Our recent fishing trips have been going very well despite rainy and inconsistent weather. The clouds and rain didn’t seem to deter the fish. Both of my local rivers (Clinch and Holston) are seeing standard low water flows. These flows should hold for at least a few more weeks.
The Holston has been a little tougher this year than in years passed. The high influx of new guides and a few guides who refuse to quit fishing the Holston in the late summer season has definitely taken it’s toll on the Holston holdovers we’ve grown so accustomed to catching over the years. Fewer fish survive the warm summer water after being caught and handled and in turn, we see fewer and fewer quality fish there come spring. Of course, we still catch some nice fish but the numbers just aren’t the same. If your guide tried to take you to the Holston in after July, please correct them and demand they take you somewhere that your actions and theirs will not be detrimental to the fishery. It’s our job to protect these fisheries, especially if the fish are our business partners.
Anyway, I’ll come down off the soap box. The fishing has been ok, but it’s not been easy by any means. Long, smooth casts to weary risers demands patience and a soft hand. We’re still seeing caddis and some sulphurs and that’s what I’ve been fishing. Size #14 - #18 for the caddis and #16 Sulphur patterns have worked fine.