Brown Trout Fishing Reports (July 2024)

Fishing has been excellent!!! Even a few big ones landed lately!!! Morning has been the best time to fish. It's the time of year where small flies work the best. Zebra midge is assorted colors work the best in size 20. Scuds are also working well in size 20. Come fish with me!

Fishing is heating up again! Over 50 bites in 3 trips and landing 23!

Fishing is heating up again! Over 50 bites in 3 trips and landing 23!

Fishing is as good as it gets! On fire! Browns and kings!

Our fishery is undergoing a final transition from winter, with the big spring bugs and baitfish in the rivers and lakes, respectively, starting to move. 2023 has seen more fish in the net over 20" than I can recall, with a few days providing multiple fish over 2 feet. Our approach has been almost exclusively streamer fishing - the dry fly game is yet to pop - which is completely fine with me. A lot of fish have come in on spectacular displays of aggression while fishing flies in the 6-9" range. Still, some nice fish and one taping at 26" have been tricked by some of the smaller articulated streamers with which most streamer anglers are familiar. We're approaching the time of year when sight fishing to risers makes up an increasing percentage of our time on the water; winter is about 80/20 streamers/dries, while the other seasons are ~60/40 - some days more, some less. The dynamic of stopping to fish dries then picking up the streamer rod when the anchor is pulled is a great way to change up the pace, expose anglers to different types of fishing, and show off the river. April is already looking to have an awesome start, with fish keying in on the big caddis that are just beginning to move around. Lake temps are hovering in the 54-57° degree range, while the river at its mouth is reading 52°. As that variance shifts due to warming lake temps, please hold onto your rod!

Our fishery is undergoing a final transition from winter, with the big spring bugs and baitfish in the rivers and lakes, respectively, starting to move. 2023 has seen more fish in the net over 20" than I can recall, with a few days providing multiple fish over 2 feet. Our approach has been almost exclusively streamer fishing - the dry fly game is yet to pop - which is completely fine with me. A lot of fish have come in on spectacular displays of aggression while fishing flies in the 6-9" range. Still, some nice fish and one taping at 26" have been tricked by some of the smaller articulated streamers with which most streamer anglers are familiar. We're approaching the time of year when sight fishing to risers makes up an increasing percentage of our time on the water; winter is about 80/20 streamers/dries, while the other seasons are ~60/40 - some days more, some less. The dynamic of stopping to fish dries then picking up the streamer rod when the anchor is pulled is a great way to change up the pace, expose anglers to different types of fishing, and show off the river. April is already looking to have an awesome start, with fish keying in on the big caddis that are just beginning to move around. Lake temps are hovering in the 54-57° degree range, while the river at its mouth is reading 52°. As that variance shifts due to warming lake temps, please hold onto your rod!

Our fishery is undergoing a final transition from winter, with the big spring bugs and baitfish in the rivers and lakes, respectively, starting to move. 2023 has seen more fish in the net over 20" than I can recall, with a few days providing multiple fish over 2 feet. Our approach has been almost exclusively streamer fishing - the dry fly game is yet to pop - which is completely fine with me. A lot of fish have come in on spectacular displays of aggression while fishing flies in the 6-9" range. Still, some nice fish and one taping at 26" have been tricked by some of the smaller articulated streamers with which most streamer anglers are familiar. We're approaching the time of year when sight fishing to risers makes up an increasing percentage of our time on the water; winter is about 80/20 streamers/dries, while the other seasons are ~60/40 - some days more, some less. The dynamic of stopping to fish dries then picking up the streamer rod when the anchor is pulled is a great way to change up the pace, expose anglers to different types of fishing, and show off the river. April is already looking to have an awesome start, with fish keying in on the big caddis that are just beginning to move around. Lake temps are hovering in the 54-57° degree range, while the river at its mouth is reading 52°. As that variance shifts due to warming lake temps, please hold onto your rod!

Our fishery is undergoing a final transition from winter, with the big spring bugs and baitfish in the rivers and lakes, respectively, starting to move. 2023 has seen more fish in the net over 20" than I can recall, with a few days providing multiple fish over 2 feet. Our approach has been almost exclusively streamer fishing - the dry fly game is yet to pop - which is completely fine with me. A lot of fish have come in on spectacular displays of aggression while fishing flies in the 6-9" range. Still, some nice fish and one taping at 26" have been tricked by some of the smaller articulated streamers with which most streamer anglers are familiar. We're approaching the time of year when sight fishing to risers makes up an increasing percentage of our time on the water; winter is about 80/20 streamers/dries, while the other seasons are ~60/40 - some days more, some less. The dynamic of stopping to fish dries then picking up the streamer rod when the anchor is pulled is a great way to change up the pace, expose anglers to different types of fishing, and show off the river. April is already looking to have an awesome start, with fish keying in on the big caddis that are just beginning to move around. Lake temps are hovering in the 54-57° degree range, while the river at its mouth is reading 52°. As that variance shifts due to warming lake temps, please hold onto your rod!

Our fishery is undergoing a final transition from winter, with the big spring bugs and baitfish in the rivers and lakes, respectively, starting to move. 2023 has seen more fish in the net over 20" than I can recall, with a few days providing multiple fish over 2 feet. Our approach has been almost exclusively streamer fishing - the dry fly game is yet to pop - which is completely fine with me. A lot of fish have come in on spectacular displays of aggression while fishing flies in the 6-9" range. Still, some nice fish and one taping at 26" have been tricked by some of the smaller articulated streamers with which most streamer anglers are familiar. We're approaching the time of year when sight fishing to risers makes up an increasing percentage of our time on the water; winter is about 80/20 streamers/dries, while the other seasons are ~60/40 - some days more, some less. The dynamic of stopping to fish dries then picking up the streamer rod when the anchor is pulled is a great way to change up the pace, expose anglers to different types of fishing, and show off the river. April is already looking to have an awesome start, with fish keying in on the big caddis that are just beginning to move around. Lake temps are hovering in the 54-57° degree range, while the river at its mouth is reading 52°. As that variance shifts due to warming lake temps, please hold onto your rod!

Our fishery is undergoing a final transition from winter, with the big spring bugs and baitfish in the rivers and lakes, respectively, starting to move. 2023 has seen more fish in the net over 20" than I can recall, with a few days providing multiple fish over 2 feet. Our approach has been almost exclusively streamer fishing - the dry fly game is yet to pop - which is completely fine with me. A lot of fish have come in on spectacular displays of aggression while fishing flies in the 6-9" range. Still, some nice fish and one taping at 26" have been tricked by some of the smaller articulated streamers with which most streamer anglers are familiar. We're approaching the time of year when sight fishing to risers makes up an increasing percentage of our time on the water; winter is about 80/20 streamers/dries, while the other seasons are ~60/40 - some days more, some less. The dynamic of stopping to fish dries then picking up the streamer rod when the anchor is pulled is a great way to change up the pace, expose anglers to different types of fishing, and show off the river. April is already looking to have an awesome start, with fish keying in on the big caddis that are just beginning to move around. Lake temps are hovering in the 54-57° degree range, while the river at its mouth is reading 52°. As that variance shifts due to warming lake temps, please hold onto your rod!

Our fishery is undergoing a final transition from winter, with the big spring bugs and baitfish in the rivers and lakes, respectively, starting to move. 2023 has seen more fish in the net over 20" than I can recall, with a few days providing multiple fish over 2 feet. Our approach has been almost exclusively streamer fishing - the dry fly game is yet to pop - which is completely fine with me. A lot of fish have come in on spectacular displays of aggression while fishing flies in the 6-9" range. Still, some nice fish and one taping at 26" have been tricked by some of the smaller articulated streamers with which most streamer anglers are familiar. We're approaching the time of year when sight fishing to risers makes up an increasing percentage of our time on the water; winter is about 80/20 streamers/dries, while the other seasons are ~60/40 - some days more, some less. The dynamic of stopping to fish dries then picking up the streamer rod when the anchor is pulled is a great way to change up the pace, expose anglers to different types of fishing, and show off the river. April is already looking to have an awesome start, with fish keying in on the big caddis that are just beginning to move around. Lake temps are hovering in the 54-57° degree range, while the river at its mouth is reading 52°. As that variance shifts due to warming lake temps, please hold onto your rod!

Our fishery is undergoing a final transition from winter, with the big spring bugs and baitfish in the rivers and lakes, respectively, starting to move. 2023 has seen more fish in the net over 20" than I can recall, with a few days providing multiple fish over 2 feet. Our approach has been almost exclusively streamer fishing - the dry fly game is yet to pop - which is completely fine with me. A lot of fish have come in on spectacular displays of aggression while fishing flies in the 6-9" range. Still, some nice fish and one taping at 26" have been tricked by some of the smaller articulated streamers with which most streamer anglers are familiar. We're approaching the time of year when sight fishing to risers makes up an increasing percentage of our time on the water; winter is about 80/20 streamers/dries, while the other seasons are ~60/40 - some days more, some less. The dynamic of stopping to fish dries then picking up the streamer rod when the anchor is pulled is a great way to change up the pace, expose anglers to different types of fishing, and show off the river. April is already looking to have an awesome start, with fish keying in on the big caddis that are just beginning to move around. Lake temps are hovering in the 54-57° degree range, while the river at its mouth is reading 52°. As that variance shifts due to warming lake temps, please hold onto your rod!

Our fishery is undergoing a final transition from winter, with the big spring bugs and baitfish in the rivers and lakes, respectively, starting to move. 2023 has seen more fish in the net over 20" than I can recall, with a few days providing multiple fish over 2 feet. Our approach has been almost exclusively streamer fishing - the dry fly game is yet to pop - which is completely fine with me. A lot of fish have come in on spectacular displays of aggression while fishing flies in the 6-9" range. Still, some nice fish and one taping at 26" have been tricked by some of the smaller articulated streamers with which most streamer anglers are familiar. We're approaching the time of year when sight fishing to risers makes up an increasing percentage of our time on the water; winter is about 80/20 streamers/dries, while the other seasons are ~60/40 - some days more, some less. The dynamic of stopping to fish dries then picking up the streamer rod when the anchor is pulled is a great way to change up the pace, expose anglers to different types of fishing, and show off the river. April is already looking to have an awesome start, with fish keying in on the big caddis that are just beginning to move around. Lake temps are hovering in the 54-57° degree range, while the river at its mouth is reading 52°. As that variance shifts due to warming lake temps, please hold onto your rod!

Our fishery is undergoing a final transition from winter, with the big spring bugs and baitfish in the rivers and lakes, respectively, starting to move. 2023 has seen more fish in the net over 20" than I can recall, with a few days providing multiple fish over 2 feet. Our approach has been almost exclusively streamer fishing - the dry fly game is yet to pop - which is completely fine with me. A lot of fish have come in on spectacular displays of aggression while fishing flies in the 6-9" range. Still, some nice fish and one taping at 26" have been tricked by some of the smaller articulated streamers with which most streamer anglers are familiar. We're approaching the time of year when sight fishing to risers makes up an increasing percentage of our time on the water; winter is about 80/20 streamers/dries, while the other seasons are ~60/40 - some days more, some less. The dynamic of stopping to fish dries then picking up the streamer rod when the anchor is pulled is a great way to change up the pace, expose anglers to different types of fishing, and show off the river. April is already looking to have an awesome start, with fish keying in on the big caddis that are just beginning to move around. Lake temps are hovering in the 54-57° degree range, while the river at its mouth is reading 52°. As that variance shifts due to warming lake temps, please hold onto your rod!

Ah spring has come to North Central Lake Michigan the Brown Trout are snapping along the beaches and harbor break walls from Ludington to Frankfort Michigan.

Fishing around the Olympic Peninsula has been steady as water conditions have been stable most of February and early March. Chilly mornings and blue skies make for great steelheading

Weather: 30 to 60+ degrees Fishing on the Salmon River is awesome and the water is up. Lake Ontario Brown Trout are biting very well when the lake conditions permit us to get out. All the fishing is good and will continue to all spring.

Weather: 30 to 60+ degrees Fishing on the Salmon River is awesome and the water is up. Lake Ontario Brown Trout are biting very well when the lake conditions permit us to get out. All the fishing is good and will continue to all spring.

Winter time think small. Size 22 zebra midge was the ticket this day. Fish are plentiful but you have got to use small flies this time of year. San Juan worm has been working with a midge on the back of it. Come fish with me!!!

Winter time think small. Size 22 zebra midge was the ticket this day. Fish are plentiful but you have got to use small flies this time of year. San Juan worm has been working with a midge on the back of it. Come fish with me!!!

The fishing is fabulous, the weather has been temperate, and the big fish have been biting!

The fishing is fabulous, the weather has been temperate, and the big fish have been biting!

I am very happy to announce the good news! I just signed for a new guest house in Aragon (Allué’s wonderful house was no longer habitable). This is also an old renovated farmhouse located in the village of SENEGÜE, a very old village near Sabinanigo. And above all very close to the Rio Gallego! Your stay will therefore take place in this new house. Fishing is always an intermittent paradise depending on the weather. Currently, the water level is very low on the Rio Ara, but perfect on the Cinca and the Gallego. And to my surprise the Rio Aragon upstream of Jaca is very very good eventhough there is not much water. The end of the season promises to be excellent! See you soon, I hope Gilbert

The Beaver browns are beats!

Kids love to fly fish!

Late July 2022 As we enter into the latter half of the summer here in East Tennessee, seasonal patterns are right down the fairway, and fishing has been as good as it gets. I’ll focus on the tailwaters – The Watauga River below Wilbur Dam, and the South Holston River below South Holston Dam. Our tailwaters are fed by their respective dams, and without a lot of precipitation and flow contribution from the tributaries, fishing ‘low’ water (e.g. when the dams are not releasing), particularly in the high traffic areas, is something I tend to avoid. Thankfully, for the last 6+ weeks, the Watauga has been consistently releasing good flows starting in the early afternoon, and we have a healthy amount of precipitation in the 7 day forecast both locally and in the feeder streams through TN and NC. In the last week, which was comprised of 4 full day client floats and 2 days on my own, all on the Watauga River in sections ranging from the Dam to the Lake, surface feeding activity has been consistent enough to provide anglers of nearly all skill levels with shots at brown trout and rainbow trout on dry flies. With some patience, those who have experience in dry fly fishing have landed – and lost – a few trout, both rainbow and brown, approaching 20 inches, with a lot of very sporty 10-12" wild rainbows mixed in. Generation, Dam releases, High Water, whatever you’d like to call it, opens up the river for both the angler and the predatory fish. We have been covering a lot of water, predmoninantly with a streamer rod in hand(s), while stopping for rising fish. Working risers with dry flies can easily take up half the day if that is the angler preference. Streamer fishing has produced some truly remarkable fish for a few folks who came in knowing what to do – it’s not an easy approach, but it’s certainly my favorite, and I am not alone there. For those with less fly fishing experience, or just because it’s also awesome and a change of pace, we’ll throw some fairly sizeable jerkbaits, which always has the potential to elicit some breathtaking eats from the ambush predator brown trout. Some trips go from early afternoon until dusk, while others, client schedule permitting, go past 1a.m.. Starting at 9:30p.m. as of this report (July 27 th ), I’ll break down our gear and rig up mousing rods – streamer rods with floating, glow-tip fly line – and by or before 10p.m., it will be completely dark in many of the runs and pools. While I have run, and still offer, an evening kickoff with a mousing-centric float until 4a.m., the afternoon flows, bite windows, and bug activity recently is not something to be missed. Conventional, streamer, mousing, and dry flies are all in play, and on every cast, I wouldn’t be surprised if an eat resulted in a 10" fish or a 20"+ fish. While we prefer the latter, they are the exception to the rule, though it’s been active enough to cover all of my favorite types of trout fishing as very reasonable options to boat some good fish. Oh, and it’s beetle season, so low water isn’t all bad since we can fish sections that aren’t fished by other boats. Since you’re still here, I’ll add that the stripers from Boone lake are up in the rivers in the lower halves, and feed during the flows and conditions that are prime for both streamer/jerkbait fishing and mousing. I love my office, and while it takes effort, and more often than not, a lot of it, I have had the privilege of watching others fall for it, too.

Late July 2022 As we enter into the latter half of the summer here in East Tennessee, seasonal patterns are right down the fairway, and fishing has been as good as it gets. I’ll focus on the tailwaters – The Watauga River below Wilbur Dam, and the South Holston River below South Holston Dam. Our tailwaters are fed by their respective dams, and without a lot of precipitation and flow contribution from the tributaries, fishing ‘low’ water (e.g. when the dams are not releasing), particularly in the high traffic areas, is something I tend to avoid. Thankfully, for the last 6+ weeks, the Watauga has been consistently releasing good flows starting in the early afternoon, and we have a healthy amount of precipitation in the 7 day forecast both locally and in the feeder streams through TN and NC. In the last week, which was comprised of 4 full day client floats and 2 days on my own, all on the Watauga River in sections ranging from the Dam to the Lake, surface feeding activity has been consistent enough to provide anglers of nearly all skill levels with shots at brown trout and rainbow trout on dry flies. With some patience, those who have experience in dry fly fishing have landed – and lost – a few trout, both rainbow and brown, approaching 20 inches, with a lot of very sporty 10-12" wild rainbows mixed in. Generation, Dam releases, High Water, whatever you’d like to call it, opens up the river for both the angler and the predatory fish. We have been covering a lot of water, predmoninantly with a streamer rod in hand(s), while stopping for rising fish. Working risers with dry flies can easily take up half the day if that is the angler preference. Streamer fishing has produced some truly remarkable fish for a few folks who came in knowing what to do – it’s not an easy approach, but it’s certainly my favorite, and I am not alone there. For those with less fly fishing experience, or just because it’s also awesome and a change of pace, we’ll throw some fairly sizeable jerkbaits, which always has the potential to elicit some breathtaking eats from the ambush predator brown trout. Some trips go from early afternoon until dusk, while others, client schedule permitting, go past 1a.m.. Starting at 9:30p.m. as of this report (July 27 th ), I’ll break down our gear and rig up mousing rods – streamer rods with floating, glow-tip fly line – and by or before 10p.m., it will be completely dark in many of the runs and pools. While I have run, and still offer, an evening kickoff with a mousing-centric float until 4a.m., the afternoon flows, bite windows, and bug activity recently is not something to be missed. Conventional, streamer, mousing, and dry flies are all in play, and on every cast, I wouldn’t be surprised if an eat resulted in a 10" fish or a 20"+ fish. While we prefer the latter, they are the exception to the rule, though it’s been active enough to cover all of my favorite types of trout fishing as very reasonable options to boat some good fish. Oh, and it’s beetle season, so low water isn’t all bad since we can fish sections that aren’t fished by other boats. Since you’re still here, I’ll add that the stripers from Boone lake are up in the rivers in the lower halves, and feed during the flows and conditions that are prime for both streamer/jerkbait fishing and mousing. I love my office, and while it takes effort, and more often than not, a lot of it, I have had the privilege of watching others fall for it, too.

Late July 2022 As we enter into the latter half of the summer here in East Tennessee, seasonal patterns are right down the fairway, and fishing has been as good as it gets. I’ll focus on the tailwaters – The Watauga River below Wilbur Dam, and the South Holston River below South Holston Dam. Our tailwaters are fed by their respective dams, and without a lot of precipitation and flow contribution from the tributaries, fishing ‘low’ water (e.g. when the dams are not releasing), particularly in the high traffic areas, is something I tend to avoid. Thankfully, for the last 6+ weeks, the Watauga has been consistently releasing good flows starting in the early afternoon, and we have a healthy amount of precipitation in the 7 day forecast both locally and in the feeder streams through TN and NC. In the last week, which was comprised of 4 full day client floats and 2 days on my own, all on the Watauga River in sections ranging from the Dam to the Lake, surface feeding activity has been consistent enough to provide anglers of nearly all skill levels with shots at brown trout and rainbow trout on dry flies. With some patience, those who have experience in dry fly fishing have landed – and lost – a few trout, both rainbow and brown, approaching 20 inches, with a lot of very sporty 10-12" wild rainbows mixed in. Generation, Dam releases, High Water, whatever you’d like to call it, opens up the river for both the angler and the predatory fish. We have been covering a lot of water, predmoninantly with a streamer rod in hand(s), while stopping for rising fish. Working risers with dry flies can easily take up half the day if that is the angler preference. Streamer fishing has produced some truly remarkable fish for a few folks who came in knowing what to do – it’s not an easy approach, but it’s certainly my favorite, and I am not alone there. For those with less fly fishing experience, or just because it’s also awesome and a change of pace, we’ll throw some fairly sizeable jerkbaits, which always has the potential to elicit some breathtaking eats from the ambush predator brown trout. Some trips go from early afternoon until dusk, while others, client schedule permitting, go past 1a.m.. Starting at 9:30p.m. as of this report (July 27 th ), I’ll break down our gear and rig up mousing rods – streamer rods with floating, glow-tip fly line – and by or before 10p.m., it will be completely dark in many of the runs and pools. While I have run, and still offer, an evening kickoff with a mousing-centric float until 4a.m., the afternoon flows, bite windows, and bug activity recently is not something to be missed. Conventional, streamer, mousing, and dry flies are all in play, and on every cast, I wouldn’t be surprised if an eat resulted in a 10" fish or a 20"+ fish. While we prefer the latter, they are the exception to the rule, though it’s been active enough to cover all of my favorite types of trout fishing as very reasonable options to boat some good fish. Oh, and it’s beetle season, so low water isn’t all bad since we can fish sections that aren’t fished by other boats. Since you’re still here, I’ll add that the stripers from Boone lake are up in the rivers in the lower halves, and feed during the flows and conditions that are prime for both streamer/jerkbait fishing and mousing. I love my office, and while it takes effort, and more often than not, a lot of it, I have had the privilege of watching others fall for it, too.

Late July 2022 As we enter into the latter half of the summer here in East Tennessee, seasonal patterns are right down the fairway, and fishing has been as good as it gets. I’ll focus on the tailwaters – The Watauga River below Wilbur Dam, and the South Holston River below South Holston Dam. Our tailwaters are fed by their respective dams, and without a lot of precipitation and flow contribution from the tributaries, fishing ‘low’ water (e.g. when the dams are not releasing), particularly in the high traffic areas, is something I tend to avoid. Thankfully, for the last 6+ weeks, the Watauga has been consistently releasing good flows starting in the early afternoon, and we have a healthy amount of precipitation in the 7 day forecast both locally and in the feeder streams through TN and NC. In the last week, which was comprised of 4 full day client floats and 2 days on my own, all on the Watauga River in sections ranging from the Dam to the Lake, surface feeding activity has been consistent enough to provide anglers of nearly all skill levels with shots at brown trout and rainbow trout on dry flies. With some patience, those who have experience in dry fly fishing have landed – and lost – a few trout, both rainbow and brown, approaching 20 inches, with a lot of very sporty 10-12" wild rainbows mixed in. Generation, Dam releases, High Water, whatever you’d like to call it, opens up the river for both the angler and the predatory fish. We have been covering a lot of water, predmoninantly with a streamer rod in hand(s), while stopping for rising fish. Working risers with dry flies can easily take up half the day if that is the angler preference. Streamer fishing has produced some truly remarkable fish for a few folks who came in knowing what to do – it’s not an easy approach, but it’s certainly my favorite, and I am not alone there. For those with less fly fishing experience, or just because it’s also awesome and a change of pace, we’ll throw some fairly sizeable jerkbaits, which always has the potential to elicit some breathtaking eats from the ambush predator brown trout. Some trips go from early afternoon until dusk, while others, client schedule permitting, go past 1a.m.. Starting at 9:30p.m. as of this report (July 27 th ), I’ll break down our gear and rig up mousing rods – streamer rods with floating, glow-tip fly line – and by or before 10p.m., it will be completely dark in many of the runs and pools. While I have run, and still offer, an evening kickoff with a mousing-centric float until 4a.m., the afternoon flows, bite windows, and bug activity recently is not something to be missed. Conventional, streamer, mousing, and dry flies are all in play, and on every cast, I wouldn’t be surprised if an eat resulted in a 10" fish or a 20"+ fish. While we prefer the latter, they are the exception to the rule, though it’s been active enough to cover all of my favorite types of trout fishing as very reasonable options to boat some good fish. Oh, and it’s beetle season, so low water isn’t all bad since we can fish sections that aren’t fished by other boats. Since you’re still here, I’ll add that the stripers from Boone lake are up in the rivers in the lower halves, and feed during the flows and conditions that are prime for both streamer/jerkbait fishing and mousing. I love my office, and while it takes effort, and more often than not, a lot of it, I have had the privilege of watching others fall for it, too.

Late July 2022 As we enter into the latter half of the summer here in East Tennessee, seasonal patterns are right down the fairway, and fishing has been as good as it gets. I’ll focus on the tailwaters – The Watauga River below Wilbur Dam, and the South Holston River below South Holston Dam. Our tailwaters are fed by their respective dams, and without a lot of precipitation and flow contribution from the tributaries, fishing ‘low’ water (e.g. when the dams are not releasing), particularly in the high traffic areas, is something I tend to avoid. Thankfully, for the last 6+ weeks, the Watauga has been consistently releasing good flows starting in the early afternoon, and we have a healthy amount of precipitation in the 7 day forecast both locally and in the feeder streams through TN and NC. In the last week, which was comprised of 4 full day client floats and 2 days on my own, all on the Watauga River in sections ranging from the Dam to the Lake, surface feeding activity has been consistent enough to provide anglers of nearly all skill levels with shots at brown trout and rainbow trout on dry flies. With some patience, those who have experience in dry fly fishing have landed – and lost – a few trout, both rainbow and brown, approaching 20 inches, with a lot of very sporty 10-12" wild rainbows mixed in. Generation, Dam releases, High Water, whatever you’d like to call it, opens up the river for both the angler and the predatory fish. We have been covering a lot of water, predmoninantly with a streamer rod in hand(s), while stopping for rising fish. Working risers with dry flies can easily take up half the day if that is the angler preference. Streamer fishing has produced some truly remarkable fish for a few folks who came in knowing what to do – it’s not an easy approach, but it’s certainly my favorite, and I am not alone there. For those with less fly fishing experience, or just because it’s also awesome and a change of pace, we’ll throw some fairly sizeable jerkbaits, which always has the potential to elicit some breathtaking eats from the ambush predator brown trout. Some trips go from early afternoon until dusk, while others, client schedule permitting, go past 1a.m.. Starting at 9:30p.m. as of this report (July 27 th ), I’ll break down our gear and rig up mousing rods – streamer rods with floating, glow-tip fly line – and by or before 10p.m., it will be completely dark in many of the runs and pools. While I have run, and still offer, an evening kickoff with a mousing-centric float until 4a.m., the afternoon flows, bite windows, and bug activity recently is not something to be missed. Conventional, streamer, mousing, and dry flies are all in play, and on every cast, I wouldn’t be surprised if an eat resulted in a 10" fish or a 20"+ fish. While we prefer the latter, they are the exception to the rule, though it’s been active enough to cover all of my favorite types of trout fishing as very reasonable options to boat some good fish. Oh, and it’s beetle season, so low water isn’t all bad since we can fish sections that aren’t fished by other boats. Since you’re still here, I’ll add that the stripers from Boone lake are up in the rivers in the lower halves, and feed during the flows and conditions that are prime for both streamer/jerkbait fishing and mousing. I love my office, and while it takes effort, and more often than not, a lot of it, I have had the privilege of watching others fall for it, too.

Packed up and ready to Head out to the Owyhee. We are excited to be headed east to this cool canyon brown trout playground. On the docket is throwing hoppers, beetles and other “junk” along the banks to tempt that big old alligator mouthed brown out of his liar. Seeing that-inch-wide snout poke up, the hopper disappears and the frothing eruption in skinny water on the hook set is so much fun. If they aren’t playing that game, we have options. Like early morning Trico action, then on to PMD’s and caddis later in the day. Mix in searching with a dry -drop rig or stripping streamers and you pretty much cover all the bases and ways to trout fish. Good times. A few slots open, so if you need a summertime trout fix, we might be able to help you out. We will be over there and love taking advantage of all the time and opportunity we can to have fun with this fishery. We have mixed service at “camp” (a really neat bed and breakfast… roughing it), but we will check in when we can, and happy to help figure a way out to get you on the Owyhee. Expectations are high for another great late summer season over there. In the meantime, the heat wave that has been blasting us, might have made it miserable to go mow the lawn (why aren’t you fishing anyways?), has made the caddis go bonkers on the Deschutes. Dry fly and head hunting Redsides under the trees with all the caddis has been fantastic. Which is perfect… super-hot out and you get to go wet wade and dry fly fish?!! Can’t think of a better way to spend a ho summer day. Speaking of the Deschutes, more good news, steelhead numbers are above the 5-year average over Bonneville. ODFW has opened steelhead up for now and will re-evaluate in September. So, we are tracking in the right direction. Fall trips on the “D” for trout can be fantastic, the nymphing can be on fire and dry fly opportunities are present as well. Fall camp trips fill up quick. For more information or to discuss the steelhead opps, give a call. So far, the summer has been great, little pressure and good, consistent caddis action.

Packed up and ready to Head out to the Owyhee. We are excited to be headed east to this cool canyon brown trout playground. On the docket is throwing hoppers, beetles and other “junk” along the banks to tempt that big old alligator mouthed brown out of his liar. Seeing that-inch-wide snout poke up, the hopper disappears and the frothing eruption in skinny water on the hook set is so much fun. If they aren’t playing that game, we have options. Like early morning Trico action, then on to PMD’s and caddis later in the day. Mix in searching with a dry -drop rig or stripping streamers and you pretty much cover all the bases and ways to trout fish. Good times. A few slots open, so if you need a summertime trout fix, we might be able to help you out. We will be over there and love taking advantage of all the time and opportunity we can to have fun with this fishery. We have mixed service at “camp” (a really neat bed and breakfast… roughing it), but we will check in when we can, and happy to help figure a way out to get you on the Owyhee. Expectations are high for another great late summer season over there. In the meantime, the heat wave that has been blasting us, might have made it miserable to go mow the lawn (why aren’t you fishing anyways?), has made the caddis go bonkers on the Deschutes. Dry fly and head hunting Redsides under the trees with all the caddis has been fantastic. Which is perfect… super-hot out and you get to go wet wade and dry fly fish?!! Can’t think of a better way to spend a ho summer day. Speaking of the Deschutes, more good news, steelhead numbers are above the 5-year average over Bonneville. ODFW has opened steelhead up for now and will re-evaluate in September. So, we are tracking in the right direction. Fall trips on the “D” for trout can be fantastic, the nymphing can be on fire and dry fly opportunities are present as well. Fall camp trips fill up quick. For more information or to discuss the steelhead opps, give a call. So far, the summer has been great, little pressure and good, consistent caddis action.