RE: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} South Holston River Fishing

[Rob Pallace]

Mike Hotra, is that you?

Rob Pallace

 

From: tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com [mailto:tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Michael Hotra
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2012 4:55 PM
To: tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com
Subject: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} South Holston River Fishing

 

I had an opportunity to fish the South Holston River in TN last week -- a dam controlled river in East Tennessee that stays a constant temperature year-round. I got a guide -- the general trend is wade in the morning and drift boat in the afternoon, when the dam releases, and waters rise.

 

Guide said that the river averages 6000 trout/mile. Was some of the most technically challenging fishing I've experienced -- felt less like I was fishing, and more like hunting fish. River was 1-2 feet deep, the water was crystal clear.  Most of the trout (browns and rainbows) are non-stocked, and very leader-shy. Fished 7x flouro tippet on a 12 foot leader.   

 

Mostly teeny midges and nymphs in the early morning. When the sun came out, and fog cleared the sulphur hatch took off. As the guide said, "it's on like Donkey Kong." Trout breaking everywhere, and hitting an abundant hatch. Very picky on presentation. -- mostly size 22 and 24 sluphurs with never-ending mends. All the takes -- save one -- were on the drift along bubble seams in the current. Any drag at all on the fly, and the fish weren't interested. Got 6 fish, and broke of two more.

 

Found two friendly helpful resources-- Virginia Creeper Fly Shop in Abingdon VA, and South Holston Fly Shop, adjacent to the dam. Both were happy to chat about local patterns and other trout streams in the area. 

 

 

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[Michael Hotra]

Rob. Good to hear from you! It is. 

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[Dalton Terrell]

Glad to see your report, a couple former TPFRers (Frank and Steve) are down there this weekend and if I didn't have family obligations I would've joined them. The South Holston is definitely one of my favorite places to fish; hatches are absolutely incredible, with Sulphurs coming off 365 days a year if the weather is right and BWOs if it isn't. 

Just a heads up if anyone else is heading down there, they just released a mobile app with the release schedule, see the link here:  http://www.tva.com/river/mobile_app.htm 

Dalton

[Eric Y.]

Great river, I used to live just about two hours away. Probably my clumsiness and ogre-like presence, but I was basically only able to catch fish there on a tenkara rod with 7-8x. Always makes for a great - albeit frustrating - day.