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email me at collinhays@sbcglobal.net as time approaches for some tips, places to stay, eat, etc. You will be near Amalia, which is quite literally in the middle of nowhere.

Well I got to fish the Valle Vidal last week and it was GREAT! Hooked a lot of nice rainbows, browns, and an occasional cutthroat. My son caught a 12 inch cut. Beautiful fish. We also happened on...

https://i.ibb.co/TrBgsdk/valle-vidal.jpg

https://ibb.co/R7pDqd9
https://ibb.co/R7pDqd9
You will LOVE the Rio Costilla! It is mostly open meadow fishing similar to what you might see in Idaho or...

Well I’m sure glad the local fisher showed us, and you guys confirmed how this is done. For a very infrequent fisher like me, it’s perfect because precision isn’t required. I really appreciate it...

that's just crazy. All I have ever heard is to "fish in the cafeteria line" - the slower runs with bubbles and other critters. I've always heard that fish aren't feeding (nor loitering) in the...

Good to know! My son and I were trying to "think like a fish" on the way back to TX and can't see how a fish looks at that thing sitting in fast current and considers it something to eat. But they...

The top bug is a dry, and when my son rigged up, one took the top, one took the wooly.

Guys I need some help unscrambling my brain. Before I tell you this story, this is not about fishing in the Smokies, but the point still remains. My favorite creeks in the entire world are Cosby...

I didn't realize all of this until me and my son fished with David once. My son landed a chunky rainbow with David's assistance (I believe David said it was one of the larger rainbows he'd seen...

Hello Hokie. Just email me at chays_chays@yahoo.com.

Talk soon!

If you want your kids to catch fish, don't forget about Roaring Fork outside of the national Park but in the city limits. My cabin is on this stretch, it is seldom fished, and it's easy to catch...

I think I need to clarify: Its rare that I don’t catch fish in the smokies. It’s just not particularly prolific given what you have to put out. It seems weird that you are wading a 300 cfs river...

I went with Ian Rutter a couple of times and he's really helpful, but I got more help from David Knapp than anyone. My son landed a pretty large rainbow that day and David said it was one of the...

From where I live in the Texas panhandle, I can be on a lot of good water in about a 4 to 5 hour drive. In NM, I fish Valle Vidal, Pecos, Rio Hondo, and Cimarron Canyon pretty regularly. In CO, I...

I actually fish the Smokies several times a year and have been doing so since along about 2005, but your point is taken.

And I would be most delighted if my "average" catch for the day was 6...

Not sure where you got your info, but Comanche Creek and Valle Vidal are not stocked. In 2010, there was a massive fishing derby (keep all you want!) and subsequent shocking as part of a carefully...

We love Cosby Creek and have a lot of memories there. We prefer small stream fishing. Of course in NM or CO, a watershed such as Cosby wouldnt be considered small, and would yield pretty darn good...

sorry guys, I was pretty negative after a couple of pretty slow days. There are definitely things I love about the Smokies over my NM and CO haunts. Number one, you can fish the Smokies pretty much...

Fished yesterday at Elkmont with droppers. Caught one fish 6 inches long.

All day today on Cosby creek. Between my son and I, we brought 9 to hand over 6 hours, one longer than 6 inches.

You...

Can you explain what a furled leader is?

OK another related question. Let's say you are fishing deep for a brown trout - maybe 4-5 feet below the surface. How/where do you attach that 4-5 feet as it relates to the existing leader of say...

Guys this is great info! Thank you so much! I had no idea about cutting off the butt end of the leader but that makes sense. Thanks again.

Byron had some excellent points in today's fishing report. One is, you might need a heavier (4X or 3X) leader for larger dry flies. But what is meant my larger flies? 12, 14?

Also, what...

Thanks Jim! So do you still go to the bottom with a standard 7.5 leader? 3X or 4X? Do you use a strike indicator? I'm still trying to figure out the setup.

As you all might recall, I lost a cabin in the Gatlinburg fires in late 2016. I am so underwater ;) on the rebuild that I'll never come out, but I hope some of you fishers might stop in for a weekend...