David Knapp
03-25-2007, 07:14 PM
Just got back from a great weekend in the park! The weather was perfect for camping with cool nights and warm days. The streams are perfect as well...
Friday afternoon I fished down low on LR for a little while after getting a campsite and managed three fish with a GRHE picking up to including a beautiful 12 inch rainbow. I saw LOTS of the small dark caddis and a scattering of other bugs.
Saturday I figured I should hike to get away from the crowds and this proved to be a good decision. Went a few miles above Elkmont to a LR tributary and had a good day with over thirty fish caught and even got the slam with one brookie and one brown. The fish would hit just about any type of dry but they weren't interested in too many nymphs except for Tellicos. Occasionally one would hit something else but not often. The fish are definately in feeding mode and scattered throughout the stream in just about every type of water. I relearned that you should never pass up even the tiniest pocket as many fish came out of places that were no more than 6 inches deep and perhaps one foot square. I hit a couple spots along LR on the way back down and picked up a nice 10 inch brown on the Tellico and saw lots of mayfly spinners out laying eggs. There were LOTS of BWO's hatching in the evening as well with good numbers of fish rising.
Today I hit a few spots along LR on the way towards Townsend and picked up a few fish and went over to West Prong and caught several more. A dry/dropper was working very well on West Prong with a very small red copper john being the most productive fly. I fished it under a lime trude and caught a couple on that as well.
On the way out I stopped by LRO to pick up a few tying materials. Byron came over and said that there was another board member there so I met Russ...nice to meet you btw...
Overall it was a great weekend. The hatches are kind of strange. It seems that the bulk of the Quill Gordons and Blue Quills are likely over because I was seeing so many spinners...:confused: The BWO's are going strong though and usually when I found rising fish, they were keying on the BWO's.
Friday afternoon I fished down low on LR for a little while after getting a campsite and managed three fish with a GRHE picking up to including a beautiful 12 inch rainbow. I saw LOTS of the small dark caddis and a scattering of other bugs.
Saturday I figured I should hike to get away from the crowds and this proved to be a good decision. Went a few miles above Elkmont to a LR tributary and had a good day with over thirty fish caught and even got the slam with one brookie and one brown. The fish would hit just about any type of dry but they weren't interested in too many nymphs except for Tellicos. Occasionally one would hit something else but not often. The fish are definately in feeding mode and scattered throughout the stream in just about every type of water. I relearned that you should never pass up even the tiniest pocket as many fish came out of places that were no more than 6 inches deep and perhaps one foot square. I hit a couple spots along LR on the way back down and picked up a nice 10 inch brown on the Tellico and saw lots of mayfly spinners out laying eggs. There were LOTS of BWO's hatching in the evening as well with good numbers of fish rising.
Today I hit a few spots along LR on the way towards Townsend and picked up a few fish and went over to West Prong and caught several more. A dry/dropper was working very well on West Prong with a very small red copper john being the most productive fly. I fished it under a lime trude and caught a couple on that as well.
On the way out I stopped by LRO to pick up a few tying materials. Byron came over and said that there was another board member there so I met Russ...nice to meet you btw...
Overall it was a great weekend. The hatches are kind of strange. It seems that the bulk of the Quill Gordons and Blue Quills are likely over because I was seeing so many spinners...:confused: The BWO's are going strong though and usually when I found rising fish, they were keying on the BWO's.