Spent a couple hours in Elkmont
 

I decided to try and fish the park today. I haven't really fished it before and really don't know my way around.

I walked up the Pigeon River trail for a few minutes and decided to get started.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...t/IMG_1929.jpg

I was using a Pheasant Tail with a stick on strike indicator. Only a few casts in and I caught this guy.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...t/IMG_1928.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...t/IMG_1927.jpg

And that's all I caught...I was a little disappointed that I only caught one, but it was definitely bigger than what I expected fishing in the park.

I want to take more trips up to the park, but I may need more direction as to what I was doing wrong.

Man, looks like you did something right to me. I don't know how much you know so I'll say this: Be quiet and don't wade unless you have to...across stream mend on a dry. Don't wear bright clothes. Kneel to cast if you can. I like to use a yellow dry. You may want to give it a shot. Don't know if any of this helps.

I tied on a yellow stimulator for awhile with no luck. I hadn't seen any rises during the time I was there, so I switched back to the BHPT. I think the main problem I had was trying to cast across stream and not being able to get a natural drift. The dry fly was getting pulled under a lot.

One thing I love about the park is not having to mess with waders. I mostly stayed on the bank, but I had on shorts and Vibram fivefingers for grip on the rocks when I stepped in.

Ah good. Sounds like you know how to fish the park. I'll say this though; I don't wait for rises. In my experience if you wait for them to rise to dries, you can be waiting a long time some days. I like yellow stimis but I prefer something that has even more yellow on it. Anyway, you probably know more than I do. Could have just been a bad day, but at least you didn't get skunked.

The only info I have on the park is from this forum :biggrin:

I've seen people say to use a dry with a dropper, but I didn't try that. May be a dumb question, but wouldn't that drag the dry fly under?

Not if you match em up...for instance; a size 18 dry with a size 14 dropper might not be the best idea. I don't use droppers in the park but on the tailwaters I usually go with a nice big dry I can see and then a little midge or nymph. I don't like droppers in the park so far but I haven't fished it nearly as much as other because I live so far away (relatively speaking). I get caught up a lot with one on due to wood in the water etc but if you're careful and pick your runs well, I bet they aren't so difficult. I need to rig a dry dropper up when I go next. Probably catch more feesh.

Nice brown...

There, I fixed it for ya... ;)
You may not see rises and you might not catch as many but if you are persistent, you will be rewarded. There are some 'big-uns' in that stream...

Tight Lines,

I have fished the park for 3 years now and never caught a brown that nice. You got it on your first try. Very nice! Nothing at all to be disappointed about!:smile:

How big is big? I think mine was a 16 or so...

Do you normally fish dries in the fast rapids or just the slow areas/pools? I really want to catch a fish with a dry fly because I never have before.

Go ahead and hang it up...you've been spoiled too early. Maybe you can guide BRF to the big browns that have eluded him...:confused: