FIVE FLIES FOR OCTOBER
If you are fishing the South Holston or Watauga Rivers during this October, these are five flies you want to bring in your box.
1. Micro Olive Bullet Perdigon #20
We’ve been fishing the Micro Olive on the South Holston a ton lately. This specific fly does not have jig hook, the larger versions do. We like those also, but for this month the smaller version has really been fishing well. On the 1300CFS generation on the South Holston over the last few weeks, we have been bottom bouncing this fly. It will also fish well on a standard in-line rig.
2. Mayhem Midge #18-20
The Mayhem Midge does not get the love it deserves. We fish it on both rivers for bottom bounce and in-line rigs. It also fishes great as a dropper under a dry fly on both low and high-water scenarios. It comes in a variety of colors. We prefer the Olive, Yellow, or Black patterns.
3. Purple Frenchie #18
The Purple Frenchie is a well-known pattern on our local tailwaters. It is incredibly versatile and can be fished on any rig. We prefer jig hooks on these flies most of the time and definitely fish the most slender profile available. We carry versions with a thread body and a pheasant tail body at our shop. Some days they prefer one variation over the other.
4. BWO Puffdaddy #18
For our dry fly anglers, we are starting to see some really good Blue-Winged Olive hatches. The Puffdaddy is one of the most popular dry flies on our rivers for good reason. It straight up fishes. Don’t go to the river without some. Make sure to have a proper floatant system to keep it riding high after you catch a few fish.
5. Sulphur CDC Comparadun #16-18
We are still seeing a solid amount of Sulphurs hatching in the afternoons. For that reason, the Sulphur CDC Comparadun is a fly you don’t want to forget. It floats high allowing you to add a dropper if desired and fish will eat it willingly if presented well. Keep your leader long and your tippet light. Enjoy this great time of year to get out and fish!