South Holston River Fishing Report

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South Holston River Fishing Report
0
jmaslar
02/25/2010 - 20:43

This is a good report on fishing for browns during the post spawn season on theSouth Holston provided by Trout University friend Justin Shroyer of The Trophy Water Guide Service. in Boone, NC.  It seems that Justin managed to get a fishing trip to the SoHo just a few days ago and was most successful with the Blue Winged Olive nymphs while the browns avoided the BWO duns. Also, notice the use of long leaders.

Here is Justin's own words: Today was the first day in a long while that they cut off the generations on the South Hoslton. As the water dropped we began hitting some prime riffles and slots that were surely holding some nice post spawn brown trout. Following the spawn browns will stack in riffles feeding heavily on blue wing olive nymphs, scuds, and midge larva. This bite will occur in spurts and coincide with the hatch. When the bugs aren’t coming off, post spawn browns will lay docile conserving their energy for the hatch. Why feed when there isn’t anything to eat?

 
The water dropped out at 2pm at one of our favorite runs, and the blue wings started pouring off. A few midges and even a sulfur or two were mixed in. Fishing long leaders and dry fly dropper rigs, we had great action until 4pm, when the temperature noticeably got colder and what sun there was dropped behind the mammoth cliff shadowing our hole. Most of the fish were caught on hand tied little blue wing nymphs and scuds. Sizes 18 scuds and 22 blue wing nymphs were the most productive. As the hatch progressed smaller fish began rising to emerging midge and blue wings. Size 20 olive and gray soft hackles fished on 12ft., 6x leaders did the trick. Rarely did we see a fish gulp down a blue wing dun, as they were totally interested in the emergers.
 
By the way, Justin is a great guide as he and his brother know the local rivers, but Justin also has a degree in Environmental Biology and Ecology. Justin knows bugs!

 

This is a good report on fishing for browns during the post spawn season on theSouth Holston provided by Trout University friend Justin Shroyer of The Trophy Water Guide Service. in Boone, NC.  It seems that Justin managed to get a fishing trip to the SoHo just a few days ago and was most successful with the Blue Winged Olive nymphs while the browns avoided the BWO duns. Also, notice the use of long leaders.

Here is Justin's own words: Today was the first day in a long while that they cut off the generations on the South Hoslton. As the water dropped we began hitting some prime riffles and slots that were surely holding some nice post spawn brown trout. Following the spawn browns will stack in riffles feeding heavily on blue wing olive nymphs, scuds, and midge larva. This bite will occur in spurts and coincide with the hatch. When the bugs aren’t coming off, post spawn browns will lay docile conserving their energy for the hatch. Why feed when there isn’t anything to eat?

 
The water dropped out at 2pm at one of our favorite runs, and the blue wings started pouring off. A few midges and even a sulfur or two were mixed in. Fishing long leaders and dry fly dropper rigs, we had great action until 4pm, when the temperature noticeably got colder and what sun there was dropped behind the mammoth cliff shadowing our hole. Most of the fish were caught on hand tied little blue wing nymphs and scuds. Sizes 18 scuds and 22 blue wing nymphs were the most productive. As the hatch progressed smaller fish began rising to emerging midge and blue wings. Size 20 olive and gray soft hackles fished on 12ft., 6x leaders did the trick. Rarely did we see a fish gulp down a blue wing dun, as they were totally interested in the emergers.
 
By the way, Justin is a great guide as he and his brother know the local rivers, but Justin also has a degree in Environmental Biology and Ecology. Justin knows bugs!