8 days and counting........

[fish1onthefly]

I leave in 8 days for Townsend. I can't wait.. My first trip to fish this part of the world. After reading here for a couple months ..
I have plans to get out and fish the Sams creek area. Any other suggestions for a first timer?
I have the maps and trail guide....I do not mind a good walk but plan to do most of my fishing in the early morning about daybreak till noon.
Thanks..

[pineman19]

Hello,

You may want to consider fishing in the later part of the day (6:00pm to dark) to catch the yellow sally hatches that are coming off this time of year at least once during your trip. It can be a very productive time if you catch a good hatch.


Have fun!
Neal

http://pineman19.blogspot.com/

[buzzmcmanus]

I've been fishing some evenings the past couple weeks. Last night at 8:30 bucket loads of yellow sallies were in the air. There were fish litterally jumping all around me. This is something you have to experience if you are in the area this time of year. Fishing in the mornings can be good, but evening fishing can be phenominal.

[pineman19]

Buzz,

Thats great to hear. I fished last weekend at Greenbriar in the moring till afternoon and it was good, but I wanna catch the sallie hatch on my next excursion. Two years ago about this time of year I was fishing the WPLP above Campbells Overlook during the last few hours of daylight and it was similar to your report. The closer to dusk, the more it heated up! I couldn't see my fly anymore but I would raise my rod when there was a slurp near where I thought my fly was and it was a grand time. I need to focus on the early evenings at this time of year.


Have fun,

Neal

http://pineman19.blogspot.com/

[PeteCz]

Originally Posted by buzzmcmanus

I've been fishing some evenings the past couple weeks. Last night at 8:30 bucket loads of yellow sallies were in the air. There were fish litterally jumping all around me. This is something you have to experience if you are in the area this time of year. Fishing in the mornings can be good, but evening fishing can be phenominal.

Based on what Hans and I discussed last week, plus Buzz's post above, I decided to head up toward Elkmont this evening and try some evening fishing. I found a nice section of stream at about 7:30p and started in.

Yellow Sallies (and some other bugs, as well) were hatching, but the fish weren't all that interested. I got a few splashes on several different dries, but couldn't entice any real strikes. I moved to another spot, just downstream and about 8:30p, it seemed like someone flipped a switch. I hooked 5 fish in 5 casts. I only got two of them to hand. Two others I ripped the fly out of their mouth and one I thought I had a good hookset, but he jumped and spit.

The two I brought in were 8" fatties. They were shaped like little footballs and fought awfully hard (leaping several times). There were fish sipping and jumping for about 20 minutes and then just like that, it stopped. Of course an otter just happened into the area at about 8:50p, so that may have had something to do with it as well...


Don't be afraid of the dark....

[buzzmcmanus]

Pete,
Good to hear you caught some. When I fished the other day, I ended up catching multiple fish out of the same pool. That very rarely happens with me. I'd catch 2 or 3 fish out of a pool, move up to the next pool, and catch a few more. By then, the first pool I'd just fished would have fish rising in it again. So, I'd just let my fly drift back down through it and I'd start catching fish agian. It was truly a first for me. I probably could have just rotated through 3 pools the whole evening. I'm heading out agian this afternoon with a buddy and we'll see what happens.

[buzzmcmanus]

Thought I'd throw another update on here since it doesn't seem that this board is getting much action. I fished Saturday and it was slow going until about 8:15. Then again, someone threw the switch and I caught fish consistantly until it was too dark to see. I plan on running back out this evening. Maybe going to go somewhere up a little closer to Elkmont and see how I do.




I didn't realize how dead that fish looks. Must be the flash in its eye because it swam off like no tommorow when released. You'll have to believe me when I say that I don't carry dead fish around to take pictures of.

[fish1onthefly]

I am still counting down the days and from your posts looks like I need to keep the evenings free! Thanks for the pic's!

[PeteCz]

Originally Posted by buzzmcmanus

I didn't realize how dead that fish looks. Must be the flash in its eye because it swam off like no tommorow when released. You'll have to believe me when I say that I don't carry dead fish around to take pictures of.

It looks like the same dead fish you took a picture of a few days before...


Buzz, That fly looks like a #18 (or smaller) Yellow Foam Bodied Comparadun. The area below Elkmont that I had been fishing seemed to have #12 (#14 at the smallest) Yellow Sallies, and while I have managed to catch 2-3 each night, I had a tremendous amount of raucous splashes without hookups, as well. I may have to try something even smaller than the #14 I had been using (instead of going larger...). Thanks for the pic!

[pineman19]

Buzz,

You gonna let Pete bust on you like that He usually doesn't include pics in his fishing TALES.

Myself, I can't use them real small flies anymore, getting too old and can't see the little buggers.


Have fun, Neal