January River Report - South Holston & Watauga Rivers
PAT DORSEY FLY TYING SEMINAR
As our prime season gets closer and closer, we will be having some great events to stoke your fishing fire.
If you are a fly tier, you are seriously not going to want to miss the opportunity to hang out with and watch Pat Dorsey tie at our shop on March 16. Tickets are going quick so definitely don’t delay or else they will be gone for good!
Other events coming soon:
FEB 17 - Fly Rod Rigging
FEB 23 - East TN Nymphing
APR 13 - Season Kick Off
MAY 18 - East TN Dry Fly
SOUTH HOLSTON RIVER
We are turning a corner. January is coming to a close and that means the South Holston River will be fully open for fishing as of February 1st.
The fishing over the last month was solid given the time of year. We had a significant amount of high water with the rain and snow that we received. There were a few wading windows but it was hard to make work for our out-of-town wade anglers.
While there was some cold, nasty weather in January, we did have some very nice days as well. Streamer fishing has been dang good on both rivers. On the SOHO, I (Jacob) have had some real fun days swinging with my two-handed Skagit rod. White wooly buggers and gold Krelix have been hot! This could be good on low-water too in certain sections, even with a one-handed 5WT that you have already. We’ve also had good action on white Dungeons and Unholy Divers. When in doubt, just fish white.
Nymph bite has been pretty ho-hum. Small BWO and Midge patterns for us. Seems like fishing in-line on high water was better than bottom-bouncing. On low-water, dry-droppers are still producing. We have been picking up a streamer rig or dry flies as much as possible lately!
Fishing Ideas for Wader Anglers:
Fish lower on the river to give yourself more time before the high-water hits you. (Ask us if you have questions.)
Head over to the Watauga which has been fishing solid.
Head up to the mountains. We’ve gotten some good reports from up in the high country that fishing is good!
Come to the shop, tie flies, hang out, and a drink beer if all else fails!
DRY FLY FISHING
What is truly amazing about our fishery is that when we guided on the coldest, nastiest day of the year, we were able to do some dry fly fishing. We say it often, but it’s worth repeating, our area is no doubt one of the best places east of the Mississippi River to dry fly fish for trout.
Recently, bug activity has been low. While we are still seeing some BWO and Midges, we haven’t experienced many huge hatches. The good news is that when this is the case, we can still “force feed” the fish a dry fly. Look for soft edges and seams. If you are on high water, the deadfall on the river's edge is a great place to start. On low water, prospect behind rocks and current breaks. Be ready on your first few cast for a trout to eat your fly. Often times when “force feeding”, the fish are reluctant to try again after missed opportunities.
Even though you won’t see many Sulphurs, try one as your lead fly. It seems this can often incentivize an eager trout to come investigate. To seal the deal, put on a BWO dry or emerger behind it. 18”. We really like HeadHunters Nylon tippet for our dry fly fishing. It’s crazy supple which definitely helps the drift be as drag-free as possible.
LOOKING AHEAD
There is likely still some winter weather on the horizon but the feelings of spring are starting to creep in. The trout fishing will only improve from here as pressure is able to spread out more across the recently open sections of the river. We expect bug activity to pick up as well. Consistent BWO and Sulphurs hatches shouldn’t be too far away.
Anyone else already getting excited and interested in the cicada situation this year? Will this be the year it blows up? Feels like we heard that same tune the last couple years…time will tell!
Click here for the South Holston Dam generation schedule!
Suggested Patterns
Nymphs
Black and Copper Midge #18-20
Rainbow Sow Bug #18
Weiss Dark #18-20
Pegged Egg #18-20
Dry Flies
Sulphur Comparadun #18
Jake’s Fluffer Sulphur #18
Morgan’s Midge #18-20
BWO Sparkle Dun #20
WATAUGA RIVER
While the Watauga is usually a good bet for our wade fisherman, in January things were a bit tough. Yes, there were still some wading opportunities but there was a lot of high water. This made things interesting for our boat anglers. We turned primarily to the streamer game and it paid off. Don’t be afraid to try bigger and junkier flies this time of year. Fish your flies from “Out West” if you’ve got them.
When you are getting stumped wade fishing with your standard operating procedures, definitely give swinging soft-hackle flies a try. One of our suggestions that paid off big time was trying around Hunter Bridge with a 9’ 5X leader + 8-10” of 6X tippet + Olive & Starling soft hackles. The flat, steady sections of the river is the type of water you are looking for.
Click here for the Wilbur Dam generation schedule!
Suggested Patterns
Nymphs
Frenchie #16
Squirmy Worm
RC Leggy #16
Duracell Jig #16
Soft-Hackles
Olive and Starling #16
Soft-Hackle Baetis #16
Patridge and Orange #16
Streamers
Black Dungeon
White Dungeon
Peanut Envy
White Unholy Diver
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Abel and Ross Reels
Did you know that we are proud new dealers for Abel reels? We’ve got a few reels in stock now and would love to work with you to design your own custom reel.
Shuttle Service Contacts
Both guys will be solid shuttles on the South Holston and Watauga! Tell them we sent you.
Ronny - 423-737-7767
Jeff - 423-741-4884