afternoon. We found out later the problem was not our skill level. For once the
weather prognosticators were right on with their predictions. The rain began at precisely noon and never let up
the rest of the day. We left Smiths soaked and perplexed as to where the fish could possibly be.
Thursday night, Jim, Mike Link, and I had dinner at the Nacoochee Grill. Later in the evening we caught up with
Keith Moxley and Dave Fritz. The rain continued to fall and we discussed possible alternatives to fishing the
Chattooga, which we felt was on the way to being blown out by Saturday.
Friday morning, February 22nd, the group gathered at the local Huddle House for breakfast and another
strategy session. The rain had gone on all night and it looked as though it would not let up until afternoon.
Keith, Dave, and Mike decided to try Smiths. Jim wanted to look at the Toccoa tailwater and DH so I tagged
along with him to Blue Ridge. The Smiths Creek crew found fishing as tough as we had earlier in the week. Late
in the day they met up with rangers that were getting ready to add several hundred pounds of trout to the
creek. It was then they found out that poachers had been slipping into the stream with bait and had virtually
cleaned the place out. That made me feel a little better. I thought I had completely forgotten how to catch
trout. It made me feel even better to hear the rangers had caught the bandits and charged them for their
crimes against honorable fishermen. Our guys were able to catch some fish once there were some in Smith
Creek.
Our adventure to the Toccoa did not produce a lot of fish but we saw some beautiful new water. The tailwater
was, well, the tailwater. We went into town and visited the Blue Ridge store of Unicoi Outfitters and got
directions to the DH section of the Toccoa. I had heard Ren, Tim, and Ron talk about the Toccoa DH but I
never dreamed it was pretty as it was. This is one beautiful piece of trout water. It is as described though, tough
to wade. The river is wide and very deep in places. We were there only a short time but 3 fish were caught so
once again the skunk didn’t go home with us. Jim and I were also privileged to meet another true “river
character” at the canoe landing on the Toccoa. This young guy drove up as I was getting out of my waders
and came over to talk. We struck up a conversation while waiting for Jim to return from the river. In the back
of the guys truck was a Sears jon boat that was 10 feet long max. that as best as I could tell, did not have a
place on it that wasn’t bent, broken, or ripped. This boat appeared to have been dropped out of the back of
the truck on I-285 during rush hour. When Jim returned we continued talking to this fellow and found out he
was camping at the river that night and would be traveling down the river in that boat on Saturday. We also
found out this boat was a veteran of some of the worst white water on the Chattooga river also. There is no
way to adequately describe this boat and it’s owner and even seeing would not necessarily make you a believer.
If I may quote Jim loosely, he described this fellow as “not being constrained by convention”. All I can say is,
another unforgettable river character.
Friday night the group, which now included Ron Sharpe, met for dinner at the Nacoochee Grill. We again
shared some good food and the now to be expected fishing stories of the day. As it had become more
apparent during the week that we may not get to fish the Chattooga on Saturday, we had gotten as many
slots on Dukes Creek as we could knowing Dukes fishes better with more water and stained. By Friday night we
had 5 slots and 6 fishermen. This did not present a problem because I had not planned to fish on Saturday
from the beginning. I came in earlier in the week to fish and planned to spend time with other folks on the river
Saturday. So plans were made to meet at a local haunt for breakfast on Saturday and then back to Dukes for
another dose of humble pie.
Saturday morning was a little cold and overcast but weather reports promised clear skies and warming later in
the day. At breakfast Ron told us he planned to return home because during the night he had relapsed from a
case of the flu and bronchitis he had been fighting for a couple of weeks. After assuring us he was not being
generous and giving up his spot on the creek, he went with us to Dukes to relinquish his slot to us. While he
was there he was gracious enough to walk with me up Section 1 and share more stream knowledge he has
gained on Dukes over the last couple of years. After Ron left, Jim, Mike, and I began fishing up Section 1. Keith
and David caught the shuttle heading downstream to the lower sections. At days end Dukes Creek had handed
out some skunks but had also provided some great fish. Two fish were worth mentioning. Mike and I both were
lucky enough to land two nice rainbows out of the same run. I landed a total of six fish, which was my best day
ever on Dukes. Thanks again to Ron and John Rice for their patience and willingness to share information.
Without their help none of those fish would probably have been caught.
We did meet one last “river character” on Dukes. As Ron and I got to the pavilion on Section 1 Saturday
morning there was a private vehicle parked there. I noticed a guy standing in the creek just below the bridge
and he was diligently wrestling with what appeared to be a nice trout. I asked if he minded if we watch and he
gave his permission. He was a joy to watch and obviously a good fly fisherman. He was very slow and gentle
working the fish in and out of the current and swift water never hurrying the fish. Once the fish was netted the
guy told us was not very “mobile” and liked fishing in this spot when he came to Dukes. I then saw the blue
handicapped placard hanging from the rearview mirror of the vehicle. I thanked him for the show and Ron and
I continued upstream. About an hour later, Jim and I came back to the pavilion and once again the gentleman
was hooked up and gently coaxing another nice fish in. We talked briefly again and he insisted I share the creek
with him. I declined and headed upstream leaving Jim at the pavilion tying on new flies. When Jim caught up
with me he told me “Bob” had hung into a rather large trout that he could not coax to the net and Jim had
assisted him in netting the fish. This guy was having a terrific day. Late in the afternoon I ended up at the
pavilion again and decided to sit at one of the tables and rework my rig that had become impossibly tangled
after quick releasing a fish. Our friend was leaving the river and after stowing his gear, came over to the table
where I sat with a box of crackers to share. We sat and talked and ate crackers forgetting our agenda to
“catch fish”. Bob talked of his love of fishing several times a month, never complaining about his inability climb
and scramble up and down the stream but finding peace and joy standing in that one beautiful spot. The local
lexicon for that spot is the “Pavilion hole”, but from now on I’ll refer to it as “Bob’s hole”.
So after four days of fishing I left the mountains satisfied for now. The catching had been less than hoped but
the experience was not lessened by the lack of fish in the net. I met some characters and fished with some also.
New friendships were made and old ones deepened. People sometimes ask, “Why do you go and fish and
throw them back?” It’s because it ain’t just about the fish, it’s about where the fish live and the characters that
chase them.
However, club members were able to get in some fishing during the four days from Feb. 20-23. This is a long
report but covers four days of fishing and bumming around N. Georgia.
On February 20th I fished with a friend on Dukes Creek. It was my first trip back to Dukes since last year and
my fourth or fifth trip ever. Dukes is a somewhat technical stream to fish and has always been a difficult stream
for me to fish. On this day my friend and I started the day fishing our way up Section 1. The water was low and
very clear. By late morning we had not even scared a fish and decided to walk back to the truck for some
snacks and to catch the shuttle to the lower sections. When we arrived at the truck another fisherman was just
preparing to go out. Luck was on our side because this fisherman was none other than John Rice. He is a well
known fisherman and guide on Dukes Creek and a treasure trove of fishing information. We talked with John
until we had to catch the shuttle. He freely shared some Dukes Creek secrets with us that helped us beat back
the skunk in the afternoon. Around mid-afternoon I fished a long slow run of about 40 yards that headed up in
some faster water. In this faster water I hooked and caught a nice, brightly colored rainbow that took me on a
jog up and down the creek. As we ran through some of the deeper holes I saw numerous large trout running
at my hooked fish. Once I netted the fish I told my friend to fish the same run and he caught two more nice
Dukes rainbows. That was the extent of the “catching” for the day but the knowledge we gained would help us
another day.
We spent the evening of the 20th at my friends cabin. Jim Sehorn met us for dinner at the cabin where we
shared steaks and fish stories. Jim had spent some of the day on the Chattahoochee in town before going to
Unicoi Outfitters. While visiting the fly shop a local fisherman offered to take Jim to the river and educate him in
the ways of the North Ga. trout. It amazes me that no matter how much time you spend fishing trout waters,
there is always one more character to meet. Jim met one that day.
Thursday, February 21st came with the promise of rain. Jim, my friend States, and I decided to hold court at
Smith’s Creek. It was my first trip back to Smiths since the 05-06 DH season. The creek had changed so much
it was like fishing a totally new place. All the holes that typically had guaranteed you fish in the past are now full
of blow downs and debris from the beavers that now seem to be inhabiting the area. Jim was able to strike
quickly and catch a nice rainbow not long after we arrived. The rest of the day was slow with only one other
fish being caught late in the afternoon. We found out later the problem was not our skill level. For once the
weather prognosticators were right on with their predictions. The rain began at precisely noon and never let up
the rest of the day. We left Smiths soaked and perplexed as to where the fish could possibly be.
Thursday night, Jim, Mike Link, and I had dinner at the Nacoochee Grill. Later in the evening we caught up with
Keith Moxley and Dave Fritz. The rain continued to fall and we discussed possible alternatives to fishing the
Chattooga, which we felt was on the way to being blown out by Saturday.
Friday morning, February 22nd, the group gathered at the local Huddle House for breakfast and another
strategy session. The rain had gone on all night and it looked as though it would not let up until afternoon.
Keith, Dave, and Mike decided to try Smiths. Jim wanted to look at the Toccoa tailwater and DH so I tagged
along with him to Blue Ridge. The Smiths Creek crew found fishing as tough as we had earlier in the week. Late
in the day they met up with rangers that were getting ready to add several hundred pounds of trout to the
creek. It was then they found out that poachers had been slipping into the stream with bait and had virtually
cleaned the place out. That made me feel a little better. I thought I had completely forgotten how to catch
trout. It made me feel even better to hear the rangers had caught the bandits and charged them for their
crimes against honorable fishermen. Our guys were able to catch some fish once there were some in Smith
Creek.
Our adventure to the Toccoa did not produce a lot of fish but we saw some beautiful new water. The tailwater
was, well, the tailwater. We went into town and visited the Blue Ridge store of Unicoi Outfitters and got
directions to the DH section of the Toccoa. I had heard Ren, Tim, and Ron talk about the Toccoa DH but I
never dreamed it was pretty as it was. This is one beautiful piece of trout water. It is as described though, tough
to wade. The river is wide and very deep in places. We were there only a short time but 3 fish were caught so
once again the skunk didn’t go home with us. Jim and I were also privileged to meet another true “river
character” at the canoe landing on the Toccoa. This young guy drove up as I was getting out of my waders
and came over to talk. We struck up a conversation while waiting for Jim to return from the river. In the back
of the guys truck was a Sears jon boat that was 10 feet long max. that as best as I could tell, did not have a
place on it that wasn’t bent, broken, or ripped. This boat appeared to have been dropped out of the back of
the truck on I-285 during rush hour. When Jim returned we continued talking to this fellow and found out he
was camping at the river that night and would be traveling down the river in that boat on Saturday. We also
found out this boat was a veteran of some of the worst white water on the Chattooga river also. There is no
way to adequately describe this boat and it’s owner and even seeing would not necessarily make you a believer.
If I may quote Jim loosely, he described this fellow as “not being constrained by convention”. All I can say is,
another unforgettable river character.
Friday night the group, which now included Ron Sharpe, met for dinner at the Nacoochee Grill. We again
shared some good food and the now to be expected fishing stories of the day. As it had become more
apparent during the week that we may not get to fish the Chattooga on Saturday, we had gotten as many
slots on Dukes Creek as we could knowing Dukes fishes better with more water and stained. By Friday night we
had 5 slots and 6 fishermen. This did not present a problem because I had not planned to fish on Saturday
from the beginning. I came in earlier in the week to fish and planned to spend time with other folks on the river
Saturday. So plans were made to meet at a local haunt for breakfast on Saturday and then back to Dukes for
another dose of humble pie.
Saturday morning was a little cold and overcast but weather reports promised clear skies and warming later in
the day. At breakfast Ron told us he planned to return home because during the night he had relapsed from a
case of the flu and bronchitis he had been fighting for a couple of weeks. After assuring us he was not being
generous and giving up his spot on the creek, he went with us to Dukes to relinquish his slot to us. While he
was there he was gracious enough to walk with me up Section 1 and share more stream knowledge he has
gained on Dukes over the last couple of years. After Ron left, Jim, Mike, and I began fishing up Section 1. Keith
and David caught the shuttle heading downstream to the lower sections. At days end Dukes Creek had handed
out some skunks but had also provided some great fish. Two fish were worth mentioning. Mike and I both were
lucky enough to land two nice rainbows out of the same run. I landed a total of six fish, which was my best day
ever on Dukes. Thanks again to Ron and John Rice for their patience and willingness to share information.
Without their help none of those fish would probably have been caught.
We did meet one last “river character” on Dukes. As Ron and I got to the pavilion on Section 1 Saturday
morning there was a private vehicle parked there. I noticed a guy standing in the creek just below the bridge
and he was diligently wrestling with what appeared to be a nice trout. I asked if he minded if we watch and he
gave his permission. He was a joy to watch and obviously a good fly fisherman. He was very slow and gentle
working the fish in and out of the current and swift water never hurrying the fish. Once the fish was netted the
guy told us was not very “mobile” and liked fishing in this spot when he came to Dukes. I then saw the blue
handicapped placard hanging from the rearview mirror of the vehicle. I thanked him for the show and Ron and
I continued upstream. About an hour later, Jim and I came back to the pavilion and once again the gentleman
was hooked up and gently coaxing another nice fish in. We talked briefly again and he insisted I share the creek
with him. I declined and headed upstream leaving Jim at the pavilion tying on new flies. When Jim caught up
with me he told me “Bob” had hung into a rather large trout that he could not coax to the net and Jim had
assisted him in netting the fish. This guy was having a terrific day. Late in the afternoon I ended up at the
pavilion again and decided to sit at one of the tables and rework my rig that had become impossibly tangled
after quick releasing a fish. Our friend was leaving the river and after stowing his gear, came over to the table
where I sat with a box of crackers to share. We sat and talked and ate crackers forgetting our agenda to
“catch fish”. Bob talked of his love of fishing several times a month, never complaining about his inability climb
and scramble up and down the stream but finding peace and joy standing in that one beautiful spot. The local
lexicon for that spot is the “Pavilion hole”, but from now on I’ll refer to it as “Bob’s hole”.
So after four days of fishing I left the mountains satisfied for now. The catching had been less than hoped but
the experience was not lessened by the lack of fish in the net. I met some characters and fished with some also.
New friendships were made and old ones deepened. People sometimes ask, “Why do you go and fish and
throw them back?” It’s because it ain’t just about the fish, it’s about where the fish live and the characters that
chase them.
| Pennsylvania Steelhead and Dukes Creek March 2008 David Fritz |
Finally got back and settled (I think)... Well I managed about 6 on Dukes creek that Wednesday with the
biggest pushing 16-18 inches and the second not far behind. My steelhead adventure was a little more
exciting!! I hooked probably 15 fish that day, and landed 5. I lost one fish that was probably pushing 10
POUNDS! The water temperature was 37 and the air was a bone chilling 35 degrees!! What a rush... The
following day we made our way to Spring Creek in State College, PA for wild browns and a wonderful BWO
hatch. It's been a long time since I've seen water boiling like that with rising fish, despite the fact that it was 35
degrees that day as well.
biggest pushing 16-18 inches and the second not far behind. My steelhead adventure was a little more
exciting!! I hooked probably 15 fish that day, and landed 5. I lost one fish that was probably pushing 10
POUNDS! The water temperature was 37 and the air was a bone chilling 35 degrees!! What a rush... The
following day we made our way to Spring Creek in State College, PA for wild browns and a wonderful BWO
hatch. It's been a long time since I've seen water boiling like that with rising fish, despite the fact that it was 35
degrees that day as well.
| Dukes Creek April 2, 2008 by Moye Walker |
My wife and I camped in N. Georgia during her spring break and I got to sneak off and get a lesson from those
fish at Dukes Creek again. First I want to mention the campground where we stayed. Creekwood Resort is an
RV campground and they also have three cabins they rent. If you have an RV or ever want to rent a nice
place to stay in north Georgia, give these folks a try. The owners, Robert and Melissa, are fly fishermen and
they run a clean, quiet campground. It is centrally located to lots of fishing but outside the hustle of Helen.
They are about 10 miles from Dukes Creek and 5 minutes from Smith Creek. I have listed them on our
commercial links page.
Seems every time I go to the mountains fishing lately, I am surprised by what I find. I made reservations to
fish Dukes at the last minute because we were not sure we were going to get to go camping until the last
minute. When I called Dukes they told me they had a slot so I felt pretty lucky. When I got to Dukes the
morning I was to fish, I thought I had made a mistake and arrived on the wrong day. There were only a
couple of cars in the lot and the people around them were dressed too nice to be fishermen. When I got out
of my truck, the others left and drove across the road towards the lodge to a meeting of some kind I
presume. Once they left, there were only two other vehicles in the lot other than mine. I bumped into “Bob”
(see DH trip report) as I was checking in. The other vehicle was a couple from Florida vacationing in Helen and
first time Dukes visitors. Bob left for his normal spot and I stayed and talked to the folks from Florida for a
while. They said they wanted to try the lower sections and would wait on the shuttle. I decided since Bob was
the only other person on section 1, I would hike up the hill and work some of those holes over. As I walked
across the road, one more vehicle arrived and they must have caught the shuttle downstream also. So my
first surprise was to arrive at Dukes, the first week of April, a beautiful day, just after a rain, and only Bob and I
to fish section 1. I must be dreaming.
I walked upstream and decided since I did not have to compete with anyone for holes to fish in, I would pick
some of the choice ones and skip a lot of the water I was not sure of. The first hole I stopped at was just
above Bob’s hole and on the fourth cast I landed the first fish of the day, a nice 16” rainbow. Now I could relax
since the skunk was off. I stayed at the first hole for quite some time and caught several more smaller fish. In
fact, I caught the smallest trout of my life, a whopping 4 incher. I’m only guessing but that may be a fish born
in Dukes.
I fished a couple more places upstream with some success. By 10 am I reached the upper end of the public
fishing area and fished the spot where Mike Link and I both caught nice fish during the DH trip in February. I
immediately caught another nice 16”-17” fish. After landing and releasing that fish on the very next cast I
hooked a fish as large or larger than the first one. This fish made quick work of me by heading downstream at
nearly the speed of sound. I had chased a fish down this very same stretch of creek last trip but I never had a
chance to catch this guy. Before I could take three steps, he was off and gone.
The last place I worked really well was just below Bob’s hole. I had seen this spot in February but did not get a
chance to fish it. I worked my way into position to make the best cast into the run and got hammered on the
first drift. Another 16” fish. Took a quick picture and released that fish and went right back to the same run
and WHAM! Another one. Twin to the first one.
At this point I was about as satisfied as I have ever been trout fishing. I had caught a dozen fish on a stream
that spanked me on numerous occasions and had seen only one other person, Bob. I hiked back to my truck
and drove to the campground after only a little over 3 hours of fishing. There just seemed to be no need to
ruin what had been a perfect morning by fishing anymore.
fish at Dukes Creek again. First I want to mention the campground where we stayed. Creekwood Resort is an
RV campground and they also have three cabins they rent. If you have an RV or ever want to rent a nice
place to stay in north Georgia, give these folks a try. The owners, Robert and Melissa, are fly fishermen and
they run a clean, quiet campground. It is centrally located to lots of fishing but outside the hustle of Helen.
They are about 10 miles from Dukes Creek and 5 minutes from Smith Creek. I have listed them on our
commercial links page.
Seems every time I go to the mountains fishing lately, I am surprised by what I find. I made reservations to
fish Dukes at the last minute because we were not sure we were going to get to go camping until the last
minute. When I called Dukes they told me they had a slot so I felt pretty lucky. When I got to Dukes the
morning I was to fish, I thought I had made a mistake and arrived on the wrong day. There were only a
couple of cars in the lot and the people around them were dressed too nice to be fishermen. When I got out
of my truck, the others left and drove across the road towards the lodge to a meeting of some kind I
presume. Once they left, there were only two other vehicles in the lot other than mine. I bumped into “Bob”
(see DH trip report) as I was checking in. The other vehicle was a couple from Florida vacationing in Helen and
first time Dukes visitors. Bob left for his normal spot and I stayed and talked to the folks from Florida for a
while. They said they wanted to try the lower sections and would wait on the shuttle. I decided since Bob was
the only other person on section 1, I would hike up the hill and work some of those holes over. As I walked
across the road, one more vehicle arrived and they must have caught the shuttle downstream also. So my
first surprise was to arrive at Dukes, the first week of April, a beautiful day, just after a rain, and only Bob and I
to fish section 1. I must be dreaming.
I walked upstream and decided since I did not have to compete with anyone for holes to fish in, I would pick
some of the choice ones and skip a lot of the water I was not sure of. The first hole I stopped at was just
above Bob’s hole and on the fourth cast I landed the first fish of the day, a nice 16” rainbow. Now I could relax
since the skunk was off. I stayed at the first hole for quite some time and caught several more smaller fish. In
fact, I caught the smallest trout of my life, a whopping 4 incher. I’m only guessing but that may be a fish born
in Dukes.
I fished a couple more places upstream with some success. By 10 am I reached the upper end of the public
fishing area and fished the spot where Mike Link and I both caught nice fish during the DH trip in February. I
immediately caught another nice 16”-17” fish. After landing and releasing that fish on the very next cast I
hooked a fish as large or larger than the first one. This fish made quick work of me by heading downstream at
nearly the speed of sound. I had chased a fish down this very same stretch of creek last trip but I never had a
chance to catch this guy. Before I could take three steps, he was off and gone.
The last place I worked really well was just below Bob’s hole. I had seen this spot in February but did not get a
chance to fish it. I worked my way into position to make the best cast into the run and got hammered on the
first drift. Another 16” fish. Took a quick picture and released that fish and went right back to the same run
and WHAM! Another one. Twin to the first one.
At this point I was about as satisfied as I have ever been trout fishing. I had caught a dozen fish on a stream
that spanked me on numerous occasions and had seen only one other person, Bob. I hiked back to my truck
and drove to the campground after only a little over 3 hours of fishing. There just seemed to be no need to
ruin what had been a perfect morning by fishing anymore.
| FLFA 2008 CALLAWAY GARDENS MAY 17, 2008 |
| South Holston River Bristol, Tn. July 16-20, 2008 by Moye Walker |
One of the great things about fly fishing is, you never stop learning. I spent several days on the South Holston
River with a friend and felt like I was learning about fly fishing as a novice. Actually, because of the way you fish
the SoHo, I am a novice. The South Holston is a TVA controlled, 18 mile long tailwater that is probably the
premier native brown trout fishery east of the Mississippi River. The river is home to some 5000-6000 trout per
mile but don’t let the numbers fool you. The brown trout are all native and can be tough to catch. There are
daily sulfur hatches from April to November and make for terrific dry fly fishing. When the sulfurs are hatching
there are so many fish feeding it can be a little overwhelming. As with any tailwater, knowing the generation
schedule is a must. Small surges are barely noticeable but the full blown generations arrive quickly, are
impossible to wade, and will sweep you away like a piece of driftwood.
I arrived late on Wednesday afternoon and stopped at the South Holston River Fly Shop (www.
southholstonriverflyshop.com) before even reaching our cabin. David and Rod were both very
knowledgeable and helpful in picking out a selection of SoHo flies for me. To fish this river during this time of
year you need a good supply of sulfur dry flies (size 16-18 duns, comparaduns, spinners) and some nymphs.
According to the fly shop guys the fish can be more selective of color than size. The hatches I saw were
mostly a pale yellow but at times the flies were almost a dark mustard color. Personally I had my best dry fly
luck with a pale yellow, size 16 comparadun sulfur. Nymph patterns work great when the fish are not actively
feeding on hatching mayflies. I got a chance to see several fresh stomach pumps at the fly shop which were all
full of small, black nymphs. I caught many fish using a dropper of 12 to 18 inches off my dry fly as an
indicator. I used zebra midge nymphs, black fly nymphs, and my best day was using a local nymph called a
split case nymph. This nymph imitates the hatching sulfur down to a yellow back that resembles the adult fly
emerging from the nymph case. The water is very clear so long, small leaders are needed. I used a 12 foot 5x
leader tipped with 6x tippet but the locals swear a 6x leader and 7x tippet is better. I bought some 7x tippet
but found it so small, my old eyes could not see to tie it except in the strongest of light. Find some very wispy
spider web and try tying a uni-knot with it and you will have some idea what it is like.
Our accommodations for the week were perfect for a fishing trip. We stayed in a one room log cabin within
hearing distance of the river. You could have seen the river had it not been for the woods between the cabin
and river. The cabin had a kitchen that was equipped with everything you need to prepare great meals which
came in handy since the closest places to eat are quite a drive from the river. By staying at the cabins we had
private access to some of the best fishing at the headwaters of the river. A short hike of ten minutes down
river put us in the river each morning and we never moved more than a hundred yards all day long.
We fished the first night for about an hour after the end of a major generation cycle. These fish feed like crazy
on the falling water. I was only able to catch one brown before it was too dark to see my fly but it was my first
day and my first fish and it got the skunk stink off me for the week. Day two took me down a couple of
notches. Even though I am not a seasoned dry fly fisherman, I thought, “How tough could it be?” Pretty
tough it turns out. The major generation for the day began at 2pm and I had managed to catch only 2 fish
by that time. We were fishing dry flies only which I soon realized was limiting the water I could cover on each
cast. The generation ended at 7pm so we were able to get back in the water around 730pm for a couple
hours fishing before dark. Again fishing only dries I landed 5 more fish as the fish were feeding more on the
surface with the water falling.
Day 3 started about like day 2 but by mid-morning I decided to do what I know best, add a dropper with a
nymph. Just by adding the dropper my fish count went up considerably the few hours we had left before the
major generation period. We again had a couple of hours we could fish the falling water before dark and two
days of experience helped me add more fish to the count. I found fish feeding in very slow flows along the
edge of the river and made the best of it with the light yellow sulfur dries.
I have mentioned in previous reports that I always seem to run into some characters on the river. This trip was
no different. My friend, who is himself a character, chatted up a local guy on Friday morning. I met this
character about an hour before we were run off the river by the release. He reminded me of the guys I used
to fish with when I lived in Hiawassee. Hip waders, spinning rod, beat up old vest, a box of worms, and a
stringer with some nice rainbows in tow. (I forgot to mention, the river is stocked with rainbows but the
browns are all native. The ratio is about 4 to 1 browns.) As we talked he told me that most folks (I think that
was a nice way of him referring to me) stand where they need to be fishing. I asked what he meant and he
said we were standing and talking where there were fish. He then proceeds to throw out his spinning rig with
the worm and within 30 seconds he has a fish on. Now we are standing in way less than a foot of water and I
haven’t seen a fish yet. He then tells me to throw my fly out right in front of us in the shallowest of water. My
fly drifts about 20 feet and is slammed by what turns out to be a 12 inch brown. You just cannot see these
fish the majority of the time and they are right there. It just goes to show you should never judge a book by
it’s cover or a fisherman by his gear. Everybody has something to learn and the lesson may just come from
the most unexpected place.
Day 4 was my banner day. I will admit not all by my doing. Allen, our local character from day 3, had put my
friend on a run upstream and out of my sight on day 3. I was given the gift to fish this run on day 4 and what
a gift it was. After rigging my now successful sulfur comparadun dry and split case nymph dropper I landed 9
brown trout in the first 30 minutes. Fish 10-12 came in the next fifteen minutes. Numbers 13-17 over the next
hour. Then things went quiet. After catching the most fish and largest fish I had caught all week, I decided to
eat lunch on the bank and wait for my friend to come up the river when the rising water started. As I ate lunch
fish continued to sip bugs off the surface just a few feet off the bank. In an effort to get in just one more fish, I
hurriedly got in the water again before the generation began and targeted one feeding fish. Second drift
through the run and he was mine. 18 fish in about three hours certainly doesn’t sound like the kind of days we
can have on the Chattooga or Nantahala. It does seem like a lot though when they are all native browns and
you feel like you have had to learn fly fishing from the ground up.
If you are looking for a fishing experience that is totally different from our “home” waters without taking a flight
out west, try the South Holston. It is a 7 hour drive from Forsyth so it is not a true “weekend” kind of trip. The
South Holston River Fly Shop is literally a minute from the river, has a very knowledgeable staff, and a good
selection of flies and gear. The Wautauga River is also nearby and is also a great trout fishery. I have heard it is
best floated so a guide may be in order for that river.
One note of caution other than the generation water levels. This river is infected with Didymo, better know by
it’s slang name, rock snot. If you have never seen this stuff it looks just like it’s name and is just as slick as it’s
name. Local fishermen use studded felt sole boots but I found my felt soles to be adequate as long as I paid
attention to where I walked. If you fish this river, please disinfect your waders and boots with a mild bleach and
water solution and allow them to sun dry for a couple of days before entering uninfected water.
River with a friend and felt like I was learning about fly fishing as a novice. Actually, because of the way you fish
the SoHo, I am a novice. The South Holston is a TVA controlled, 18 mile long tailwater that is probably the
premier native brown trout fishery east of the Mississippi River. The river is home to some 5000-6000 trout per
mile but don’t let the numbers fool you. The brown trout are all native and can be tough to catch. There are
daily sulfur hatches from April to November and make for terrific dry fly fishing. When the sulfurs are hatching
there are so many fish feeding it can be a little overwhelming. As with any tailwater, knowing the generation
schedule is a must. Small surges are barely noticeable but the full blown generations arrive quickly, are
impossible to wade, and will sweep you away like a piece of driftwood.
I arrived late on Wednesday afternoon and stopped at the South Holston River Fly Shop (www.
southholstonriverflyshop.com) before even reaching our cabin. David and Rod were both very
knowledgeable and helpful in picking out a selection of SoHo flies for me. To fish this river during this time of
year you need a good supply of sulfur dry flies (size 16-18 duns, comparaduns, spinners) and some nymphs.
According to the fly shop guys the fish can be more selective of color than size. The hatches I saw were
mostly a pale yellow but at times the flies were almost a dark mustard color. Personally I had my best dry fly
luck with a pale yellow, size 16 comparadun sulfur. Nymph patterns work great when the fish are not actively
feeding on hatching mayflies. I got a chance to see several fresh stomach pumps at the fly shop which were all
full of small, black nymphs. I caught many fish using a dropper of 12 to 18 inches off my dry fly as an
indicator. I used zebra midge nymphs, black fly nymphs, and my best day was using a local nymph called a
split case nymph. This nymph imitates the hatching sulfur down to a yellow back that resembles the adult fly
emerging from the nymph case. The water is very clear so long, small leaders are needed. I used a 12 foot 5x
leader tipped with 6x tippet but the locals swear a 6x leader and 7x tippet is better. I bought some 7x tippet
but found it so small, my old eyes could not see to tie it except in the strongest of light. Find some very wispy
spider web and try tying a uni-knot with it and you will have some idea what it is like.
Our accommodations for the week were perfect for a fishing trip. We stayed in a one room log cabin within
hearing distance of the river. You could have seen the river had it not been for the woods between the cabin
and river. The cabin had a kitchen that was equipped with everything you need to prepare great meals which
came in handy since the closest places to eat are quite a drive from the river. By staying at the cabins we had
private access to some of the best fishing at the headwaters of the river. A short hike of ten minutes down
river put us in the river each morning and we never moved more than a hundred yards all day long.
We fished the first night for about an hour after the end of a major generation cycle. These fish feed like crazy
on the falling water. I was only able to catch one brown before it was too dark to see my fly but it was my first
day and my first fish and it got the skunk stink off me for the week. Day two took me down a couple of
notches. Even though I am not a seasoned dry fly fisherman, I thought, “How tough could it be?” Pretty
tough it turns out. The major generation for the day began at 2pm and I had managed to catch only 2 fish
by that time. We were fishing dry flies only which I soon realized was limiting the water I could cover on each
cast. The generation ended at 7pm so we were able to get back in the water around 730pm for a couple
hours fishing before dark. Again fishing only dries I landed 5 more fish as the fish were feeding more on the
surface with the water falling.
Day 3 started about like day 2 but by mid-morning I decided to do what I know best, add a dropper with a
nymph. Just by adding the dropper my fish count went up considerably the few hours we had left before the
major generation period. We again had a couple of hours we could fish the falling water before dark and two
days of experience helped me add more fish to the count. I found fish feeding in very slow flows along the
edge of the river and made the best of it with the light yellow sulfur dries.
I have mentioned in previous reports that I always seem to run into some characters on the river. This trip was
no different. My friend, who is himself a character, chatted up a local guy on Friday morning. I met this
character about an hour before we were run off the river by the release. He reminded me of the guys I used
to fish with when I lived in Hiawassee. Hip waders, spinning rod, beat up old vest, a box of worms, and a
stringer with some nice rainbows in tow. (I forgot to mention, the river is stocked with rainbows but the
browns are all native. The ratio is about 4 to 1 browns.) As we talked he told me that most folks (I think that
was a nice way of him referring to me) stand where they need to be fishing. I asked what he meant and he
said we were standing and talking where there were fish. He then proceeds to throw out his spinning rig with
the worm and within 30 seconds he has a fish on. Now we are standing in way less than a foot of water and I
haven’t seen a fish yet. He then tells me to throw my fly out right in front of us in the shallowest of water. My
fly drifts about 20 feet and is slammed by what turns out to be a 12 inch brown. You just cannot see these
fish the majority of the time and they are right there. It just goes to show you should never judge a book by
it’s cover or a fisherman by his gear. Everybody has something to learn and the lesson may just come from
the most unexpected place.
Day 4 was my banner day. I will admit not all by my doing. Allen, our local character from day 3, had put my
friend on a run upstream and out of my sight on day 3. I was given the gift to fish this run on day 4 and what
a gift it was. After rigging my now successful sulfur comparadun dry and split case nymph dropper I landed 9
brown trout in the first 30 minutes. Fish 10-12 came in the next fifteen minutes. Numbers 13-17 over the next
hour. Then things went quiet. After catching the most fish and largest fish I had caught all week, I decided to
eat lunch on the bank and wait for my friend to come up the river when the rising water started. As I ate lunch
fish continued to sip bugs off the surface just a few feet off the bank. In an effort to get in just one more fish, I
hurriedly got in the water again before the generation began and targeted one feeding fish. Second drift
through the run and he was mine. 18 fish in about three hours certainly doesn’t sound like the kind of days we
can have on the Chattooga or Nantahala. It does seem like a lot though when they are all native browns and
you feel like you have had to learn fly fishing from the ground up.
If you are looking for a fishing experience that is totally different from our “home” waters without taking a flight
out west, try the South Holston. It is a 7 hour drive from Forsyth so it is not a true “weekend” kind of trip. The
South Holston River Fly Shop is literally a minute from the river, has a very knowledgeable staff, and a good
selection of flies and gear. The Wautauga River is also nearby and is also a great trout fishery. I have heard it is
best floated so a guide may be in order for that river.
One note of caution other than the generation water levels. This river is infected with Didymo, better know by
it’s slang name, rock snot. If you have never seen this stuff it looks just like it’s name and is just as slick as it’s
name. Local fishermen use studded felt sole boots but I found my felt soles to be adequate as long as I paid
attention to where I walked. If you fish this river, please disinfect your waders and boots with a mild bleach and
water solution and allow them to sun dry for a couple of days before entering uninfected water.
On February 18th I fished Dukes Creek with a friend, States Wing. The weather was perfect for fishing Dukes
but pretty miserable for people. It rained the entire day and was pretty cold. The rain stained the water just
enough to make the fishing good.
We took the shuttle down stream in the morning. After rigging up I started fishing a run that was out in the
open so I would not start the day off in the trees. On the second cast I hooked and landed a 10” rainbow. My
first thought was this is going to be a banner day. Over the next two hours, that banner didn’t fly. We fished
a series of deep, beautiful runs without as much as a strike. Wet, cold, and not catching fish. This was not
good.
Luck changed as the morning went on. States had dropped in Unicoi Outfitters the day before and talked
with John Cross about the conditions we were expecting. John told States if the water was stained to fish with
big, ugly flies with legs. John even sold States some of the biggest, ugliest, leggiest flies I have seen. After
considering John’s recommendation, I rigged with an ugly, leggy fly and started working the tail end of a run I
had seen fish in on earlier trips. I immediately started catching good (12”-14”) rainbows. Maybe the day would
turn out good after all.
After catching 3 nice trout, I went looking for States. I had not seen him in over an hour and the run I was
fishing was big enough for both of us to fish. I found States a couple of bends down stream and brought him
back to the “honey hole” of the day. The head of this run had produced a good fish for me on my last trip so
I moved into that spot hoping to do as well again. Boy, I was not disappointed. Since the water was stained, I
had been trying out one of the new “Thingamabobber” strike indicators. They work really well. They cast
nicely, easy to see, and seem to stay in place better then yarn indicators. About the third cast I made into the
head of the pool, the “Thingamabobber” comes flying through the fast water and then just stops dead. I
sweep set the hook and immediately swear because I am sure I just set the hook on the bottom and will lose
my only big, ugly, leggy fly. Then things start happening. The bottom I hooked starts moving….upstream….
FAST. As fast as the fish started upstream, it turned and headed downstream where there were two big trees
in the creek on the far bank. This can’t turn out good since I am using only a length of 4X tippet for a leader
and 5X for the dropper. Surprisingly, I get the fish coming towards me and then it surfaces. This is the biggest
fish I have ever hooked on Dukes. Not as big as some I have seen but a big one for me. Over the next what
seemed like half an hour (it really was probably only 3 or 4 minutes) I wrestled this fish up and down stream.
Every time I would think I had it tired out it would make extremely fast runs. Three different times it snatched
the line out of my hands because they were cold and numb and once it got the whole rod out of my hand. I
have no idea why the fish did not come unhooked. States tried to net the fish a couple of times with his net
and could not get it in. My net was slightly larger so he used it and finally tailed the fish and shoved him in the
net. I’m calling the fish 22” measuring it against my 19” net. Not huge by any means but by far, my biggest
on Dukes ever.
States and I continued to fish the run a while longer. States snagged a nice brownie out the same run that I
had caught the big rainbow out of. Then I made the strategic error of the day. Since it was about time for the
mid-day shuttle to run, I decided it would be a good idea for us to catch it and go to Section #1 for the
afternoon. I really wanted to share some information about Section #1 with States and knew we could catch
fish there too. It sure didn’t turn out that way though. When we got to Section #1 it was much clearer than
the water downstream. We fished the rest of the afternoon without catching one fish. I hooked one fish for
about 10 seconds before he flopped and turned himself loose. So what started out as a pretty good day,
turned into a skunky afternoon because of a bad decision.
In spite of the lack of fish in the afternoon, I took several things away from the day. (1) NEVER leave a section
when you are catching fish and assume you will do as well in another section. (2) Thingamabobbers are pretty
good strike indicators. (3) This came from a recommendation from an NGTO contributor. If you are throwing
nymphs there is no need for a tapered leader. Use a length of fluorocarbon tippet for a leader. It’s clear,
strong, heavier, and will sink easier and quicker than monofilament. Worked pretty good for me at least.
We had planned to fish either the Chattooga or Smith Creek on Thursday. Behind the storms on Wednesday
was a strong front that had winds of 20+ mph and gusting over 30. The amount of rain had the Chattooga
blown out and the wind was just too much to even try Smith. I had planned to stay through Saturday and
fish with the FLFA group at Dukes however Friday morning I felt like I was coming down with a fever. Since
the forecast was for temps in the low 20’s on Saturday, I decided the best thing I could do was go home and
rest. So I ended up with only one day on the water and less than half of that time we were catching fish. That
couple of hours was worth it though. Can’t wait for the next trip.
but pretty miserable for people. It rained the entire day and was pretty cold. The rain stained the water just
enough to make the fishing good.
We took the shuttle down stream in the morning. After rigging up I started fishing a run that was out in the
open so I would not start the day off in the trees. On the second cast I hooked and landed a 10” rainbow. My
first thought was this is going to be a banner day. Over the next two hours, that banner didn’t fly. We fished
a series of deep, beautiful runs without as much as a strike. Wet, cold, and not catching fish. This was not
good.
Luck changed as the morning went on. States had dropped in Unicoi Outfitters the day before and talked
with John Cross about the conditions we were expecting. John told States if the water was stained to fish with
big, ugly flies with legs. John even sold States some of the biggest, ugliest, leggiest flies I have seen. After
considering John’s recommendation, I rigged with an ugly, leggy fly and started working the tail end of a run I
had seen fish in on earlier trips. I immediately started catching good (12”-14”) rainbows. Maybe the day would
turn out good after all.
After catching 3 nice trout, I went looking for States. I had not seen him in over an hour and the run I was
fishing was big enough for both of us to fish. I found States a couple of bends down stream and brought him
back to the “honey hole” of the day. The head of this run had produced a good fish for me on my last trip so
I moved into that spot hoping to do as well again. Boy, I was not disappointed. Since the water was stained, I
had been trying out one of the new “Thingamabobber” strike indicators. They work really well. They cast
nicely, easy to see, and seem to stay in place better then yarn indicators. About the third cast I made into the
head of the pool, the “Thingamabobber” comes flying through the fast water and then just stops dead. I
sweep set the hook and immediately swear because I am sure I just set the hook on the bottom and will lose
my only big, ugly, leggy fly. Then things start happening. The bottom I hooked starts moving….upstream….
FAST. As fast as the fish started upstream, it turned and headed downstream where there were two big trees
in the creek on the far bank. This can’t turn out good since I am using only a length of 4X tippet for a leader
and 5X for the dropper. Surprisingly, I get the fish coming towards me and then it surfaces. This is the biggest
fish I have ever hooked on Dukes. Not as big as some I have seen but a big one for me. Over the next what
seemed like half an hour (it really was probably only 3 or 4 minutes) I wrestled this fish up and down stream.
Every time I would think I had it tired out it would make extremely fast runs. Three different times it snatched
the line out of my hands because they were cold and numb and once it got the whole rod out of my hand. I
have no idea why the fish did not come unhooked. States tried to net the fish a couple of times with his net
and could not get it in. My net was slightly larger so he used it and finally tailed the fish and shoved him in the
net. I’m calling the fish 22” measuring it against my 19” net. Not huge by any means but by far, my biggest
on Dukes ever.
States and I continued to fish the run a while longer. States snagged a nice brownie out the same run that I
had caught the big rainbow out of. Then I made the strategic error of the day. Since it was about time for the
mid-day shuttle to run, I decided it would be a good idea for us to catch it and go to Section #1 for the
afternoon. I really wanted to share some information about Section #1 with States and knew we could catch
fish there too. It sure didn’t turn out that way though. When we got to Section #1 it was much clearer than
the water downstream. We fished the rest of the afternoon without catching one fish. I hooked one fish for
about 10 seconds before he flopped and turned himself loose. So what started out as a pretty good day,
turned into a skunky afternoon because of a bad decision.
In spite of the lack of fish in the afternoon, I took several things away from the day. (1) NEVER leave a section
when you are catching fish and assume you will do as well in another section. (2) Thingamabobbers are pretty
good strike indicators. (3) This came from a recommendation from an NGTO contributor. If you are throwing
nymphs there is no need for a tapered leader. Use a length of fluorocarbon tippet for a leader. It’s clear,
strong, heavier, and will sink easier and quicker than monofilament. Worked pretty good for me at least.
We had planned to fish either the Chattooga or Smith Creek on Thursday. Behind the storms on Wednesday
was a strong front that had winds of 20+ mph and gusting over 30. The amount of rain had the Chattooga
blown out and the wind was just too much to even try Smith. I had planned to stay through Saturday and
fish with the FLFA group at Dukes however Friday morning I felt like I was coming down with a fever. Since
the forecast was for temps in the low 20’s on Saturday, I decided the best thing I could do was go home and
rest. So I ended up with only one day on the water and less than half of that time we were catching fish. That
couple of hours was worth it though. Can’t wait for the next trip.
| Dukes Creek February 18, 2009 by Moye Walker |
| Dukes Creek February 21 & 22, 2009 FLFA DH Weekend |
Dave Fritz with his first bonefish. Dave is now stationed in Hawaii with the U. S. Air
Force and making the best of the fishing opportunities there. Way to go Dave!
Force and making the best of the fishing opportunities there. Way to go Dave!
