March River Report 2023 - South Holston & Watauga Rivers
South HolstoN RIVER
Throughout March, there were limited wading flows. As we drift into April, we will see much more consistent wading opportunities. If you are a wade angler, this is a great time of year to get out on the water.
We had a 400 flow on the SOHO for a couple weeks in March that made for great wade and boat fishing. A typical In-Line Rig, with a Spanish Bullet Quill as our point fly was the standard setup. The fast-sinking perdigon style fly allowed us to not need additional weight. By eliminating additional weight, this makes the rig an even more stealthy presentation to fish. With high-pressured fish in low, clear water, we like to take every advantage we can get. Below the perdigon, we found a #20 Stripper Midge was the ticket. If we get this flow again, make sure to get on it!
Currently the Average Outflow on the South Holston is 140-160 CFS. On this flow, we like to switch to a true dry-dropper setup. For our dry fly, we have been liking the #16 Pink Albert. For the dropper, we have been using a #18-20 BWO emerger or midge dropper. 20 inches of 5.5-6x fluorocarbon between the two flies seems to do the trick.
Even with a variety of flows, we have been seeing good bug activity of Baetis, midges, and small caddis. In April, the Sulfur activity will ramp up for the year. We are trending towards a very productive dry fly season. Now is the time to get your fly boxes organized and ready to roll!
At 140-160 CFS, there are some areas where you can still fish in a boat. However, we advise to proceed with caution. If you do not have experience rowing this flow, just give us a call and we are always happy to give our recommendations.
Look out for big spring rain events, this can change up the flow schedule so keep your eye out. We will try to keep you updated on social media as that happens.
Dry Fly Fishing
In March, we saw some pretty solid dry fly action when the right conditions occurred. On cold, rainy days we had some fantastic Baetis hatches. Our setup was our standard SOHO dry fly rig. Long leaders, light tippet, you know the deal…
Going into April, the Sulphur dry fly fishing should be picking up! Expect to see both Baetis and Sulphurs on the water so have your flies ready!
Click here for the South Holston Dam generation schedule!
Suggested Patterns
Nymphs
Stripper Midge #18-20
American Pheasant Tail #18
Black and Copper Zebra Midge #18
Spanish Bullet Quill #18-20
Dry Flies
BWO Puffdaddy #18-20
Sulphur CDC Sparkle Dun #16-18
Morgan’s Midge #20-22
Pink Albert #16
Wet Flies
Partridge and Yellow #18
Olive and Starling #14-16
WATAUGA RIVER
The flows on the Watauga in March were varied but have leveled off to a 240 CFS Average Outflow. This is a great time of year for both wade and boat anglers on the Watauga. We are seeing good bug activity and happy fish throughout the river. May 14th is Mother’s Day. The conditions are right for a strong caddis hatch this year.
Chubby Rig
The wind can really get to blowing on our tailwaters this time of year. When it does, we like to keep things simple with a hopper-dropper chubby rig. We use a Chubby Chernobyl as our dry-fly which can be easier to turn over in the wind. Additionally, this helps suspend the flies longer and enables you to use heavier nymphs. We will dip the chubby in liquid floatant then apply gel floatant as needed. Below that, you can fish two flies or just keep it simple with one. A go-to nymph in March for us on the Watauga was the RC Leggy with an over-sized bead. Look out for a video on this rig coming soon!
Indicator Rig
Another great rig on the Watauga is a Dorsey yarn indicator with one or two flies beneath it. This is a very sensitive rig, but it can be difficult for some anglers to cast in the wind. On slow, glass-like sections of river the added sensitivity of a yarn indicator can really make a difference.
If you are struggling to cast both of these rigs, you can use the smallest Oros or Airlock indicator. These cast the easiest of the three options and require the least amount of maintenance. The downside is that you will lose some of the strike sensitivity and stealth that we get with a chubby or yarn indicator.
Dry Fly Fishing
As the caddis hatch picks up, we should see more rising fish on the Watauga. There are certain sections of the river that are more productive than others, so just put your time in various sections of the river to find out where they are hatching best! The SOHO standard dry fly rig works well on the Watauga. Just replace the Sulphurs with your favorite Caddis dries!
Click here for the Wilbur Dam generation schedule!
Suggested Patterns
Nymphs
Girdle Bug #8-10
RC Leggy #10-14
Copper-top Duracell Jig #16-18
BWO Perdigon #16-18
Smallmouth
The fishing in March was solid and we are looking forward to a great April. Stripping and swinging wiggle minnows and swim flies are working well. Heavy streamers that get down were effective both on the swing and dead-drift. Pre-spawn action has definitely started!
Suggested Patterns
Olive Wooly Buggers
Todd’s Wiggle Minnow in Pink & Yellow
Olive Sculpin
Fuego Flies White Dungeon
MOUNTAIN STREAMS
Our mountain streams are starting to wake up here in East TN! The bug life will be solid throughout April. Don’t overlook how fun getting away from the crowds can be. This is also a great way to hone in your dry fly skills for the tailwaters.
Suggested Patterns
Zebra Midges #18-20
Chubby Chernobyl
Duracell Jig #16
Tungsten Prince Nymph #16-18
Bead Head Hare’s Ear #14-16
Hot tip: When you are fishing around Damascus, make sure to stop in at The Wicked Chicken, you will not be disappointed! Great ice cream too.
Looking for additional river info? Shoot us an email or give us a call.
info@theflyboxtn.com