ACinEastTN
12-16-2007, 02:31 PM
I fished all day Saturday. I have been there three other times this fall since the first delayed harvest stock. The fishing was rough at best. The trout had alot of fishing pressure on them and the water was scary low. I grew up fishing this stream and had never seen it this low. So since we have been getting rain and the forecast showed for a moderate overcast day I decided to give Watauga a break for the weekend.
I was right about both assumptions on the weather. The water flow had returned and the clouds were out. Previously when the flow was down the fish were more less trapped in what few deep holes that remained. They have spread out now with the chance at new water. This made for better opportunites in the "off the road" more secluded holes. I was throwing an egg pattern, more for an indicator, followed by a BHPT in olive. This seemed to be the ticket earlier in the day. You really do have to sneak up on these fish. They have been fished heavily and will spook very easily. I didn't see any hatch to speak of, but I did see trout rising. The best I could gather was they were picking off some flying ants that kept bothering me all day. In the afternoon I switched to the ol trusty stocker trout fly, black wooly bugger, and got alot of chasing and two fish.
I love going back home to fish this area. In warmer months this place offers the creek and smallmouth opportunites when it empties into the French Broad about 7-10 miles downstream from the campground. Plus you can stop in Hot Springs, NC and have a pint and hot tub after a long day of climbing rocks and hiking the stream.
http://http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj61/christianaaron/pc1.jpg
http://http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj61/christianaaron/pc.jpg
http://http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj61/christianaaron/PaintCreek1.jpg
I was right about both assumptions on the weather. The water flow had returned and the clouds were out. Previously when the flow was down the fish were more less trapped in what few deep holes that remained. They have spread out now with the chance at new water. This made for better opportunites in the "off the road" more secluded holes. I was throwing an egg pattern, more for an indicator, followed by a BHPT in olive. This seemed to be the ticket earlier in the day. You really do have to sneak up on these fish. They have been fished heavily and will spook very easily. I didn't see any hatch to speak of, but I did see trout rising. The best I could gather was they were picking off some flying ants that kept bothering me all day. In the afternoon I switched to the ol trusty stocker trout fly, black wooly bugger, and got alot of chasing and two fish.
I love going back home to fish this area. In warmer months this place offers the creek and smallmouth opportunites when it empties into the French Broad about 7-10 miles downstream from the campground. Plus you can stop in Hot Springs, NC and have a pint and hot tub after a long day of climbing rocks and hiking the stream.
http://http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj61/christianaaron/pc1.jpg
http://http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj61/christianaaron/pc.jpg
http://http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj61/christianaaron/PaintCreek1.jpg