This one pretty clearly keys to Kogotus, but it also looks fairly different from specimens I caught in the same creek about a month later in the year. With only one species of the genus known in Washington, I'm not sure about the answer to this ID.
Martinlf on May 29, 2007May 29th, 2007, 3:12 am EDT
I have very limited experience with these streams, but have heard that wooly buggers work pretty well on Elk River, and suspect that this standby will work almost anywhere. Good luck.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"
Chief on Aug 23, 2007August 23rd, 2007, 12:21 pm EDT
I had a guide, Carolyn Hartsell, take me up on the Little River in the Smoky Mt National Park and she used a fly called the Smoky Mt Blackcrow, which she says is her husbands own fly. It worked well, we caught a nice brown in a riffle with it. I only got two fish in 5 hours but considering the water was low she said I had a banner day on the Little River. Try the Holston she told me.
http://www.smokymountainflyguide.com/
this is there web page.
Life's tough, it's even tougher when you're stupid. (John Wayne)
JOHNW on Aug 24, 2007August 24th, 2007, 9:47 am EDT
Dave,
I've fished the South Holston, Watauga, Doe, and Beaver Dam. Four very different rivers all uniquely interesting. The TVA tailwaters are tricky due to the release schedule and some access issues. Huge trout in them though.
John
"old habits are hard to kill once you have gray in your beard" -Old Red Barn
TrevorC on Sep 7, 2007September 7th, 2007, 7:50 am EDT
My best friend just moved to Lebanon TN, and has been fishing the caney fork, and reports great fishing. Different to what he is used to though. He hasn't caught anything on flies, but reports great success using chrome or silver flatfish with a single hook.
My experience is around Gatlinburg TN.
I fished mountain streams in the Smokeys. I caught alot of small trout.
I took a friend of mine's son down to one of the Childrens stocked rivers that flow through Gatlinburg. We had a lot of fun, and he caught his first trout. (I couldn't convince him to throw them back though. He wanted to take them back and have them for dinner. So we did. I'll post a picture on the photography message board. Nothing like a kid catching his first trout, or did the trout catch him?...
Irishangler on Feb 11, 2008February 11th, 2008, 2:56 pm EST
I live in SW VA and enjoy fishing the Tennessee stretch of the South Holston. Its got some really big trout, both rainbows and browns. They see a lot of flies, but woolly buggers still work well. An Orvis guide recommends egg patterns, too. It can be a little tough to get accurate reports for the dam release schedules.
The only downside to fishing the Holston is the growing problem of bad characters breaking into vehicles, specifically those with fly gear in them. They know what they're looking for, so don't leave extra rods, tubes, or gear visible. The local law officials have supposedly stepped up patrols.
2weightfavo on Mar 7, 2008March 7th, 2008, 1:12 pm EST
I live in Eastern TN and fish the Great smokey Mountains alot, the Hiwassee, the Little River (which is stocked outside the national park) and tellico. I fish somewhere every week, and I must say for stocked fish its real hard to beat the good ole Pheasant tail. Don't short your drift thogh, for some reason the stockers love to hit it on ther swing. If I had to pick one stream though it would be Tellico. The mix of stocked and wild fish is great, and you have the chance for a HUGE brown..