Fishing Success?

[xvigauge]

I have been reading Byron's fishing reports every morning for a long time. This week he says that fishing is good in the Smokies. With all due respects to Byron, I just can't agree. I have not caught anything this week. Yesterday, the water was stained a coffee brown. I had one light hit on a Quill Gordon wet fly and that was it. Maybe fishing is good for some of you but it is not good for me. If it doesn't get any better, I might just quit fishing altogether and collect, buy, trade, and sell vintage fly rods and fly reels like some other old guys I know.
Joe

[JayR]

There are many variables that contribute to success in trout fishing and the Smokies in particular.

Your approach, stealth, fly choice, tippet choice, time of day, stream pressure, etc., etc.

i have seen and and talked to many who have said the same thing after being humbled by the GSMNP.

[KevinD62]

Willingness to try something different also such as fishing places you might think the fish " are not" under different water conditions. Recently went and fished some moderately high water conditions in GSMNP. Water was stained pretty good. Not chocolate milk, but as close to a YooHoo as you could get. Getting skunked in the main river. Decided to break off in to a feeder branch. Drove about a half mile upstream. Same set up and same flies. Landed 4 fish in less than an hour in the first place I stopped. Sometimes a drastic move is all it takes.

[Grampus]

I read Byron’s report and fished above Elkmont Campground yesterday, Friday the 25th. I caught 40+ on one of Byron’s recommended patterns, ie: pink worm. The day’s catch on the pink worm including the Smoky Mtn Slam and kept 5 for dinner.

I’ve been fishing weighted nymphs for years, with much success. Too many fishermen I speak with simply refuse to try different patterns if they don’t fit the style they wish to use. Personally, I’d rather catch 40+ on any given day than to see a couple “rise to a dry”. And I’d much rather feel the hard shake of a big brown somewhere beneath the surface as I await to see how big it is, than to see a small trout take a dry.

But to each their own.

Thanks Byron for your recommendations!

Jim Parks

[elkhaircaddis]

I would classify Fishing in the smoky mountain national park as good as long as it’s warm outside, barring a drought, flood, or the rare jungle fire like last year

[just a hillbilly]

When the water gets high, you just have to head further upstream and /or change your tactics.

[xvigauge]

Clint Eastwood said, in one of his movies, "A man has to know his limitations." Part of my problem could be my "limitations." I am partially disabled in that I cannot walk very well. I can no longer wade at all. There are many good looking spots in the Park that I have to pass up because I cannot get to them whereas most younger people and many older people can get to them with no problem. I cannot walk even a mile or so to get to a good spot, so, I have to be happy with spots that are extremely accessible from the road with a minimum of brush and incline. I just keep looking for those spots and hope they have not been too heavily accessed by fishermen or swimmers. But, I will take the advice of all of the above posters and will keep on trying and will try different tactics as long as I am able.
Joe

[JayR]

Clint Eastwood said, in one of his movies, "A man has to know his limitations." Part of my problem could be my "limitations." I am partially disabled in that I cannot walk very well. I can no longer wade at all. There are many good looking spots in the Park that I have to pass up because I cannot get to them whereas most younger people and many older people can get to them with no problem. I cannot walk even a mile or so to get to a good spot, so, I have to be happy with spots that are extremely accessible from the road with a minimum of brush and incline. I just keep looking for those spots and hope they have not been too heavily accessed by fishermen or swimmers. But, I will take the advice of all of the above posters and will keep on trying and will try different tactics as long as I am able.
Joe

Due to to the areas you are able to fish, my advice would be to get there as early as you can. At least that way you could be the first to fish those well fished spots.

[just a hillbilly]

Went out today. High, stained water. Weighted nymphs. Fish or two from almost every hole.

[xvigauge]

Went out today. High, stained water. Weighted nymphs. Fish or two from almost every hole.

Wish I could do that.
Joe