Flies???

[BlueRaiderFan]

Originally Posted by grizzly

Is the Holston River below Cherokee Dam also referred to as the south holston river And if it is not does this hatch chart match good enough

Areas of the Holston:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holston_River

And yes, those charts should be fine.

[ChemEAngler]

All of the hatch charts previously posted can be found at the following link and are produced by Mr. Hugh Hartsell.

http://www.smokymountainflyguide.com/East%20Tennessee%20tailwaters%20hatch%20charts.htm

Regarding the similarities of the South Holston tailwater to the Holston tailwater below Cherokee, there is very little other than the name. The South Holston has phenomenal sulfur, blackfly, BWO, and midge hatches. The Holston is known as more of a caddis tailwater with somes midges and BWO's thrown in there. The hatch chart given below will not benefit you very much below Cherokee dam.

If you are going to fish the Holston, have some caddis larvae and pupae in #16 & 18, elk hair caddis (tan, black, & olive) in 16 &18, zebra midges as mentioned by somebody previously, and some BHPT's in 16 thru 20, and you should be covered.

One common mistake by beginning flyfisherman is using flies that are too large and are typically carried by the big box stores. Using a #12 BHPT will most likely get you nowhere on the holston. Same as if you were using a #12 elk hair caddis. Sure is easy to see, but does a poor job of imitating the size of the most abundant food source.

Secondly, get yourself some 9' 5x leaders. Also buy yourself some 6x fluorocarbon tippet material, it will make a significant difference as well.

[Fishermansfly]

Retracted.......

[BlueRaiderFan]

Back to fly fishing.

[TNFishnstix]

Originally Posted by grizzly

Is the Holston River below Cherokee Dam also referred to as the south holston river And if it is not does this hatch chart match good enough

Grizz, two different rivers. The Holston is as you described, below Cherokee, the SoHo as many call the South Holston is in the very upper north east portion of the state. Many of the same bugs work in both places.

http://www.holstoncastaways.com/river.html
http://www.tva.com/sites/sholston.htm
http://lakeinfo.tva.gov/htbin/lakein...bmit=View+info

[jarrod white]

I think it is very kind to share a little information, however, I also think there is no substitute for time on the river. I feel like just because one man has paid his dues and figured things out on a particular body of water, it is almost an insult to ask him for very many details. I have offered advice to a struggling fisherman before, but I am pretty tight lipped when asked. I just feel like just because some people spend many hours and many years experimenting and learning, why would you want to just give it to Joe Schmo who decides he wants to start fly fishing, he needs to invest some time into it on his own.
Perhaps a casting lesson or two, and a couple of introductory books would be a great start and I am sure that Byron would be more than willing to help you out.

JW

[David Knapp]

Try soft hackles...

[BlueRaiderFan]

Originally Posted by jarrod white

I think it is very kind to share a little information, however, I also think there is no substitute for time on the river. I feel like just because one man has paid his dues and figured things out on a particular body of water, it is almost an insult to ask him for very many details. I have offered advice to a struggling fisherman before, but I am pretty tight lipped when asked. I just feel like just because some people spend many hours and many years experimenting and learning, why would you want to just give it to Joe Schmo who decides he wants to start fly fishing, he needs to invest some time into it on his own.
Perhaps a casting lesson or two, and a couple of introductory books would be a great start and I am sure that Byron would be more than willing to help you out.

JW

Jarrod,

Good point. I try and give enough to get them on the river catching stockers and leave it at that. I figure the more people we have fishing, the more influence we have on the river. There is so much more to it than what I told him. Good advice on reading books. I've learned a lot by reading what others have learned over years. I don't get out enough to apply it, but I sure like to learn different techniques. If he wants to catch the big one's, he'll have to know a lot more than what I've posted, but you do bring up a good point. If I had my way, every one that fishes for trout for sport would fly fish.

[PeteCz]

Originally Posted by jarrod white

I feel like just because one man has paid his dues and figured things out on a particular body of water, it is almost an insult to ask him for very many details. I have offered advice to a struggling fisherman before, but I am pretty tight lipped when asked. I just feel like just because some people spend many hours and many years experimenting and learning, why would you want to just give it to Joe Schmo who decides he wants to start fly fishing, he needs to invest some time into it on his own.

I don't mean to start a fight here, but I disagree. Grizzly, was merely asking a simple question. There is a reason why the number of folks who fish is dwindling and part of it has to do with that fact that there are so few of us encouraging others to take up the sport. And no one will continue trying something if they have limited to no success. There is no way that helping a beginner to pick out a few flies will take away anything from your fishing pleasure. In fact, the next person you help could end up being very connected politically and assist us in improving the quality of our fisheries. If you don't want to help, don't help. But unless you picked up everything on your own, you probably had help at some point as well. I as you ti think about "paying-it-forward". Many folks have helped me through the years and while there is no replacement for time on the water, a little nudge in the right direction might just be enough to help this person. I always try to help if I can. Many have done the same for me.

Here is what he asked:

Originally Posted by grizzly

I am an absolute beginner at fly fishing and am wondering what are the basic flies to buy and use. I fish the Holston and was there the other day. The guy near me was slaying the trout on nymphs. That's all I could get out of him. All i had were dry flies so I only got one bite. Any help would be very helpful. I plan on stocking my flybox pretty soon, but just don't really have a clue!

The guy he talked to didn't have to give out his secret fly. All he really wanted to know is what nymphs should he go purchase...seems pretty harmless.

Had he asked about a particular fly, in a particular place, at a particular then I would completely agree with you (and the guy he ran into on the stream). We can all spot the folks who are trying to take short-cuts to wisdom and I don't think that is the case here. We should try and help those who are interested in taking up the sport. The more folks we have interested in it, the less likelihood it will get regulated into legislative oblivion.

[Fishermansfly]

The Internet is a global network of interconnected computers, enabling users to share information along multiple channels. Typically, a computer that connects to the Internet can access information from a vast array of available servers and other computers by moving information from them to the computer's local memory. The same connection allows that computer to send information to servers on the network; that information is in turn accessed and potentially modified by a variety of other interconnected computers. A majority of widely accessible information on the Internet consists of inter-linked hypertext documents and other resources of the World Wide Web (WWW). Computer users typically manage sent and received information with web browsers; other software for users' interface with computer networks includes specialized programs for electronic mail, online chat, file transfer and file sharing.
The movement of information in the Internet is achieved via a system of interconnected computer networks that share data by packet switching using the standardized Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP). It is a "network of networks" that consists of millions of private and public, academic, business, and government networks of local to global scope that are linked by copper wires, fiber-optic cables, wireless connections, and other technologies.

Wiki Def-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet

Gotta love the net! But seriously you both bring up good points and something I struggle with frequently. It seems to becoming more and more prevelant as the days pass! Information sharing in fly fishing. More frequently known in fly fishing as "Hot Spotting!" I also believe that someone who jumps in for there first time knowing every secret is not being verry sporty and takes the fun out of the sport. I think that's where you were going with what you said. I think everyone deserves to get the ol fish slap every once and a while. It hones our skills and makes us better fisherpersons!

It's a double edge sword we walk when sharing info. We want the sport to thrive to drive down costs of rods and fly fishing specialty equipment, but we seem scared to share information to help a new fellow out.

Remember that 10% of the fisherman catch 1% of the fish! Something to think about. I don't know where or how the phrase was "coined" but as I continue to fish this becomes a more realistic number.

Finally for the original question. Take a day off brother and spend it at LRO on a slow day. Pick there brains that's what they get paid to do. I hope you enjoy the sport as much as I have and currently do. I hope you do well and learn quickly!

~Brett