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Great! Which was your favorite story?

Jim Parks

Maybe if it was Starbucks! LOL....

Jim Parks

This Saturday at the Rustic Cow Ice-Cream and Coffee Shop, I will be doing my first book signing in my hometown for my book "Tails of the Smokies". I will have a limited amount of books on hand for...

Have you received it yet?

Thanks BigSur & everyone involved. The traditional New Years Day food was excellent as well as the shot cup of Woodford. The weather was great for fishing (rain) but gusting winds & tourists made...

I have a book just released called “Tails Of The Smokies”. As the title suggests, yes, it is “Tails” and not “Tales”, because there’s trout involved.

It’s a fictional book about a small town on...

JayR

Part of the problem that happened in 2000 was there had been serious bear problems at Rough Fork Campground with campers leaving in the middle of the night. So when Glenda & Ralph go up,...

The article is correct regarding 2 bears. I met Glenda once, and knew Ralph many years (he was one of my high school teachers). Ralph passed away a few yrs ago after struggling with cancer. I...

“No moonshine was made during this event!”

Jim Parks
Native Cocke Countian

I agree with JayR. If I'm fishing to keep trout, I'll keep 4 and wait till I get near the end of my trip to take the 5th, if that's my goal. Interestingly, its been years since I have been checked...

I'm with David. It depends on what I want. Sometimes simply driving to a spot is nice, sometimes a walk is needed for where I want to fish. Sometimes a camp is good to get away and focus on an...

My favorite rod for years has been a 9 ft 4 wt. But lately, I've been going to a 9 ft 6 wt. I like the extra fighting power of a 6 wt.

Jim Parks
#TailsOfTheSmokies

Thanks Hugh.

I’m hoping the book “Tails of the Smokies” will be out by August.

Jim Parks
Grampus

2020 has been a slow/tough year for me. Reconstructive foot surgery in January has resulted in a S-L-O-W recovery and limited my walking and fishing. I've also spent time teaching my last protege,...

As the saying goes, "rules are made to be broken". That's one of the reasons I avoid arguing with others about how to, but instead I go off my experience, realizing that I'm still learning after 42...

Would love to see the Black Ant pattern. Is it wet or dry?

Also like to see the red PT nymph.

You ever seen a female Adams?

Jim Parks

JayR,

I have NO idea what the trout think the guinea fly imitates! Years ago, I heard of the "Snickers Bar Theory". It states essentially that "trout get tuned into eating particular items, then...

I agree with Mr. Claus. That looks like a Pat's Nymph. A few weeks ago, I spoke to the inventor, Pat Proffitt from Newport, is a super nice gentleman. He started fishing the Smokies in 1961!
...

I made videos of how to split a crow feather to tie the crow fly. The same technique is used on the Guinea Fly. Three 1 min videos are on Instagram at #TailsOfTheSmokies
Also, the full video is...

JayR,
When yellow is working well, try a "Yellow Grizzly" nymph, which is simply a yellow body with a grizzly hackle palmered back to front. I use a #8 weighted. I'll take a photo of it and put it...

Look me up on Instagram and you will see the patterns. It's A LOT easier to load images there than on this forum :(

My Instagram account is TailOfTheSmokies or Jim Parks

Hugh,

For your blackbird soft hackle, what do you use for the "soft" hackle? For the crow fly, I use the short side of the split wing feathers, but that doesn't give me a soft hackle.

Jim Parks

I've been recovering from foot surgery from a fall roughly 17 yrs ago while fishing above Elkmont. Who says fly fishing is a gentle sport! Needless to say, I'm not one to sit around, thought I've...

I remember that 1994 flood! Well sorta. I was having a kidney stone removed (twins actually) at UT hospital.

Both of you have valid points. I will say that in my early days of fly-fishing...

I would recommend Big Creek. My first trip ever was at Big Creek on April 15, 1978. It's good for dry fly fishermen and nymphs. From there, you can take a short drive over to Greenbrier which is...