South Holston River Report for
(Click thumbs above for a South Holston River slide-show)
Altamont Anglers guide Teo Whitlock holds a big brown trout caught by his client, Joe Gibson, on December 29, 2011 (click image for full view)
Winter fishing is the bomb, and the photo here proves it! The fish are mostly off their redds, although there were still a few on them on December 29, which is late in the game for the spawn, but most of the spawners have spread out now.
Good Black Fly hatches in the morning and evening, some Blue Wings during falling water (or if the weather turns bad), and all the usual midge suspects are the bugs to match in December and January.
Of course, just as important as what you fish with is how you fish with it, and that's a constantly changing equation on the South Holston River, so come prepared and be prepared to change up when things get slow.
Altamont Anglers guide Teo Whitlock holds a big brown trout caught by his client, Blake Puryear (click image for full view)
October marks the beginning of "big fish" season on the South Holston River, as brown trout begin to get aggressive in anticipation of the spawning season to come, moving out of the deeper water and taking on protein and generally becoming more vulnerable to our flies and deceptions.
On a recent trip in search of those big browns Altamont Anglers guide Teo Whitock put his client, Blake Puryear, into a few nice ones, including the odd Lake Trout--we don't see many of those so, while it's not a monster, it's worth the photo.
This is a good time of year for those that like their streamer fishing, although as many big fish are caught on little nymphs as on the big Bunnies.
Click the following thumbnail images for a slide show of some recent Fall fishing on the South Holston...
Mary Gibson caught this nice brown trout on the South Holston River, September 9, 2011 (click image for full view)
Many anglers hope of sharing their love of fly fishing with the love of their life, and this is true for Clay Gibson and Claude Dawson. Joined by their wives for a weekend retreat to the South Holson River, they hired the Altamont Anglers guides for a day of instruction. Judging by the photos, the ladies were quick learners--whether or not they develop that deep love for the sport (some call it obsession), only the future will tell.
Since the TVA has reduced the flows, the lower end of the river has pretty skinny water, and the resulting warming of the water has brought the carp up from the lake and run the trout upstream in search of colder water. The Sulphur hatch is pretty much done now, and these fish were caught nymphing, although there are fish feeding on ants and beetles, and the midges never quit producing.
Click any of the thumbnail images that follow for a slide show of the fishing on September 9, 2011...
Bill Matyi with a chunky South Holston River rainbow caught on a Sulphur pattern on August 4, 2011 (click image to enlarge)
The South Holston River is offering up some decent dry fly fishing now! The TVA finished the work they were doing on the dam--that had release schedules all over the map for most of the past few months--and they are back to the normal summer pattern, at least on week days: no water (so good wade-fishing) until about mid-day, and then full generation.
Plenty of midge fishing in the morning, sulphurs by mid-day and into the evening, spinners right before dark. You'll need your boat to float out on the high water in the afternoon, but the fish are looking up for Sulphurs and the dry-fly fishing is at its peak right now.
Bring everything: waders, midges, Sulphur Comparaduns, boat and sunscreen--you'll need it all...
AA guide Teo Whitlock holds the brown trout caught by Bill Matyi (click image)
Bill Matyi discovered the joys of the South Holston River last year, and it's safe to say it's become his new obsession--we've lost track of the trips he's booked to fish with Altamont Anglers guide Teo Whitlock in the ensuing 10 months.
Most recently was yesterday and Thursday, April 21 & 22, 2011. Bill braved the weather reports of impending rain and colder temps to book the two days, and you can see how he was rewarded for his fortitude with the two magnificent brown trout pictured here. The long, buttery brown on the left chased and caught a streamer, much to his discomfort.
The second day indeed brought the cooler weather, and tactics changed from streamers to nymphs: the big male held out by Bill, below left, proves the success in the tactical change. That's another shot of his streamer-caught brown on the right (click the images for a larger views).
Paul Tootleman staying warm on the South Holston River, 03/31/11 (click to enlarge)
Paul Tootleman and the rest of his posse fish with Altamont Anglers most years, sometimes coming in Spring and Fall. This year found their Spring dates fraught with nasty weather and nasty TVA generation schedules.
Because the TVA has recently been drawing down the lakes behind the dams the Tootleman group fished the heavy flows that resulted, but despite all the hardships (check out all the coats Paul has on in that photo), Altamont Anglers' guides Teo Whitlock, Travis Honeycutt and Jay Dodd managed to break the codes and put their clients into lots of fish.
Streamer fishing is always tough on that heavy water--you can get a fish to follow, but not necessarily to eat--so they turned to deep nymphing techniques that did the trick. And all that nasty weather produced the predictable BWO hatches in such abundance that the fish rose hungrily, despite the heavy currents. Nothing better than early-season dry fly fishing, as long as you don't freeze to death in the process!
Bill Matyi with a nice brown caught on the South Holston River, February 19, 2011 (click for larger view).
The TVA is drawing down lake levels due to all the recent rainfall, which means the South Holston River is currently blown out. We'll keep an eye on the situation and report back when generation schedules are more favorable for fly fishing.
Meantime, it wasn't so bad just a few weeks ago...
Bill Matyi and Tom Khoury don't let a little Winter weather deter them from their regular excursions to the South Holston River.
They escaped the work-a-day worlds of their offices for a 3-day trip last weekend, guided by Altamont Anglers guide Teo Whitlock, who put them in the boat on Friday, February 18, and walk/waded them to some secret spots on Saturday and Sunday. The fishing was ridiculous on Saturday, with the two anglers netting over a 100 fish over the course of the day--which is why these spots must remain secret!
Bring midges and assorted nymphs for the morning, BWO's and black fly patterns for the afternoon.
Click the following thumbnails for larger views of a small sampling of the February fly fishing enjoyed by Bill and Tom on the South Holston River...
Bill caught this brightly-striped rainbow on 2/18/11
Tom caught an equally beautiful 'bow the next day, 2/19/11
Check out the color on this brown trout, cauht by Bill on 2/19/11
So, of course, Tom had to match Bill's pretty brown with one of his own, on 2/19/11
Bill Matyi with beautifully colored brown trout caught on the South Holston River on January 15, 2011.
Bill Matyi displays a great reason to venture astream in the dead of Winter: beautiful brown trout!
Don Hall with a nice South Holston River brown trout on October 18, 2010 (click image for full-size)
The passing of Sulphur season is no cause for regret on the South Holston River, because fall brings us the pre-spawn feed by big brown trout, and the opportunity to stalk these monsters as they move into shallower water and become more accessible.
Check the day Debbie Griffith had on October 16 (click here) and the fine brown caught by Don Hall on October 18, to the left.
Sneak up on 'em and treat 'em gently, so they finish the job of propogation...
Let's go fishin'!
Jason Thaler with a South Holston brownie caught on a #16 Sulphur Compardun...(click image for full-size)
Teo Whitlock with a fine South Holston River brown trout (click image to enlarge).
(Altamont Anglers operates on Pisgah National Forest Rivers under USDA Forest Service Permit #PIS6560)
