Great day on SoHo - 8/17

[psnapp]

Drove up to the SoHo this morning to meet an old friend, Hugh Hartsell. TVA posted that they were sluicing until further notice, but they must have decided to generate a little, too ... water was too high to wade early this morn, so we made a quick side trip to the Watauga where we picked up several small ones on nymphs. Got back to the SoHo around 1 and waded down below the grates. Around 2 the sulphurs started hatching in numbers, and we had an excellent day fishing sulphur dries and emergers ... the emerger that Hugh ties is a killer! Fish were rising all around, and didn't seem to mind getting "lined" or having drag on the fly ... they were in a feeding frenzy and were zeroed in on both the duns and emergers.

If you get a chance to fish the SoHo in the afternoons while TVA is sluicing, it is an excellent time to get into some "hot" dry fly and emerger action!

[Wilson10]

Phil,
Glad you had a good day. Thats a great fishery. Sounds like even I could catch a trout on a dry fly in that frenzy

Thanks for sharing your report on the soho. I've been hearing some good reports coming from up there.

[MadisonBoats]

Originally Posted by psnapp

Drove up to the SoHo this morning to meet an old friend, Hugh Hartsell. TVA posted that they were sluicing until further notice, but they must have decided to generate a little, too ... water was too high to wade early this morn, so we made a quick side trip to the Watauga where we picked up several small ones on nymphs. Got back to the SoHo around 1 and waded down below the grates. Around 2 the sulphurs started hatching in numbers, and we had an excellent day fishing sulphur dries and emergers ... the emerger that Hugh ties is a killer! Fish were rising all around, and didn't seem to mind getting "lined" or having drag on the fly ... they were in a feeding frenzy and were zeroed in on both the duns and emergers.

If you get a chance to fish the SoHo in the afternoons while TVA is sluicing, it is an excellent time to get into some "hot" dry fly and emerger action!

That river is insane for dry fly action. I glad you got to fish with Hugh Hartsell. That guy has helped me immensely with his posts and website patterns. Probably more than any other person I have met online.

[JoeFred]

It's hard to beat the S. Holston tailwaters. I took my brother, who introduced me to the sport, to the Riverbend area on a gorgeous, foggy morning. In spite of his having fished in all fifty states, he said it is one of the nicest stretches of water he has ever encountered.

I'm anxious to meet Hugh, being a fellow Hamblen Countian.

JF

[kentuckytroutbum]

Hugh is a great guide and fly tyier. He, and his wife Carolyn have guided Barbara & I numerous times in the GSMNP and on the SoHo. Both of them are patient instructors willing to help newbies get acclimated to fly flinging, and to reading the water in search of trout. I can always go to his website and look at flies that he has tied, and his suggestions on where & how to use them.

If you get a chance, you should take the opportunity to meet with him and share ideas.

Bill

[flyman]

Phil I was over there this weekend, we didn't catch a fish, I didn't even see any fish Glad to see both of you get out and sore lip a few.

[psnapp]

Flyman! You been in the closet? Good to hear you're still kickin' ... if you didn't catch any, then you must not have tied one on!

[DBKSTONE2]

Can you wade the SOHO on 660 sluice? I have never been and was thinking of heading that way tomorrow morning (3 hour drive). Any suggestions on dries and nymphs? I appreciate the help.

Thanks,

DBKStone

[psnapp]

DBK -- it is wadable @ 660 cfs, just gotta be careful. I crossed the river down below the grates ... it was swift, but wadable. Comparaduns and a sulphur emerger should work just fine.

[MadisonBoats]

Originally Posted by DBKSTONE2

Can you wade the SOHO on 660 sluice? I have never been and was thinking of heading that way tomorrow morning (3 hour drive). Any suggestions on dries and nymphs? I appreciate the help.

Thanks,

DBKStone

I wade it and get out on the outer-meander; or the shallow side and drop woolly buggers during and on the tail end. It is pretty much one fish per cast during that time frame.