issue 40
dec/jan 2018
Southern Trout
www.southerntrout.com
2 l June 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
Publisher's message
Another Year Begins December/January (D/J) Southern Trout Magazine is a big issue for our little company. Most importantly, it makes the 7th birthday of the publication and the anniversary of the third Legends of the Fly Hall of Fame induction at the Atlanta Fly Fishing Show. I always get excited right before publication and am relieved once it is out. To say I feel like a well slung chitlin would not be an exaggeration. While many times this is truly a labor of love, there are also times where chasing trout stories takes over my chasing of trout.
The D/J issue is also noteworthy since it has in it a well-crafted article about catching redeye bass by Matt Lewis. He authored the new book, Fishing for Redeye Bass, An Adventure Across Southern Waters. I love fishing for redeye bass. Here in the middle of Alabama we’re not much in the way of nearby trout. However, a short walk from my home is Little Cahaba Creek that enters the Cahaba River some 20 miles downstream. Pollution free, it is an outstanding redeye and spotted bass fishery that is cold enough in my opinion to hold a few hardy brown trout. I’m too old to pull a Johnny Appleseed style stocking stunt these days, but I do believe it would work. Aware my past clandestine stocking efforts on the Holston River below Cherokee Dam in the 1980s in East Tennessee, Alabama state officials have gone out of their way to tell me not to try it here. It’s more fight than I have an appetite for these days. Still… We’ll be at the Atlanta Fly Fishing Show in February and hope to see all of you there. It’s a quickly evolving land scape this modern world of fly fishing, and nowhere is it more clearly evident than in the Southeast. Stop by the Southern Trout booth and say hello to us.
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Anderson Creek Retreat Anderson Creek Retreat is your basecamp for a healthy outdoor lifestyle on 1,200 acres next to the National Forest, less than ninety minutes from Atlanta near the historic mountain towns of Ellijay and Blue Ridge. We’re in outdoor recreation country known for trout fishing, hiking, whitewater rivers, horseback riding, mountain biking and cycling. Amicalola Falls State Park and the Appalachian Trail are just over the ridge. The 4,000-foot ridges of Rich Mountain Wilderness are across the Cartecay River Valley. Home sites average more than four acres and offer backdoor access to twelve miles of trails through a landscape of springs, trout streams, high mountain ridges, hardwood forests, pastures, meadows and the 19th century homestead ruins. Conservation easements with the Georgia Land Trust protect a mile of Anderson Creek and Anderson Lake for catch and release fly fishing for rainbow and brown trout. Check us out on the web at www.andersoncreekretreat.com. Call 706-635-5124 or email land@andersoncreekretreat.com.
www.anders
soncreekretreat.com
UNI PRODUCTS J.G. Cote Inc. 1004 Principale Ste-Melanie, QC. Canada JOK 3AO Tel: 450-889-8054 Toll-Free: 1-877-889-8054 Fax: 450-889-5887 Email: info@uniproducts.com
Southern Trout Publisher Managing Editor Special Projects Dir. Photographer/Writer Editorial Consultant
NEW FOR 2018
Don Kirk Leah Kirk Loryn Lathem Adam Patterson Olive K. Nynne
UNI-Thread 8/0 Mahogany Waxed or Unwaxed on spools of 50 or 200 yds
Contributors Soc Clay Matthew Lewis Keith Gann Matt Reilly Ragan Whitlock FIELD STAFF
Jimmy Jacobs, Georgia Editor Rocky Cox Columnist Steve Moore Columnist Columnist Polly Dean Columnist Bob Mallard
AXXEL 6 Orange and Salmon on spools of 7 yds
Look to UNI for the best in spooled fly-tying materials!
www. uniproducts .com
Southern Trout is a publication of Southern Unlimited, LLC. Copyright 2019 Southern Unlimited LLC. All rights reserved.
6 l December 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
2019 Kentuckiana Fly Fishing Show Presented by
Featuring:
Gerald McDaniel – Author, Guide & Expert on the Cumberland River Dayton Keller – Author, Trainer & Trout Catching Coach Jim Sauerheber – Avid Fisherman & Guide Scott Webster – DCFF member and avid small water angler
* Fly Casting Demonstrations * Retailers * Kid’s Corner * Fish & Wildlife Agencies * Guides & Outfitters * Fly Tying Contest * Educational Seminars * Watercraft * Raffle Prizes
January 26th, 2019 9 AM – 5 PM
Paroquet Springs Conference Center 395 Paroquet Springs Drive, Shepherdsville, KY Admission: $7 Free Entry to Active Military And Kids 12 & Under
For more info, visit: www.derbycityflyfishers.com www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 7
On September 30, 2018, Solarez, in partnership with Southern Trout and Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing Magazines, Dr. Slick Fly Tying Tools and FlyTyer Magazine launched The Solarez UV Revolution World Tour. Rock Concerts? NO. Instead, an awareness program exploring all of the different types of flies that can be tied with Solarez UV Resins. So, just what is this Solarez UV Revolution World Tour? It is a contest and social media tour directed at the fly tying and fly fishing world that will generate awareness and the unique application value of using Solarez in constructing flies. This program runs through April 1, 2019, and will create an opportunity for fly ters from all over the world to showcase their fly tying abilities. REQUIREMENTS: Tyers will be required to post a photo of their fly with an accompanying Solarez UV Product and pattern ingredients for the fly on one of the four Solarez Facebook pages: North America, Europe, Australia or New Zealand. Entrants should select the Facebook page that geographically represents them. Posts that do not include the Solarez product with fly and pattern will be deleted immediately. Only those posts meeting the requirements will remain.
SOLA
UV Rev World Tou
So, what happens next?
The top 5 contributors with the most Facebook ‘likes’ at the end of each month will receive a t-shirt and an additional 5 t-shirts will be awarded via a random drawing from those who posted likes. Drawings will be held on last day 8 l December 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
AREZ
volution ur Contest
of each month and winners will be announced during the first week of the following month. (All t-shirts will be size XL to manage inventory) On October 1, the first drawing was from individuals who “liked” the Solarez Page from September 19 - September 30. This contest was announced “softly” via Solarez Facebook pages, shares, Pro Team Members, and partner posts. For the final drawing in April, we will start the whole process over again. October will set the stage for November, December, January, February, and the last on in March, for a total of 7 months in each geographical area. TWO (2) GRAND PRIZES, will be randomly drawn from tyers who have submitted flies for the World Tour and all those who have provided likes. Votes will only be collected for flies posted on Solarez Facebook pages. Contributor flies will be shared with Partner Facebook pages. Partners will also be encouraged to offer monthly prizes from random drawings from monthly ‘likers’ of their own individual Facebook pages. Winners will be shared/posted on all Solarez Facebook pages. Southern Trout and Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing magazines will be featuring some Pro Team and consumer flies in each issue over the next 6 months. Of course, they will be respective of either trout or saltwater patterns. Dr. Slick will provide fly-tying tools monthly. Flytyer Magazine will be supporting this tour program by highlighting flies.
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THIS ISSUE Publisher's Message
3
Solarez
8
Legends of the Fly Hall of Fame
12
Fly Fishing for Alabama's Brook Trout
16
Fresh Water Crease Flies and Foam Poppers
32
A Fall Day on the Current River
50
The Creation of the Original Muddler Minnow Fly
56
Whitetop Laurel 66 Crown Jewel of the Mountain Empire New Fly Guy Cheap Tenkara
76
Mystic Fly Rod JXP
86
Chambers Creek NC Would You Go Back?
96
Getting Acquainted with the Soque
110
Blackwing Olive
56 50
16 158
122
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86
THIS ISSUE
66
Naked Thursday
A Coachman Christmas 126 Fly Fishing the Smokies 134 Bryson City Fly Shop R.L. Winston Rod Co. PURE
148
The Fiberglass Revolution 152
76
Great Smoky Mountain TU 158 Ironman Fly Contest
84
110
8
126
96
92
40 118
170
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“LEGENDS OF THE F
The Southern Trout “Legends of the Fly” Hall of Fame is first to recognize and commemorate southern trout anglers’ historical contributions to fly fishing.
CHARLEY ELLIOTT
DAVE WHITLOCK
DON PFITZER
ROGER LOWE
WALTER BABB
MARK CATHY
KEVIN HOWELL
DON HOWELL
BRYON BEGLEY
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FLY” HALL OF FAME
On February 1st at The Fly Fishing Show in Atlanta, Georgia, a ceremony will be held to induct six more anglers chosen by online balloting.
HARRY MIDDLETON
JIM GASTON
ERNEST PECKINBAUGH
J. WAYNE FEARS
JIM CASADA
SOC CLAY
GARY MERRIMAN
ALEN BAKER
CURTIS FLEMING
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FILL OUT THE BALLOT ON SOUTHERNTROUT.COM AND CAST YOUR VOTE! Southern Trout is humbled by the opportunity to be a part of bringing much deserved recognition to the rich heritage and tradition of fly fishing for trout in the South. This a people’s choice recognition program. Inductees are chosen by online balloting. Everyone is encouraged to vote for up to six anglers. Voting runs through January 15, 2019. INDUCTEE CANDIDATES
CHARLEY DICKEY CHUCK TRYON
HERBERT HOOVER
HARRY MURRAY
RAY BALL
HARRY SLONE
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EDDY GEORGE
FRED HALL
JIMMY JACOBS
JOHN BERRY
JIM GASQUE
OZARK RIPLEY
REX WILSON
NAT WINSTON
JOE MANLEY
WILEY OAKLEY
BEN CRAIG
EUGENE SHULER
MONTE SEEHORN DON KIRK
CHUCK CRAFT
DAVY WOOTON
CARL STANDING DEER
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Fly Fishing for Alabama’ Matthew Lewis
16 l December 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
’s Brook Trout I
know what you are thinking, there are no brook trout in Alabama. And you would be correct, but there is something equally mysterious swimming in our streams that rival the beauty of any Southern Appalachian brook trout – redeye bass (Micropterus coosae).
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The similarities between the two go much further than the beautiful habitats of these fish. Like brook trout fishing, there exists a cult following of anglers who like to spend almost as much time hiking to the remote waters as they do fishing them. Climbing waterfalls and hiking miles upstream are prerequisites. The target species is no char, or a salmonid for that matter, although it is just as colorful. Success is measured by the experience, not the size or number of fish caught. The moment your fly hits the water, you will know you are experiencing something very different. Redeye bass are the best kept secret in the Southeast. Redeye bass are a gamefish that are often overlooked by fisherman who are after their larger cousins: largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and spotted bass. Especially in states like Alabama where fishing the larger lakes are more popular with weekend warriors and professional tournament anglers alike. This is perfectly fine by me because this leaves the miles and miles of redeye bass waters virtually absent of another soul on even the most crowded holidays. One of the reasons for this is the difficulty of accessing the streams where they are found. This is not a fish the casual angler would go searching for, this fish requires work to get to. Often times it is hiking through thick snake and tick-infested woods to get to a small stream that harbors a bass that rarely reaches over ten inches in total length. In fact, if you catch one that is twelve inches long, you have reached the pinnacle. However, like I mentioned earlier, fly fishing for redeye bass is not measured in inches, but rather the overall experience. Catching a native fish in its native waters is one of the purest interactions that we can have with nature these days, and these opportunities are decreasing every year. 18 l December 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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The native range of redeye bass spans a handful of drainages in only four southeastern states (Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina). Natural populations of redeye bass are found above the Fall Line in the Piedmont region of the Coosa, Tallapoosa, Cahaba, Black Warrior, Chattahoochee, Savannah and Altamaha rivers. They mostly inhabit the cooler tributary streams in the southernmost foothills of the Appalachian mountain chain. They have been introduced outside of their native range into some streams as far away as California and Puerto Rico. The ideal habitat for redeye bass is cool, fast-flowing waters where there is a lot of gravel bottom and bedrock. They are not typically found in heavily silted waters or in areas without sufficient current. Water flow and rocky habitat are not the only requirements, because redeye bass associate strongly to overhanging vegetation. The ideal stream would have a lot of rocky pools downstream from a run and underneath a tree (or large rock). When looking for areas to cast a fly, these are the areas on which to focus.
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Redeye bass are distinguished from other bass by the presence of white edges on the upper and lower margins of the caudal fin and a silver to bluecolored margin above the back-half of their eye. Unfortunately, and with a lot of confusion, the namesake of redeye bass is one of the least distinguishable characteristics. The red eye coloration is often due to temperature or stress and can change from red to black in seconds. Other bass species, like smallmouth or spotted bass, can also have a red eye. So, stick to the white edges of the caudal fin and blue mark above the eye for definitive diagnosis. As with other black bass, there have been fairly recent studies that investigated the different populations of redeye bass from each other rather than with other bass species. The results from that study in 2013 showed that redeye bass from the Coosa, Tallapoosa, Cahaba, Black Warrior and Chattahoochee rivers are actually each a unique species of redeye bass both genetically and morphologically. The genetic differences are easily quantified, but the morphological differences are easier for anglers to relate to. The number of blotches along their side differ between species as do the presence or absence of a tooth patch and coloration on the fins all differ between the various species.
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Fly tackle is not overly complicated when fishing for redeye bass. I prefer to use a three weight fly rod on small streams and a five weight fly rod on larger rivers. You could split the difference and be fine with a four weight on any redeye bass stream. On the smaller streams, close-quarter fishing is common and a furled leader really makes a difference in turning over popper flies. A lot of times you will be fishing plunge pools or other close-quarter conditions where a roll cast is effective, and the furled leader helps the popper turn over for a nice smooth landing on the water. A huge splash in water that is only a foot or so deep will scare the fins off a redeye bass. This leads me to my most important point regarding catching redeye bass, I would worry more about stealth than tackle. Redeye bass live in clear water and can see pretty well. A shadow casted over their holding location may send them to the next county or under the nearest rock ledge in fear that an osprey is after them. A stealthy approach and careful wading is a must to be successful.
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Redeye bass are not difficult to catch once located. Once you find a good redeye bass stream and an access point, you have already completed the most difficult part. Redeye bass are not picky eaters and they cannot really afford to be. The reason most redeye bass streams are so clear is because they flow through the Piedmont area. With few nutrients entering the watersheds, they are not the most productive. There are a good amount of aquatic mayflies and stoneflies as well as terrestrial insects like grasshoppers. The few studies done on redeye bass diets have shown that insects from the water’s surface comprise a large majority of their diet. They are opportunistic predators and do eat crayfish, lizards and there is at least one documented case of one eating a mouse! The aggressive nature of redeye bass along with their preference for topwater insects causes them to readily take flies from the surface. You would do just fine with tying on a size eight Boogle Bug® popper and using it until you lose it in a tree. The classic wooly bugger in brown or black and dragon fly nymph imitations work extremely well below the water’s surface.
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Like all endemic fish, redeye bass warrant special protection. Given their small native range, this makes them even more susceptible to extirpation (localized extinction) from habitat loss and other events that threaten their existence. Most of the redeye bass populations in Alabama are thriving, with exception to some concerns in the Black Warrior drainage due to coal mining pollution and the Coosa and Cahaba drainages due to urbanization and development. Georgia and South Carolina have not been so fortunate. The Chattahoochee redeye bass (Micropterus chattahoochae) is experiencing problems with habitat loss from development and also with hybridization of non-native black bass, like Alabama
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bass. Alabama bass were introduced to the Chattahoochee river system by anglers and have caused major problems with not only redeye bass but also shoal bass. These non-native bass hybridize with native redeye or shoal bass and produce fertile offspring. The hybrid offspring can backcross with a parent species and produce offspring that look like one of the parents, but hides the genetic damage being done to the population. This is called introgression. Over time, the result is very few pure genetic populations left and eventually a localized extinction, called extirpation.
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Although the Savannah River species of redeye bass has not been formally described, it is considered a unique species. Its common name is the Bartram’s bass, and it grows a little bigger than most other species of redeye bass. It is facing serious threats, similar to those in the Chattahoochee river, as well. Alabama bass have been introduced into the upper Savannah system and have almost completely extirpated native Bartram’s bass by means of introgressive hybridization. To complicate matters, non-native smallmouth bass were illegally stocked around 2008 in the shoals area of the Savannah River in Augusta, Georgia, which are also hybridizing with native Bartram’s bass. In just a few short years after this stocking occurred, a survey yielded a good percentage of smallmouth X
Bartram’s bass hybrids. These issues were completely preventable if an angler did not take it upon himself to establish a fishery that he wanted where one did not exist previously. Georgia and South Carolina are both scrambling to determine where pure populations of Bartram’s bass and Chattahoochee bass are found and where hybridization is occurring and how they can try and prevent it from spreading further. 26 l December 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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One of the ways myself and fellow angler Jonathan Kelley decided to bring awareness to redeye bass and the beautiful places they inhabit is to challenge anglers to travel around the Southeast and catch all seven species of redeye bass in one calendar year. We coined it the Redeye Slam 2018 and had a kick-off event in Birmingham, Alabama, in late February of 2018 with 80 interested participants. If anglers complete the challenge, they receive a custom certificate featuring artwork
by fishing artist Henry Hershey. Local guide Drew Morgan with East Alabama Fly Fishing also joined the team and has taken numerous clients out in pursuit of Tallapoosa redeye bass. The overall goal is to encourage Alabama anglers to both chase and protect our beautiful native fish. So far, the campaign has been a major success with numerous participants completing the slam while raising money for local riverkeeper organizations. So, give fly fishing for redeye bass a try. You may find everything you’re looking for.
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Yep, it’s just that easy with Western North Carolina’s premier fly shop and guide service. Kevin Howell and his experienced staff have been fishing the surrounding 500 miles of prime trout waters so long, they know all the fish on first name basis. And they’ll be more than happy to make a few introductions.
PISGAH FOREST, NC
GUIDE SERVICES | ONLINE & RETAIL STORE | LESSONS
FreshWaterCr Flies and F Poppers
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rease Foam Jerry Coviello
T
he Crease Fly was developed by Joe Blados, sort of like a popper but not. It has a thin baitfish look, floats on the water and you can pop it on the surface. I originally was tying Crease Flies for Saltwater species, such as Stripers and Bluefish, using a saltwater hook in sizes 2 up to 3/0. Then one day I was out fishing for panfish and bass on a local stream using balsam wood poppers. The it came to me on why not just make mine out of foam. I don’t know if the word “tying” should be used when creating Crease Flies or Foam Poppers but there is a tying part with these flies. Also with the new UV resins such as Solarez, makes foam flies is almost indestructible, and they still float and give a fish slime look. I find it very exciting fishing these type of flies for bass and panfish, especially the visual of one of them hitting the fly on the surface. The big splash, and make sure you pause and don’t set the hook like you are setting a hook for a trout. Tying them is very creative. You start off with a blank white sheet of foam 2mm thick for the Crease Fly, add color to imitate any type of bait fish. To make the body I found a small company in Stevensville Montana called River Road Creations, owner Tony Tomsu, who makes Wing and Foam Body Cutters. His website is www. riverroadcreations.com. I purchased the Crease Fly cutters in sizes from 3/0 to size 4. They come in a nice holder and the blade is sharp, also made in the USA.
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Crease Fly Hook: Popper Size 4 Thread: 3/0 White Tail: EP Grey Fibers Body: 2mm white foam Color body with markers and coat with Thick Solarez UV Resin mixed with Fine Glitter The first step is to secure you hook in your fly tying vise. I am using a size 2 popper hook for my freshwater crease fly. You could use a bass stinger hook too. Secure your tying thread to the rear portion of the hook. Any thread color you want to use is fine. You will not see the wraps under the foam body. Thread size can be anywhere from 3/0 to 6/0. Bring your thread to the bend of the hook. Where the tail will be secured.
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Tie in your tail at the bend of the hook. I made the tail to be the shank length of the hook. I am using Grey EP Fibers for this fly. You can use Super Hair or even bucktail.
Next raise the tail and wrap the tail like a parachute post. When you see how the body is attached, you will see why this step is done. This is because the belly of the foam body is secured on the shank of the hook, so the tail needs to be higher than the hook shank. Once you have completed the tail section. Whipfinish and cut the thread. The tying portions of making the Crease Fly is over.
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Using the 4/0 River Road Cutter, cut a few bodies from 2mm white foam. Make sure you use the cutting pad under the foam when you cut the bodies. You don’t want to cut into you table or dull the blade of the cutter.
Here is where you need to be careful. I am working with Loctite Super Glue, and you do not want to glue your fingers to the foam body or get the glue on your vise. I turn the fly upside down, and try to align it the best I can with the hook shank. The Super Glue dries in seconds.
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I put the eyes on next because they will stick to the foam when it is without any color marker on the body. I am using 4mm Ice Living Eyes for this fly also make sure the opposite side matches .
With a dark grey marker such as Pantone. Color the back of the fly with the dark grey color to match a bait fish.
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Next use a fine red marker to draw in gills and the mouth.
Finish the coloring with a lighter grey for the body and add a few dots to give is some kind of life like look So now the coloring part is done.
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I took artist’s mixing tray and poured a small amount of UV Thick Solarez resin into the cup. Then I took a pinch of Extra Fine Glitter from Creatology that I purchased at a hobby store. Not only did I find silver, I found pearl and even glow-in the dark. I mixed the glitter and the Solarez using a wooden toothpick.
Now apply the Solarez/Glitter mixture using a hobby paint brush. Keep it nice a smooth.
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Using a Solarez UV Cure Flashlight, cure the UV Resin. This happens in seconds. This is the reason I started tying epoxy type flies because I didn’t want to wait 5 mins and have a rotating drying rack on my tying bench.
The completed Crease Fly for freshwater.
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Dare Devil Crease Fly with Glitter Solarez
You can experiment with many different colors and sizes.
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Foam Cylinder Poppers Another foam fly I started tying is a foam popper, I got the idea when I saw a few of Bob’s Bangers. I like going out to the local stream and fish for a couple of hours with a popper to catch bluegills. So as a fly tyer I find catching fish with the flies that I tie more gratifying. Here is a quick way to create a few foam poppers. Foam Cylinder Popper Hook: Popper Hook Size 2 Thread: White 3/0 Tail: 6 Hackles 4 Grizzly dyed yellow and 2 Grizzly Body: 1/4 to 1/2 inch foam cylinderCoat with Thick UV Solarez I am using a size 2 popper hook. Securing the thread to the rear half of the hook and bring it to the bend of the hook Tie in 6 hackles, separate them into 2 pairs and tie them at the bend of the hook so they splay out wards like frog legs. I am using 4 grizzly dyed yellow and 2 grizzly hackles. 42 l December 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
I folded a grizzle hackle to form a collar at the rear.
Use one or two hackles for this collar
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Add a yellow/grizzle hackle next.
Almost looks like a tarpon fly. Now whipfinish the fly. The tying part is complete
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Cut a slice in a foam cylinder. I am using a 1/2 inch diameter for this fly.I have used 1/4 inch diameter too.
With a razor blade cut the foam flush with the hook shank.
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Add a 4mm Ice Living Eye on both sides. Color the foam with Olive and Yellow stripes. Then the front color with a red marker for the mouth. Paint the foam with UV Thick Solarez Resin. Hit it with the UV Flashlight
Finished Near Enuff Popper
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A bass and bluegill favorite, the Black N Yellow
Cut the front of the foam cylinder on a slant and now you have a slider
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experience counts for everything Meet Brian Lynch, one of the most innovative anglers and best guides in the business. Professionals like Brian are our first call when we need boots on the ground (and in the water), and our go-to team when it comes to understanding what truly makes a great rod. Their knowledge, their expertise, their understanding is passed on to our craftsmen who strive for perfection and uncompromising performance in every rod we make. To us, Brian and his fellow professionals are our unsung heros. We salute you. Brian calls Western Massachusetts home and can be found working the Deerfield river virtually all year round.
introducing the new avantt and exocett series from t&t. remarkably light. extraordinarily strong.
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19 6 9
T H E R O D YO U W I L L E V E N T UA L LY OW N
www.thomasandthomas.com HANDMADE IN AMERICA
A Fall Day on th by Keith Gann “The Bluff Hole” above Parker’s Ford on Missouri’s upper Current River.
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he Current River B
ob and I had finished a long day of fishing, wolfed down a sandwich from the Subway Shop south down the highway, and now sat in lawn chairs outside of our motel room, sipping plastic cups full of red wine from Bob’s bargain box of an unknown variety. We definitely don’t appreciate the finer points of good wine. Sitting outside of the adjoining motel room were two other fishermen. They had cold beers in their hands, and the collective alcohol plus being neighbors, allowed us to slowly work into a conversation about our summary days. We found that we had both spent the day fishing, but on different rivers, chasing different fish. They mentioned about this being their twentieth-year on a guided drift boat trip down the Little Piney River for smallmouth. We offered that it was our twentieth year fishing the Current River for trout. Their tale of a one hundred fish day overpowered our story of only fourteen fish landed, and I thought about mentioning that one of the fourteen was a smallmouth, but I decided against contaminating the two fishing tales since I was aware of the fact that we were just four fishermen, trading stories, with the truth somewhere in the dreams of unactual fancy. But, the more the two guys talked about their day, the more I got to thinking about fly-fishing for smallmouth out of a guided John boat. I mentioned it to Bob, but he didn’t seem interested. I wasn’t sure if having a guide was the problem, or fishing from a boat, or just small-mouth versa trout. Anyway, I saw it as a new adventure. I hadn’t caught many smallmouth, but the ones that I had managed to hook, had put up pretty good fight before they were released, and the one out of the deep hole today was a surprise, but no exception to the fighting stamina of a strong fish. www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l December 2018 l 51
Earlier this morning, the day had been planned to be a duplicate of many day trips before it. But this time it was a little different. Instead fishing our old waters, we drove further down to the turn off to Parker Ford. It was a fall morning, and the gold and bronze leaves covered the gravel track as we wound along, first passing by small hay fields fenced by tall oak trees, then the start of the gradual decent down to the 4WD river road. As we hit the steeper section, we entered the denser trees, and passed the rustic restored school house. It was nestled on the side on the steep hill, back in the shelter of the trees. Only the stark white paint on its single room belied its presentence. When we reached the old dirt river road, we turned to the right and followed the muddy track to the unimproved parking space that sat on the bank of the river and the low water ford that crossed it. We had the ford all to ourselves. Not too many fishermen make it down this far. The vast majority stay within the confines of Montauk State Park, where daily stockings take care of their appetites. Down this far, catch and release tends to take over and a different kind of fisherman shows up. We waded across the ford and took a trail up river for several hundred yards. Leaving it, we broke through the stream-side brush and entered the water. A couple of ten-inch browns took our dries, then we hugged the bank as we approached a section of faster, deeper water that swirled around some mid-stream boulders. Another couple of browns were landed, and we fished our way up to a hole that was guarded by a towering limestone bluff, a piece of water that we’d christened “The Bluff Hole�. We fished it for several minutes. Bob worked up stream to a long stretch of
riffles, while I stopped and rigged a #18 bead head pheasant tail as a dropper to my #14 Elk Hair. It was a deep hole, and I figured that there was no sense in passing up possible fish on its bottom. I waded to the top of the stretch. On the first cast, the current took the indicator fly up against the bluff, and I followed it until it swung across into the shallow tail. Reeling line, the next cast came out of the head of the pool and floated across the deep
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water, eight feet out from the bluff. The Elk Hair disappeared suddenly. I set the hook, and what ever was on the dropper put up a stiff, zig-zaggy fight. Whatever it was, it wouldn’t come up, and I continued to reel in spurts, let it run, reel again, run, reel, until I slowly worked it into the shallows. I hadn’t seen a lot of small-mouth, but I quickly decided that this must be one. I had fished that hole at least thirty times over the past
twenty years and had never seen one, let alone talked to anyone who had caught one out of that hole either. I held it up against my rod grip and decided that it was about ten inches long, about the length of the browns that we were catching. I wet my hands, slid my fingers down to the barbless nymph and held on as the fish wiggled itself off, and with a splash, was gone back into the deep water.
When I caught up to Bob, I mentioned it, almost in passing, as if it didn’t count as a fish. But my memory of it as I now listened to the two guys at the motel, came back. The fish had put up a strong, energetic fight, much more that the hatchery raised browns. Someday soon, a John boat trip down a Missouri stream, flyfishing for small mouth bass, had to be done. For me, it was the next step in the evolution of a fly fisherman.
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SweetWater Brewing Company • Georgia • SweetWaterBrew.com
The Creation of
D
an Gapen, CEO of the Gapen Fishing Tackle Company in Big Lake Minnesota, has been a longtime friend of mine. Way back 30-40 years ago, Dan and I wrote for the same magazines-Outdoor Life, Sports Afield, Field and Stream, plus a hundred more. Dan is a legend as one of the finest writers and photographers for both fishing and hunting titles in North America. Thank goodness for me his writings mostly were and are about the northern tier states in the U.S. and much about his family’s ancestral home in the Thunder Bay District of Northwestern Ontario. Not only is Dan Gapen one of the top photo-journalist in North America. He and his partners (one is Bobber Anne)
MUDDLERÂŽ M
Have traveled around the globe looking for record fish. They have caught many over the years. Dan is also a celebrated fly fisherman whose ancestry dates back more than 200 years and the family once fly fished the waters of the British Isles.
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Soc Clay
the ORIGINAL
MINNOW FLY This story is about Dan’s Father, Dom Gapen who left his home in the U.S. to operate a fishing camp on the famed Nipigon River. The historic Nipigon River that falls rapidly out of Lake Nippon, rushing unheeded through drops,
plunge pools and undercut banks for more than 30 miles, falling an enormous 253 feet before it reached the Nipigon Bay on northwestern shores of Lake Superior, created the world’s best habitat for native brook trout. In fact, the accepted world record for the spicier (also known as speckled trout and Maus-magnus a term meaning speckled trout applied by native Ojibway who lived in the region. The so far unchallenged catch was made by Dr. J.W Cook (no address available). The fish was 34.5 inches long with a girth of 11.5 inches. Using the same weight formula that is accepted for catch and release trophies in Ontario, Dr. Cook's Brook Trout would have been 20 pounds. The time was early April of 1915. The veteran angler was on a 7-day fishing trip and his
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trout was not officially weighed until the 21st, which is when they (his guide) hiked out of the bush. The trout was so badly decomposed that they could only make a skin mount. Dr. Cook's trout was dead for days before being weighed, which is why it was only officially 14.5 pounds. Dr. Cook's trout was probably close to 20 pounds when he first caught it. This is one reason why the IGFA still considers Dr. Cook trout the World Record. Jumping ahead to 1936, My friend Don Gapen’s father Dan Gapen was fishing on the east bank below Virgin Falls with his guides John Morseau and Dan Bushard, native Ojibway Indians who lived along the Nipigon River and had fished there much of their lives. Dan, who owned a fishing camp on the famous trout water had dedicated his fly-fishing life to catching a new record brookie-with a fly. Not unusual, he would be challenged to accomplish this goal. He knew the river, his fly-fishing experience dated back to Europe where his ancestors fished the fly in the famous Atlantic salmon streams of the British Isles. It was a sunny day in August when the famed Muddler Minnow was given life. Gapen’s guides who worked at his camp, had always told him it would require a Cocktush minnow to catch the big squaretails
that lived in the river- perhaps even a new world record for the species. Bur Gapen was a fly fisherman. The Cocktush the native guides suggested was the same fish that today’s anglers often use when fishing the big trout producing rivers and streams in the South. We call the little bottom-huggers, a “sculpin.” Dan Gapen’s effort to maintain his flyfishing heritage, was determined to create
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a look-a-like on that warm autumn morning some 82 years ago. Like all his predecessors, Gapen carried a fly-tying kit every time he went fishing. If his native guides believe big brook trout would only feed on a Cocktush,
then he would create an artificial image of the minnow. Eventually, he would name his ugly brown deer hair creation, the “Muddler® Fly.” It took two hours for Dan Gapen to tie the fly to his specifications. Then the test. Came In
the presence of his two guides, He made three false cast with his 9-foot bamboo rod, then dropped the fly onto a spot where big trout had been caught before. On the first cast the Muddler® failed to sink.
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No problem. Gapen knew much about the properties of deer hackle and simply placed his new fly into his mouth and began chewing on the head. Saliva worked into the deer hair created a weight that would allow the offering to sink slowly. It worked! After wetting the fly, Don cast quartering upstream and allowed the contrived invention to sink slowly with the current. Near the end of the drift Don felt a solid jolt run through the rod and into his hand. He lifted the cane quickly and was fast to a four-and-a-half-pound beauty. At the end of the second day’s fishing the veteran fishing guide and camp owner caught two more trophy size trout on his fly. The largest going eight and a half pounds. In his lifetime, Don caught three brook trout weighing more than 10 pounds from his beloved Nipigon River, all coming on the slow sinking Muddle®. Today, Dan Gapen Jr, the eldest son of the creator of the original fly pattern, continues the work of his father at his small company in Minnesota. He has tied thousands of Muddlers® for much of his own 84 years. His favorite sizes for trout are # 10,12,14 and 16. A 3/0 version is deadly for muskie and pike. Besides the ugly brown fly his dad tied, Dan offers a Muddler® kit that includes white and black colors for southern trout fishing. To receive a catalog featuring all Gapen fly fishing products or to place an order for a Southern Trout Muddler® Kit, phone toll-free 877- 623-2099 or go on line to Gapen Lures.
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Author: Soc Clay
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Ontario’s Nipigon River fishery for huge brook trout was mostly destroyed by the construction of four hydro-electric dams, the first built in 1918 after the record was taken. Three more were built starting in 1925 (Virgin Falls). The fourth and last was constructed at Pine Portage in 1950. Today. Huge brook trout are still caught from the lower section of the river where it enters Lake Superior. However, some fisheries experts believe these may be a cross between a squaretail and lake trout call “splake.”
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Whitetop Laurel: Crown Jewel of the
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I
n my mind, the Appalachian Mountains flow south. Perhaps that’s me inappropriately granting mountains riverine characteristics. Or maybe it’s me thinking of the passage of life and time as a river. Both are easy for me to do. I was born along the spine of the Blue Ridge, a Sunday crow’s flight from the Shenandoah National Park, and I spent my burgeoning years as an angler as a brook trout bum, fishing the small streams my home overflows with. When I moved away to school, I moved south, deeper into southern Appalachia. The spine I was used to expanded into a sprawling mountain landscape—the Valley and Ridge, as the geologists call it—and the rivers got bigger. And in the heart of southwest Virginia’s Mountain Empire, I discovered a bountiful wild trout fishery in Whitetop Laurel Creek. Matt Reilly
Mountain Empire
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Known as Virginia’s largest freestone wild trout fishery, and touted as one of the nation’s top trout waters by local author, John Ross, in Trout Unlimited’s Top 100 Trout Streams, Whitetop Laurel Creek rises as two headwater streams—Big Laurel and Little Laurel Creeks—near the town of Konnarock. From the headwater trickles to its confluence with the South Fork of the Holston River just downstream of Damascus—“Trail Town, USA”—, Whitetop runs through five and a half miles of stocked, put-andtake water; five and a half miles of special regulations water; and about 12 miles of “undesignated water, which is managed under no state regulations. A robust wild trout population fills the entirety of Whitetop’s course, something that is very unique to the state of Virginia, but commonplace in the Mountain Empire. A look at the region’s history tells why. 68 l December 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
Roughly 760 million years ago, during the time of the ancient supercontinent, Rodinia, stretching, and heating of the Earth’s crust along divergent plate boundaries inspired active volcanoes along the rift that would one day become the Appalachian Mountains. Geological record suggests that one such volcano at the site of what is today Mount Rogers—Virginia’s highest peak and the head of Whitetop Laurel’s drainage—erupted several times, spewing a hot, dense flood of volcanic ash over the surrounding landscape that settled and cooled to become a layer of volcanic rock more than a third of a mile thick. Throughout the 19th Century, this same land was the victim of largescale clear-cutting and a rampant mining industry. Widespread soil erosion, and the consequent sedimentation, channelization, and warming of streams, resulted, and, by the turn of the century,
the region’s native brook trout population had declined markedly, restricted to the extreme upper reaches of only the most rugged and unrapable hollows. Supplemental stockings of hatchery-strain trout began in the 1930s, to provide a recreational fishery in places where the brook trout population had been degraded.
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In 1966, what is now a 200,000-acre, recreation-focused inset of the Jefferson National Forest—the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area (MRNRA)—was designated by Congress. The entirety of the MRNRA, because of its volcanic past, sits above 2,000 feet above sea level. The subsidence of poor land use practices, in combination with critical elevation and the special management of the highlands, has enabled the protection of the region’s headwater streams, which has resulted in the return of water quality ideal for trout. Today, thanks to good water quality and year-round cold water, wild rainbow and brown trout thrive in Whitetop Laurel, and native Southern Appalachian brook trout still inhabit the upper reaches of the creek, as well as most of its smaller tributaries. Great wild trout fishing on Whitetop Laurel can be found year-round, but great insect hatches make spring a perfect time to revel in its beauty. Most of the traditional southern Appalachian insect hatches occur on the creek, but Whitetop’s most notable hatch is the emergence of large green drake mayflies that typically occurs sometime between early May and June—prime time to be in the mountains 70 l December 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
trout fishing. These large bugs are often imitated with a size 10 dry fly and can produce some of the best fishing of the year. When the air warms in summer, terrestrials keep the dry fly action rolling into the fall, and can bring some of the stream’s biggest fish to the surface. Mid-fall through mid-winter—the window surrounding peak brown trout spawning activity, which usually coincides with the full moon in November— represents the angler’s best shot at tangling with one of the creek’s larger brown trout, as they become quite aggressive under the spell of impending reproduction, and need to bulk calorically to prepare and recover from the taxing ritual. A productive tactic this time of year is to “run-and-gun” with a streamer—covering water and fishing prime locations searching for an aggressive brown trout. Winter, though slower, in fishing terms, and slightly less comfortable to angle in, is my favorite time to be on the creek, as the traffic of warmer seasons has thinned, and the fishing remains good. The brown trout post-spawn and rainbow trout pre-spawn periods overlap in late winter, and this window has accounted for a large percentage of my biggest trout. www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l December 2018 l 71
Besides the great fishing opportunities, what helps Whitetop Laurel shine as the crown jewel of the Mountain Empire is fantastic access. All but the lowest three miles of the creek are bordered by the MRNA. Moreover, most of the creek is paralleled by the regionally popular rail trail, the Virginia Creeper Trail, which runs through Whitetop’s three most popular access points—Creek Junction, Taylor’s Valley, and Straight Branch. Thus, a mountain bike is a great way to access the creek, as it allows anglers to reach the areas farthest from the parking lots quickly. Despite the popularity of Whitetop Laurel, among anglers, hikers, and cyclist—the latter two of which often wear bright colors and frequent the Creeper Trail— the fishing stays good. Some of my most enjoyable days on the creek have been in the company of dozens of other passing outdoorgoers on beautiful spring and fall days in the small “stations” along the Creeper Trail. I’ve even caught and had clients catch, nice wild brown trout nearly at the feet of resting bikers decked out in loud, fluorescent colors standing over the pool on the bank above.
The beauty of Whitetop Laurel Creek, its story and attraction, is that it is just the thumbnail of a larger fishery— the crown jewel, the poster child, of an invaluable and expansive resource unique in Virginia to the southwest corner of the state. Between neighboring second and third order streams, like the South Fork of the Holston, and their smaller tributaries, southwest Virginia’s Mountain Empire is home to hundreds of miles of wild trout water, as well-documented as Whitetop Laurel and as guarded as I-Don’t-KnowWhat-You’re-Talking-About Creek, just waiting to be explored. Trout fishing, blue-lining, the way it was meant to be.
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Matt Reilly is a full-time freelance writer and photographer, outdoor columnist, and fly fishing guide based on the world-class fisheries of southwest Virginia. Find more of his work, or get in contact with him at www.MattReillyFlyFishing.com.
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What’s So Special About Bryson City? Hundreds of miles of native mountain trout streams Trout are also flow through the Great common in our Smoky Mountains four rivers – National Park above Bryson City and Cherokee — freestone creeks with native rainbow, brook and brown trout. Most streams offer all three species.
Cold Weather Means Bigger Fish .
What are you waiting on?
Bryson City is the home of the Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians Learn all about it at FlyFishingMuseum.org
The Oconaluftee, Little Tennessee, the Tuckasegee and the Nantahala, one of Trout Unlimited’s top 100 rivers. And now, a 2.2 mile section of the Tuck through Bryson City is designated delayed harvest waters, with one of the highest trout counts of any stream in the US.
The 30 miles of trout streams on Two mountain lakes the Cherokee offer trout fishing Indian Reservation The 29-mile long, 11,700 acre Fontana Lake and its smaller downstream neighbor Cheoah Lake both have strong populations of trout, particularly near the mouths of streams flowing out of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Cheoah is regularly stocked by the State of North Carolina.
Visit GreatSmokiesFishing.com for a map and profiles of 26 great fishing locations near Bryson City, North Carolina. Photo by Justin Anderson Fly Fishing & Guide
are the longest privately owned and stocked fishing waters east of the Mississippi. The 2.2-mile Raven Fork Trophy section is home to the biggest trout in the Smokies. This specially regulated section is fly fishing only and catch and release.
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New Fly Guy:
Cheap Tenkara By Steve Moore
Small stream fishing? There is nothing more effective and easy to use on a mountain trout stream than a Tenkara flyfishing set up; especially if you are a new fly angler. Why? Think about the typical small stream; it’s surrounded by dense vegetation and, yes, small and narrow. Once you sneak up, the fish are within spitting distance of where you silently crouch. The last thing you want to do is manage an awkward fly rod with heavy line using multiple false casts to flop a fly less than 20 feet away from your hiding position. If fishing with spin gear, it is even worse with the splash of the spinner spooking the entire pool. Tenkara fishing avoids those problems by eliminating the fly reel, heavy fly line and, for spin fishers, the heavy spinner. Instead, a Tenkara rod allows you to flip a short section of light line to land a small fly softly into that sweet spot. With a one-minute learning curve, it is also the easiest and fastest way to transition from spin fishing to fly fishing – think dapping with a wrist flick.
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How does it work? A Tenkara flyfishing set up consists of a collapsible rod with a short section of line and a couple flies. As with anything associated with the sport of fly fishing, you can still spend a fortune even though you avoid the cost of the fly reel and 100 feet of unique line. However, as Tenkara has grown in popularity, so have inexpensive options. My first Tenkara rod cost over $100 in 2008. While you can still mimic my history and empty your wallet, Tenkara equipment is so simple that the economic solutions perform just as well as the expensive ones. Here’s how to start Tenkara fishing for less than $20!
If it has a lillian, it can be used as a Tenkara rod
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The cheapest a Tenkara rods are probably not called Tenkara rods. Instead, the sellers on Amazon use tortured language like “CUTEQ Fishing Rod Ultralight Pole Super Hard Telescopic Carbon Fiber 2.7-6.3m for Outdoor Fishing”, “Uxcell a11081700ux0041 Traveling 9 Sections Telescopic Pole Fishing Fisherman Tool Rod 2.5M Orange” or “Plastic Freshwater Retractable Seven Sections Telescopic Fishing Rod.” All these options cost less than $10 with the first one coming in at a record low of $4.31. The best way to find “Tenkara” rods where the description does not include the word “Tenkara” is to use the search term “Carbon Fiber Rod Fishing” or something similar and sort from low to high. eBay is another source inexpensive Tenkara type rods.
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Looking at the results, eliminate choices not intended for Tenkara fishing. To figure out which ones are appropriate for Tenkara versus cane poles or generic collapsible spin rods, look at the rod tip in the picture. If it shows a “lillian,� the rod is usable as a Tenkara rod. The lillian is a short section of fabric glued to the rod tip used to attach the fly line to the rod. If it has a line guide, it is not Tenkara! If you want to see other options, review the related products Amazon lists at the bottom of the screen as this section may show rods that were not presented in the initial search. Finally, do not purchase any rod over 3 m in length unless you are a Tenkara fanatic who wants to use the technique on broad streams.
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With so many options costing so little, how do you choose? Simple. Do not buy any rod not made from carbon fiber. The three possibilities linked above are carbon fiber, metal, and plastic respectively. Of those, I purchased and tested the carbon fiber and metal versions. The carbon fiber rod I used was a different model than the one quoted in this article and cost a whopping $9.67 from eBay. While the metal version worked, it tended to stick when being collapsed and I was concerned a healthy fish would cause the metal to flex to the point of bending. The carbon fiber option performed just as well as the expensive TenkaraUSA rods I purchased years ago. My YouTube channel has reviews of both, along with other Tenkara guidance, in this playlist.
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There are a few differences between cheap and expensive. The first is none of the inexpensive versions have a cork handle. Instead, you grip the narrow bottom section of the collapsible rod. While the cork handle is more comfortable since it is thicker and more comfortable to grasp, I cannot justify paying another hundred dollars for that single feature. Another difference is the cheaper versions do not offer the option to replace a broken tip. A quick check on the website to see what it would cost to buy a replacement tip for one of my expensive rods revealed I would pay $17 for that benefit. Clearly, if you are worried about breaking a tip, by an extra rod and take it with you. After breaking several tips, here are two tip tips! First, do not use any tippet stronger than 5X. Second, never use the rod to pull a fly out of a tree. Instead, grip the line to keep from stressing the tip.
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Once you purchase the rod, outfit it with the appropriate line. To be ultracheap, just use eleven feet of 10-pound fluorocarbon line. I prefer using a furled leader, and there are plenty of options available on Amazon using the search “tenkara line” that come in around $10. Do not buy a Tenkara line holder – one of those blue round wheels - they are a waste of money since they are hard to use on the stream. Instead, glue a few picture hooks onto the bottom section of the rod as I show in this video. Finally, 0 or 1 wt level fly line works well with 100 feet available on eBay and Amazon for around $10 – just clip off eleven feet (starting from the reel end if the line is the weight forward type).
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What’s the total cost so far? Carbon fiber rod ($4.31) + furled line from Maxcatch ($11.45) + a few flies equals less than $20! If the rod has any reviews, I recommend plugging the Amazon link into Fakespot.com to assess whether the reviews are contrived. Sadly, some fishing gear manufacturers pump fake reviews into their products. Check out my video on this sad state of affairs. So! If you are hesitating about getting into fly fishing and fish small water, here is the very inexpensive way to see if you like this type of fishing. I guarantee you will be more successful on mountain streams given the flawlessly simple casting technique combined with the perfectly natural fly presentation!
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Mystic Fly I
n the last twenty years, fly rod manufacturers have popped up like mushrooms do after heavy rain. Some come and some go for as many reasons as there are models and makes of their products. Fly fishermen have greatly benefited from this competitive environment by being the recipient of better and better flyfishing wands.
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y Rod JXP:
Don Kirk
ream Personified www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l December 2018 l 87
Do you remember the Mystic Reaper? It was a hot seller budget rod for a long time, and more than a few fly rod enthusiasts were sad to see its retirement when the company discontinued it. Mystic has quietly introduced their newest flagship rod, the Mystic JXP that breaks away from the rest of the Mystic lineup in several ways. Notably, Mystic took a page from Loomis’s book and finished the rods right here in the USA. It’s allowed them to make some huge improvements in quality, and they’ve done it at a rock bottom price.
Mystic JXP, a newly introduced line of fly-rods, has raised eyebrows across the country. Priced at $495, it is American-made in Denver and has been, for over a decade, a fine top line model. I say this because so many fly rod makers’ top series begin a $900 and spiral upward. The Mystic JXP is Mystic’s flagship, and it is quality crafted and fishes as well as it’s more expensive competitors. When you cradle it in your casting hand you immediately see that of components and workmanship of this offering from Mystic fly rod are first class.
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The company uses foreign manufactured, proprietary quality high-modulus rolled JXP blanks and then Mystic finishes the rod in the USA. It’s the same recipe Loomis uses for the Asquith. The wraps and workmanship are much better on the JXP than on previous Mystic rods – just as you’d expect from a US-finished product. The hybrid full wells grip is a new custom design and is made from super grade cork. Our rods had a beautiful skeletonized reel seat milled from aircraft aluminum hard anodized titanium TiCH colored window seat has
a woven carbon fiber insert. The stunning Mystic JXP w tested was 9’ 5-weight that hit the scales at just over 3 ounces. Distance and accuracy of the Mystic JXP proved good. It is completely comfortable in the 30 to 50 feet range but is hardily a long range (80 to 90 feet) gizmo. On the other hand, the Mystic JXP garners a lot of respect as an accurate fly rod. It is completely up to the job of accurately making casts in the 35 to 60 feet ranges. The Mystic JXP kept it together and threw some really nice loops and delivered the fly accurately to the target.
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The Mystic JXP is touted as being a “fast action” fly rod, which became a common descriptive term 15 to 20 years when fast actions moved on the stage. Many times this term can be massaged by using fly lines other than that for which the rod was built. Mystic calls the JXP a “true to line” fast action rod. It’s faster than moderate action dry fly rods like the Scott G-Series and Hardy Z. Ultralite, but definitely not as fast as say a Hardy Zephrus or Helios 3. Mystic Outdoors is proud of its heritage designing and building some of the world’s best fly rods right here in the U.S. They are proudly headquartered in Colorado. As with the entire Mystic family of fly rods, the new JXP was designed by Dennis Klein and Mystic’s U.S. team.
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They work with the best builders to implement their fly rod designs, and in the case of the new JXP, even the reel seat and cork grip were custom designs. Unlike some fly rod companies that slap their logo on off-the-shelf components, Mystic takes immense pride in the detail and the quality of their work.
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In terms of just old fashion good looking, you’ll like the Mystic JXP and it could very well become your “go to” trout stream fly rod. At ranges of 40 to 50 feet, it is really on its game. It is mounted with trouble-free, stainless steel stripping guide. The blank has un-sanded look and is topped off with brown/ maroon, heavily thread. Originally, it was offered in three models (4-weight, 5-weight, and 6-weight), but this is expected to grow. Again, the Mystic JXP has a real potential to become your favorite “go to” stream rod.
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The Southern Trout team made a two-day trip to the Soque River in northeastern Georgia to give the Mystic JXP and a Winston Pure fly rods the business. Frankly, it was agreed that Mystic definately held its own quite well. We departed Georgia with a new found respect for the $495 Mystic JXP.
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Chambers Creek Would
You Go
Back?
Ragan Whitlock
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North Carolina T
his question has been a trout stream litmus test for years. It acts both as a way to describe the enjoyment of an experience, and as a way to pass judgment on a location as a whole. I avoid answering or asking this question whenever possible. At best, giving an answer feels privileged. At worst, it feels like an inflated ego childishly attacking an underserving victim. Some trout streams yield obvious answers, and entertaining the discussion is fairly innocuous. The trips that result in wonderful fishing experiences always end with the lucky participants discussing the topic of “next time� before they part ways.
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The terrible experiences formed by poor weather, fishing, scenery, or all three, also end in fairly obvious answers. “Would you go back?” “Hell no!” The problem is many creeks fall into that grey area. For me, those experiences have been highlighted by preconceived notions of a place. The Great Smoky Mountain National Park is rich with trout streams first-time visitors have opinions of before ever setting foot in the waters. One glance through a Harry Middleton book or a quick Google search will generate expectations. I have seen those expectations tempered and opinions radically shifted on many streams in the GSMNP. If you plan a trip to Hazel Creek thinking you will catch a 20” trout and see more bears than fellow anglers, disappointment is already on the horizon. The same extends to Forney, Noland, Deep and other often described streams on the North Shore of Fontana Lake. Like clockwork, that disappointment turns to retaliation. “You won’t see me going there again.” The words are said almost with the foolish belief that the stream will hear them and feel remorse. “How could I not live up to their expectations?” I find comfort in knowing that the stream doesn’t give a damn what I think. The stream was never the one who planted those expectations in my mind, and it changed nothing to accommodate me. Chambers Creek is the classic example of a stream falling into that grey area. Very little is said about it online, partly due to its size, partly to its accessibility, and partly to 98 l December 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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its proximity to significantly more heralded streams. Before attempting my kayaking trip over Fontana to Chambers, my expectations were mostly formed by quick conversations with older fishermen. Many responded with, “ah, it ain’t worth it.” Some, however, responded with a smile and a description of how beautiful the place is. One smile from an old fisherman is enough for me to purchase campsite reservations, so I called my flock of backcountry enthusiasts and planned a trip. When discussing plans, I did my best to describe the place in a fair and honest light. “I’ve heard its beautiful, but not really too much about the fishing,” followed by, “it certainly won’t have much pressure on it,” seemed like the fairest way to get the point across. In a way, it still does. When people refer it “not being worth it,” a couple things come to mind. First and foremost is the accessibility. Like many streams on the North Shore, it is only accessible by boat or a ridiculously long hike. It’s situated far enough away from the typical ferry location to make the price unreasonable. Last time I checked, Fontana Marina charges over $100 to take a single passenger over and back. When other creeks are double the size and half the price, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. Kayaking over, however, costs only the amount you value a few hours of your own labor. For me, that’s a pretty negligible amount. There are at least two boat docks within a fivemile paddle to the mouth of the creek, which shouldn’t take more than a few hours of leisurely strolling near Fontana’s shore. www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l December 2018 l 101
When you arrive, the second reason why some deem the trip “not worth it” is fairly obvious: the size of the stream. If there are any hopes of a 14” fish lingering around in your subconscious, they are immediately squashed. I always hesitate to deem it impossible, but upon canvassing the entire two-miles or so of fishable water, I only identified two or three pools that could support a fish of that size. Here is where the issue of passing judgment comes to the forefront. I could describe the fishing at Chambers Creek in two ways, each would be simultaneously truthful and false-hearted. Perhaps giving both is the only way to mitigate the deceit. My egotistical side would present it this way: Chambers isn’t worth it. It takes so much effort to get there, and then only one full day of fishable stream available to you. There is less fishable water in all of Chambers than one tributary of Deep Creek. Second, the fishing was way too tough to be such a secluded stream. We found gink bottles on the trail and the fish were remarkably tough to get to rise. Regardless of how big the stream was overall, there were a bunch of pools that looked like they should have six to ten inch rainbows, and the simply didn’t. Moreover, it looked like brook trout water, but none were found. Add in that this “beautiful” place wasn’t even well maintained, and I wouldn’t see myself making another trip. The campground had shin-high grass and there was nothing special about the 102 l December 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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appearance anywhere. 3/10, would rather go to any other North Shore stream. My better side would present it this way: If by worth it, you mean I could experience a weekend full of (1) paddling around the gorgeous Fontana Lake, (2) camping on a trout stream that will almost always be without other people, (3) catching a fair amount of keeper-sized rainbow trout, (4) exploring well preserved ruins of a pre-national park era town and, (5) staring at, arguably, the most beautiful cove on Fontana Lake, then yes – It is sure as hell worth it. Our fishing was certainly tougher than expected. It could be the result of a previous fly-fishing group that just happened to be there a few days before us. It could be a weather change that resulted in a slower metabolism, coupled with our desire to only fish dry flies in such a small stream. It could also be just the luck of the draw. At the end of our two-night jaunt, three fishermen probably tallied twenty or so keeper sized rainbows. As far as the beauty of the place and the difficulty it takes to get there, I fall back on the same answers. Chambers is absolutely gorgeous and maybe we can give the Park Service some slack on the maintenance. It is one of the least traveled back-country sites in the park, and we were there in late-spring. Grass grows. For the difficulty of access, we have almost 330 million people living in the United States. If being alone is your thing, as it is mine, a 5-mile kayak paddle is a pretty cheap price. 104 l December 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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The only real expectation you can have when planning a trip to Chambers is a true backcountry experience. You can say, “the fishing was tough, the creek was small, and the mountain laurel was so thick that back casts were near impossible. You could also phrase it as, “Chambers is a true GSMP fishing experience. If you want to properly encapsulate what it feels like to bow-and-arrow cast under a tree limb to an 8-inch rainbow trout, that’s the place for you.” When my group arrived back at the boat dock, I could sense opinions were divided. It was a fun weekend with friends, but memories of Hazel and Forney were on the forefront of several minds. Almost like clockwork one voice popped up, “Whew, that was fun man, but I don’t think I’ll be going back.” Trying not to let a scowl emerge on my face, I gave my prototypical response: “I don’t know about that.” The truth is, I don’t know if I will be back. On that Sunday night, after my post-backcountry camping trip shower, I would have put those chances at about ten-percent. Every month, though, that number creeps up higher and higher. I may not choose to go Chambers over another North Shore Stream for my next trip, but it will certainly be in the running.
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Outdoor Adventure
# 63
Fish so big, they hook you. Cherokee Fisheries and Wildlife Management makes sure our trout grow up big, strong, and ready to fight. For tournament schedules, licenses, and more: VisitCherokeeNC.com | 828.359.6110
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Getting Acquainted with the Soque I
t was a memorable trip to Blackhawk Fly Fishing beside the Soque River, and a great time to visit with great friends, owners John and Abby Jackson in North Georgia. In a nutshell, the food and wines were outstanding. The older I get, the more importance is placed on this aspect of fishing. While fishing lived up to the stories we had heard about the privately owned section the state’s shortest river, it proved to be tougher fishing that we bargained for. It was anything but an exercise in “fishing in a barrel.”
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Our party of three consisted of Lou West, sales manager for Big Green Egg based out of Atlanta; Claude Prescott, III, the associate publisher of our magazines; and yours truly, the rambling wreck from fly rod tech. We arrived in Habersham County at Blackhawk Fly Fishing in time for lunch. (Yes, I planned it that way.) This is important just about anywhere you go fishing, but it is especially true here as Abby J is a gourmet chef. The fresh pork belly sandwiches served for lunch were as southern as magnolia trees and were a real gastronomic treat. Although I had often heard of pork belly it was my first sampling, and I really did not know what to expect. The best way I can describe this odd sounding combination is to ask you to imagine a hot sandwich made of thickest cut bacon (i.e. pork belly) that was smoked on a Big Green Egg. Pretty incredible vittles for sure. The crunch and favor ransacked our senses. A sophisticated mom and pop operation, Blackhawk Fly Fishing is an old farm that has been in the family for over one hundred years. Following an outdoor lunch, we “wandered up� in the front yard of the lodge and headed in the direction of the sound of running water brimming with leviathan trout. This was my first time fishing since wetting a line in nearby Dukes Creek with Lou West three years earlier. I was quite apprehensive. I carried a spanking brand new Winston Freshwater PURE fly rod tipped with the #20 purple colored midge. Lou and Claude had similar rigs. Our shared a common guide/nursemaid was Eli Crumley who has a passion for fly fishing and enjoys teaching others how to fly fish. He currently works for Blackhawk Fly Fishing while attending college at Young Harris. An extremely likable and witty 24-year-old, he was quite helpful in helping me to get around once my legs got jumpy and started giving me problems. 112 l December 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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I carried a wading staff for the first time ever strictly at the bequests of Mrs. Kirk. She is my wife/partner/ nurse and takes each job seriously. As Mark Twain once said upon finding out about the news release of his death, he was quoted as saying something like, “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” In a different way, so were the rumors and truths surrounding my apparent absence from the creeks and river of my younger years. It seems that age has caught up with me, much to my chagrin. Thus, Mrs. Kirk strictly controls my fly fishing ventures which have been very few and far between. Needless to say, I was more than a little excited to be at Blackhawk Fly Fishing on the Soque River. My fear was that I would build it up too much in my own imagination, then be disappointed. Much to the contrary, I was overwhelmed (in a good way.) Blackhawk Fly Fishing is marked by several long stretches of relatively gentle glides. Easy, breezy wading challenges as I explained to Mrs. Kirk. Years ago, we made a trip above the lodge to a place called Brigadoon Lodge where we enjoyed remarkably, outstanding fly fishing. I was not sure what the Soque held for our party of three us that day but we had seen the pictures. Suffice to say visions of sugar plums danced in our heads. The first reach we fished was called “the gravel bar.” I took the lower beat while Lou and Claude disappeared upstream a short distance but within shouting range. According to our guide, this section of the Soque was chocked full of big rainbow and brown trout. He was correct. Here the Soque is approximately 60 to 70 feet across and about waist deep at its two primary runs. At the head of the pools, one can make out large brown trout jockeying for position to mate. The bigger trout laid in the troughs below as we quickly discovered.
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Lou was the first to hook up, not just the first but three nice trout in a row. Claude quickly followed suit, while I labored on the gravel pit, dredging my flies near the bottom through the slightly murky water beneath a pea-sized indicator. When I did hook up, I nearly jumped out of my skin. It has been a long time since I felt the electric charge of a really hulking rainbow boring upstream with my fly the way that trout did. Forgetting Abby J’s advice to “let ‘em run,” I locked down tight on the arbor as though the trout was 9-incher living in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. No sooner had the trout charge off, it snapped my tippet and broke water repeatedly in a mocking celebration. I was dismayed that in the process I had lodged my terminal tackle into the boughs of a hemlock tree located overhead behind me. Unfortunately, that morning it was not the first time a breaking off trout launched my terminal tackle into a streamside tree. I don’t believe any of our party kept a running total on hookups and landed fishing. Throughout the afternoon we fished within sight of each other, and often as not, one or more of us was fast into a trout. John and Abby do a great job of managing this wild fishery. While the trout there are browns and rainbows nonnative to the Soque, they are stocked every other year. Abundant food sources in the Soquel are about all this fishery needs to be called world class. Later that evening we gathered at the home of John and Abby for sit down dinner, which was fabulous. Life at Blackhawk Fly Fishing is pretty laid back, accurately mirroring the Soquel River itself. The flow bisects Habersham County, running for 18 miles before emptying into the Chattahoochee River. The lodge is an old mountain farmhouse surrounded by flower and vegetable gardens. Its décor is about what you might expect: a modern kitchen encircled with a smattering of antique furniture blended skillfully with modern pieces. We were quite at home there. The second day started where the first ended. I am not sure that we didn’t catch a few of the same big trout as the day before, but a few of the bruisers looked familiar. Blackhawk has been around a couple of decades over which time Abby J and husband, 116 l December 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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John, have mastered their craft. When I asked where they came up with the name of the place, Abby burst into a giggle. She said that during the early years of the lodge when John and she declared their section of the Soque River to be privately owned and managed, local anglers long accustomed to access to the river ignored the postings. Knowing something of the culture of Northern Georgia, I completely believed the rest of the story. It seems there was a need to teach boundaries to a group that could not read signs stating it was private water. Abby’s brother took to patrolling the stream with a Ruger Blackhawk revolver. No one ever got shot, but the name of this sidearm stuck. Blackhawk Fly Fishing is one of several privately reaches on the Soque, many of them butting up against each other. There is no way to exaggeration the quality of fishing or the caliber of the fish in the river. Oddly, getting time on the river can be a little due to the high volume of return business. At Blackhawk, it can be especially tough due to the stellar accommodations of the lodge and the unbelievable quality of the meals. It becomes easy to understand why so many trout fishermen cannot get enough of Blackhawk Fly Fishing. Its on-site fly shop and Abby and John Jackson make you believe, it’s not a mission impossible, but it is a mission necessary.
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Trophy Fly Fishing Stream Blackhawkflyfishing.com
PO Box 2555
Clarksville, GA 30523
706.947.3474
ÂŽ
Don’t go home empty handed! www.sunbursttrout.com
Sunburst Trout Farms Is located below the Shining Rock National Wilderness in the Pisgah National Forest. Since 1948 they have been growing rainbow trout, and the farm is now run by third generation brothers Wes and Ben Eason.
Sunburst has a long standing commitment to quality. Their fish are hormone and antibiotic free, and the feed is made especially for them containing no mammalian by-products. All trout are cut to order in small bathces, mostly by hand, thus ensuring all products are of the highest standard. In addition to Sunburst’s flagship fillets you can also find their award winning caviar, as well as trout jerky, hickory smoked trout, cold smoked trout, smoked trout dip, trout sausage, and even some non trout products, pimento goat cheese and smoked tomato jam. Be sure to stock up on their Original Jennings Jerky! It’s shelf stable and perfect for those long days fly fishing. To order go online to www.sunbursttrout.com
314 Industrial Park Drive Waynesville, NC 28786 828-648-3010 • 800-673-3051
black wing olive chronicles Olive Blackwing
Naked Thurs
D
on’t bother checking your calendar for any reference to Naked Thursday. Try as you may, it will not show up as a calendar item. Here, it is already institutionalized. In a completely unexpected move, Mommygirl granted the weekly dress code holiday to Daddyboy. It’s supposed to be some big fat hairy deal of a family secret about which not even Boy is aware. I thought though, “What the hell?” and decided to share it with the world. Now that the primary detractor has largely moved on, (Boy is away most of the time at college defending the cause of higher education). Mommygirl decided to make the Ole Fart’s wish come true. It occurred a couple weeks ago and so far all of the bare data has supported her position. Of course, a few rules like “No sitting on furniture” had to implemented. I really thought Daddyboy was going to break down and cry when Mommygirl (after the second Nake Thursday) insisted that his Lazyboy recliner had
to be removed to the curb for pickup. Fortunately, he and I spirited the chair to the shed where it blends perfectly with the other décor. Other arrangements also had to be made. As you know, Daddyboy is something of a fly fishing tackle hoarder. Nearly all of the so-called “samples” that he receives are delivered by the UPS man, including parcels delivered on Thursday. UPS was unaware of changes to the dress code here, at least not until last Thursday when a shipment arrived at the front door of Kirkhurst Manor. To avoid further misunderstandings, Mommygirl fetched the old fart’s housecoat that now hangs by the front door between two loaded twelve gauge shotguns. The Naked Thursday is still new and according to Mommygirl, is subject to change, modification or curtailment at her discretion. For example, the mailbox, located at the front of the property. It is outside of the clearly stated parameters of the rules governing Naked Thursday attire. Again, because the mail person delivers goodie packages to the Ole
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black wing olive chronicles
sday Fart, at times she must approach the confines of the compound. Thus, according to Mommygirl, the housecoat rule applies here. The short jaunt between the back deck to his shed is also covered by the housecoat rule. Daddyboy seems to labor under the delusion that he possesses adequate sleuth and speed to make the 100yard dash from the back patio and the entrance to the shed. (I know, I am also laughing my ass off.) So far, Daddyboy has refrained from making his point that he can scurry to and from the shed without being spotted. I predict the net result will be another trip to city hall where he will again face the anger of the local magistrate, Mean Judge Greene
(who may or may not be bi-polar.) So far, living in Mayberry has resulted in too many instances of the Ole Fart facing Judge Greene. They are even on a cordial first name basis. I was recently announced as the First Lady Canine of Fly Fishing by a cub reporter of a local television station who tracked me down as the author of the Olive Blackwing Chronicles. He noted that it was incredible that I fly fished and had the ability to write as well.
He wanted to come by on Thursday. It truly was all hands on deck moment. We squirreled Daddyboy off in the shed, where Mommygirl has locks on the outside. Insofar as the young writer barely recognized a fly rod, I was not necessarily impressed with his compliments. Actually, if you took the time to know we canines better, you’d probably be quite surprised to learn that most of us can read and write, but few of us let
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it be known as otherwise we would be burdened with never-ending deadlines and edition chores. I’ve often wondered what rattled about in those big bipod noggins you refer to as your heads. As best I can tell, it is not much and changes very little as you grow older. Of course, my primary test subject is none other than Daddyboy whom I have observed and kept very good notes on since we partnered up some seventeen years ago. I can only assume that Daddyboy is pretty much average, which makes me question your species all the more, especially your “average” alcohol intake and time spent taking naps. I observed that Daddyboy can go about three days on Makers Mark, but that he requires four naps a day when on this diet, which I find to be odd. Or is it? So far, Mommygirl is satisfied. Naked Thursday is working well enough from a legal and moral standpoint. I for one could not care less, although I make myself as scarce as possible that day of the week. One word of warning to the handful of friends who consider themselves Daddyboy’s fans and are accustomed to dropping by to share spirits and smokes with the ole fart, you might want to call ahead of time. I’m not saying that it will slow the old bird down enough that he will temporally clad himself or something in between like a loincloth and headband. It’s for your own safety and mental well-being.
Wade Trips Float Trips Trout
Smallmouth Fly Shop
• And Falconry Great Guides and Great Customer Service!
www.curtiswrightoutfitters.com
828-645-8700
new fly guy
A Coachman Christmas by Keith Gann
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W
hat better way to spend a snowy winter day, a few weeks before Christmas, than down in the shop working on bamboo rods, writing at the computer, and tying gifts of Christmas flies. It’s one of those rare days when the snow plow hasn’t come down the road yet, schools are cancelled, the power’s still on, and I have an excuse to just piddle in the shop, or better yet, set at the tying bench, listen to the stero, and tie a version of the “Royal Coachman”, this year’s Christmas fly. A few friends will get some of the flies along with part of its history. I’ve seen a lot of fly variations during the past forty years… including numerous Royal Coachman variations. We tiers run out of fly design ideas occasionally, so we fall back on familiar patterns and modify those. J. Edson Leonard, in his book, “Flies”, says that, “If you consider there are tabulated in this book, thirty-one dressings for the Coachman flies….you will appreciate the expression: ““It’s not the pattern, it’s who made it.”” It seems that eventually every major pattern gets the “Royal” treatment…. you know, red body framed with green peacock herl, and maybe a wing of something white. As an afterthought, the tier might throw in a wrap of brown hackle.
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The Royal Coachman is a good choice for the Christmas season. Maybe because of its gaudy design, but more likely its body colors – red and green. Tied on a big enough hook, it would make a great Christmas tree decoration. The Coachman name was familiar to British fly fishermen as simply the basic “Coachman”. There’s some challenge as to who its designer was – a coachman named Tom Bosworth who drove for two kings and a queen…or… another coachman named John Hughes. Regardless, the fly or flies were around in the early 1820’s in both a wet and dry version. The two flies were somewhat drab looking, but they had been catching fish for years in England. Mostly, the Coachman was tied as a wet fly with white mandarin duck wings, a thick peacock herl body, no tail, and a beard of Coachman brown hackle (the brown hackle on Bosworth’s version was named after his occupation). The Lead Wing Coachman came soon after, which was identical but with a gold tinsel tag and gray mallard wings. The Lead Wing might be another name for the “Dark Coachman” attributed to H. R. Francis in 1870 (questionable). 128 l December 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
By the 1870’s, the fly had made its way to America, stopped at Theodore Gordon’s vise, and he turned it into a dry fly, probably adding a tail and lots of hackle, Catskill style. But alas, it still didn’t have its famous red silk middle body. In 1876, or 1878 (sources differ), to the rescue came an unknown fisherman who supposedly contacted an equally unknown professional tier with an idea to make the fly less susceptible to sharp little trout teeth (Gordon’s version was effective but frail). The fisherman suggested wrapping the center of the body with red silk (in place of, or over the herl, we don’t know). The unknown tier added the silk and showed his sample to another New York City professional tier named John Hailey. Hailey, who had a small shop on Henry Street, added the small band of red silk, plus a tail of barred wood duck feathers. One of the flies ended up in the hands of L.C. Orvis. He said the fly now had a rather “royal” look and it’s been the “Royal Coachman” ever since. By the way, if the name “Orvis” sounds familiar, L. C. was the brother of Charles, the founder of the famous fly fishing company.
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The fly really doesn’t look like any bug, so it falls into the “attractor” or “searching” category. Bluegill love them as do large browns, or so I’m told (I’ve never caught a brown over eighteen inches…and also not on a Royal Coachman). As I said at the start, the Coachman begat a lot of other flies. The Orvis Company designed a fly called the “Gilt Coachman” in 1892, and J. W. Fricke designed the “California Coachman” soon after. In 1940, came the famous “Western Coachman” designed and tied by noted California fly shop owner and fly tier, Buz Buscek. The “Western” has no red silk but does have the now standard tail of golden pheasant. Also the Coachman Brown hackle beard is still there, but the Mandarin duck wing has been changed to white mule deer hair. Once the flood gates were opened, dry flies, wet flies, and nymphs came off of the vises, all named “Royal” something, as long as the materials included peacock herl, red floss (even that wasn’t sacred), brown hackle and white wing material. I’ll name just a few – “Royal Coachman Streamer, Royal Coachman Parachute, Fan-Wing Royal Coachman, Royal Renegade, Royal Stimulator, Royal Trude, Royal Coachman Bivisible, Wright’s Royal, Royal Elk Hair Caddis, and the Royal Wulff.” 130 l December 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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This year’s Christmas fly is John Adams’ “Coachman Short #16”. It features a white wing made with a CDC Puff, and the required red floss body with peacock herl and brown hackle. The recipe is below. Recipe – “Coachman Short #16” 1. Hook – Tiemco TMC2488 (wide gap, light wire) – #16 – 10 2. Body/Tag – Red thread(Fig. 1) 3. Thread – Black (Fig. 2) 4. Upper Body – Peacock Herl (Fig. 3) 5. Wing – White CDC Puff (Fig.4) 6. Hackle - Coachman Brown (Fig.5) Sources: Federation of Fly Fishers Fly of the Month, by Jim Abbs. Fly Anglers on Line, “Hair-Wing Coachman”, by S. H. McGarthwaite. Fly Anglers On Line, “The Royal Coachman and Some of His Henchmen”, Tom Deschaine Fishing Flies with Fish4Flies Worldwide, “Coachman Fly”, Author Unknown. Hardy Fin and Fly, “The Evolution of Flies”, by Steve Munn “The Western Coachman – Notes on Its History and Lineage”, by T. H. Logan FlyTyingForum.com “Coachman Short #16”, tied by John Adams “The History of Fly Fishing In Fifty Flies”, by Ian Whitelaw “Merry Christmas” 132 l December 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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Bryson City F O
ver the past ten years, Bryson City has emerged as the hub of fly fishing in not only Western North Carolina but also in the entire South. Always a dark horse leader as a destination among those in the know about southern fly fishing even in the 1950s, the recent opening of the Museum of Southern Appalachian Fly Fishing and its remarkable soon to be unveiled aquariums solidified this standing as the top trout spot in the Southern Appalachians. One cannot help but wonder when the title of “Trout Fishing Capital of North Carolina� will be bestowed on Bryson City.
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Fly Shop By Don Kirk
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The home of the annual Smoky Mountain Fly Fishing Festival, one of the town’s leading conservationist and trout fishing entrepreneurs, Eugene Shuler opened Bryson City Fly Shop-Fly Fishing the Smokies. It is centrally located on 157 Everett Street, and it is dead smack in the middle of the historic town. Having long known and been befriended by Eugene Shuler, we at Southern Trout Magazine wish him great success in the new venture. If this business goes as well as Shuler’s other trout fishing business, he’ll have Bryson City sewn into a neat package quicker that you say “persimmon pie.” You see for years Shuler has managed and been the head guide for Fly Fishing the Smokies, the biggest and arguably most successful, outfitting business operation in and around the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. At any one time Fly Fishing the Smokies employs 17 to 20 fellows, most of which work seven days a week during the peak of the season. Competing fly shops with only a couple of guides at their disposal cannot offer the consistency of such a large, professionally operated fly fishing guide service as does Fly Fishing the Smokies.
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“We’re really excited about the opening of the fly shop, and having a physical presence in my hometown of Bryson City, North Carolina,” says Shuler in his highland twang. “We feel like we are bringing a quality fly fishing shop that is operated by local anglers who grew up casting flies on the stream, especially the in the Great Smokies. If the first months in business are any sort of indicator, the combining a first-rate fly shop with a first-rate guiding service is proving to be an inspirational move on our part and the future is bright.”
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As with any fly fishing shop, the Bryson City Fly Shop has been slowly building its inventory. Shuler is proud of the shop to date that includes crafts designed and capable of floating the Tuckasegee River. Another plum of an acquisition to his line, Moonshine Rods, a Charlottesville, Virginia-based company making rods for general use and the quickly emerging competitive trout fishing industry. Priced in the range of $199 to $249 each, Moonshine Rods have already proven to be hot sellers. Along with lines of so-called “general interest quality fly rods,” Moonshine Rods make an entire series of rods that are specially designed for Euro-nymphing. Frankly, Euro-nymphing reminds me of the old style monofilament line nymphing of Vic Stewart that I learned from the folks in Cosby, Tennessee and used extensively through the 1960s. It’s just a bit formal and appears to be more refined.
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Currently, the shop's other line of fly rods is made by St. Croix. A couple of years ago I got my hands on a St. Croix Bank Robber fly rod and really liked it, eventually passing it along to Ron Gaddy. In stock at the Bryson City Fly Shop is St. Croix’s new power packed MoJo 7’11” fly rods. These monsters have to be cast to appreciate their backbone. Brand name outdoor wear you’ve come to expect is in this packed, well-stocked 1,400 square foot fly fishing shop. Here to be found are sunglasses, all kinds of equipment, and a smorgasbord of hand-tied flies. A thirdgeneration native of Great Smokies, Shuler is proudest of selection of flies that include every pattern of regional origin listed in my last book on the Smokies. It is one of the best in Western North Carolina, the birthplace of many, many fly patterns.
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This winter may or may not fishing, if you get the drop by to say, “Hi!” stick your head into Appalachian where are putting together Make a stop by the finest dining that in an old setting pleasing. Head over season and visit the Museum of Fly Fishing, grab grub, and wet a the Tuck. There’s fever.
when the weather be conducive to fly mountain roaming bug, to Eugene. While there, the Museum of Southern Alen Baker and friends a world-class exhibit. Fryemont Inn for the Bryson City has to offer that you will find most to Bryson City this winter Bryson City Fly Shop, Southern Appalachian some real mountain line in the DH waters of no better cure for cabin
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PURE Don Kirk
F
irst of all, if you’re reading this review, your experience with Winston made fly rods is at least equal to mine, or vastly exceeds mine. It was 1974 on Cherokee Lake in Tennessee when I first cast a Winston fly rod. Unused to
fast action, I immediately severed the fly from the tippet, much to the amusement of its owner, Ron Barnett. Until recently, that was the only experience I had handling a Winston. A couple of months ago in a meeting with Claude Preston, my associate publisher, we were planning rod reviews when he suggested we review the Winston PURE. It was agreed that he would contact Winston to get two PURE rods, one for saltwater that he would review and a freshwater 4-weight that I, “ole butterfingers,” would review. Shortly thereafter, the pair of rods arrived with a note as to when the rods would be returned and a brief one to me stating, “Butterfingers, you break, you buy.” Apparently,, they had heard of me.
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Many of you likely know that Claude is a big Winston fan. That said, it pretty much goes without saying that when he heard that a new rod had been developed up in Montana, he was instantly ready to see it. As he explained to me, “This is a new rod series, not just the latest, greatest in a rod series marketed to replace an already existing rod line. This is something new and completely different.” It was different from Winston’s premium rods such as the BII-X, WT, TMF, JWF or BIII-LS. The PURE was a different Winston. As the name might suggest, the first thing I noticed when picking up the PURE was the weight. This rod is incredibly featherlike. A little jiggle and it was love a first sight. Winston has incorporated their proven Boron technology into the PURE which blends with a new SuperSilica resin system. The result is a much lighter, more lifelike fly rod. The medium-fast action of this rod still has plenty of power to cover a very wide range. It is definitely a totally new fly rod. For my testing purposes, I fished the PURE in 9-foot, 5-weight. I felt the rod excelled best in two situations: dry flies and light nymph rigs. Our dry fly success was no surprise given the manufacturer of this rod, and I was extremely impressed by the rods effortless versatility. Whether making a 10-foot cast or a 60-foot cast, this rod handled it all without missing a beat. I primarily fished
tiny 18 and 20 Black Wing Olives with the PURE, however, I made it a point to throw some larger hoppers around as well. Once again, this rod performed effortlessly and had no issue turning over these larger foam offerings. I instantly found myself daydreaming about how much fun it would be to spend a day in a drift boat throwing hoppers or stoneflies with this rod. www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l December 2018 l 149
The PURE also handled my tailwater nymph rigs very well. That said, there were a couple times that I added a substantial amount of weight to target a deep fish and did feel a little underpowered. That also said, if I was getting this rod with the intent of doing a lot of nymph fishing with it, I would likely get the -weight. I’ve always felt that Winston rods fish about a half-weight under what they're labeled as. (Without getting too much off topic, I’ve got a 6-weight BIII-X and fish it in all places that I would normally fish a 5-weight) The PURE is offered in nine different combos of length and weight from the small stream delight of a 7-foot, 3-weight, up to the big river, size 4 salmon fly and hopper/dropper special of a 9-foot, 6-weight.
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The Fiberglass What, Why, and How‌
T
his is the first installment of a new column called The Fiberglass (R) evolution. As implied by the name, the current fiberglass fly rod craze is as much an evolution as it is a revolution. We haven’t completely reinvented the wheel here, nor have we just brought back the fiberglass fly rods of old. But we have breathed new life into an old product.
While fly rod reviews will the basis of the column by default, we’ll delve into other things such as reels, lines, and terminal tackle. I may even chime in on the use of fiberglass rods in the field: What-to, where-to, and why-to. And probably some general guidelines as to how-to. It will go, or not go, where it leads me.
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(R)evolution
With a strong readership from Virginia to Georgia, home to myriad small streams, Southern Trout is a great place to talk glass. But to be clear, the “fiberglass revolution” is not simply a small stream manifestation, it extends to rivers, stillwaters, and even saltwater. And it’s not species-specific, it goes beyond trout.
I grew up fishing fiberglass fly rods. The first one I remember was a spin/fly “convertible” Eagle Claw Trailmaster. Like most products designed to serve multiple functions, it did nothing well. Next was a 7’6” 6wt Daiwa VIP Gold, a good-looking but marginally-performing rod. I owned several Ugly Stik’s as well, and other than being virtually indestructible, they were,
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well, aptly named: Ugly. I also owned a Shakespeare Wonderod, and a few other dogs and cats. The first decent fly rod I owned was a classic brown glass Fenwick. While I don’t remember the exact configuration, while a tad short, it was sold as an all-purpose trout rod. Next was an Orvis Golden Eagle which was a major step up, and the last glass rod I purchased until a few years ago. Like everyone else, I discovered graphite and didn’t touch a glass rod for a couple of decades. And like trading glass for graphite, I all but abandoned small streams in favor of large streams and rivers, while swapping wading for floating. I also changed from native brook trout to nonnative rainbow and brown trout, many of which were stocked. But somehow, I ended up coming full circle. I now find myself fishing more small streams than ever, which led me back into the world of fiberglass fly rods. The small streams changed my species focus as well, and I now fish for more native brook trout than anything else. And I am focusing almost exclusively on wild fish these days. As noted above, while rods are the basis for the fiberglass movement, it’s not just about rods, it’s much more than that. The so-called “fiberglass revolution” represents a shift toward simplifying what has become a very
tech-dominated and competitive activity over the years. It’s more about fishing than casting, and as much about fish as it is fishing. When it comes to fiberglass fly rods, what’s going on is easier to explain than why. And while how it’s happening may seem obvious, there is more to the fiberglass fly rod revolution than meets the eye. In addition to the resurgence of fiberglass, there seems to be a concurrent increased interest in small stream fishing, or “thin blue lines.” Ditto for native fish, they too are gaining in popularity. The real question is what’s driving what? Are fiberglass fly rods driving the small stream trend or is the small stream trend driving fiberglass rods? Likewise, is the small stream trend driving the native fish movement or vice versa? Or are they all somehow intertwined? Or maybe it’s all just a coincidence? And what about the warmwater and saltwater, why glass? Then there are the myths and misconceptions about fiberglass rods, like glass is glass is glass. And that the tapers employed in todays fiberglass rods are nothing more than what was available when I was young. That fiberglass is weaker than graphite, brittle, and easy to break. And that you can’t cast far with a glass rod. Or handle large fish. And of course, the image we have of modern fiberglass rods is that of bearded, tattooed, flat-brim hat wearing hotshots fishing for exotic fish in exotic places.
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Well, I’m sixty, and while I have a long goatee and might even don the occasional flat-brim, I’m fishing glass as are many of my friends now. Is glass trendy? Sure. Is it a trend? I don’t believe so. And while some of the old guard like Eagle Claw and Fenwick are still in the glass game, and some premium fly rod stalwarts like Scott and Thomas & Thomas have reentered the arena after a sabbatical, there are also new companies such as Epic, putting out high-tech cutting-edge glass rods, and some of the finest available. There is also the belief that glass is a niche market. While sales of fiberglass rods pale next to graphite rods, the glass movement has long tentacles. The shorter light line rods are driving smaller and lighter reel sales, as well as lighter lines. And small stream fishing requires different line tapers and leaders than large streams, rivers, and stillwaters, as well as different terminal tackle. While I’m not 100% sure where the column is going, or for how far it will go, I am really looking forward to researching, field-testing, and writing about fiberglass fly rods and their use. And maybe I’ll even figure out what is behind the trend, or maybe not. But like many others, I have clearly been bitten by the fiberglass bug.
BOB MALLARD has fly fished for forty years. He is a former fly shop owner and a Registered Maine Fishing Guide. Bob is a blogger, writer, author, fly designer, and native fish advocate. He is the Publisher, Northeast Regional Editor and a regular contributor to Fly Fish America magazine; a columnist with Southern Trout online magazine, and a staff fly designer at Catch Fly Fishing. Bob is a founding member and National Vice Chair of Native Fish Coalition. His writing, photographs, and flies have been featured at the local, regional and national level including Outdoor Life, Fly Fisherman, Fly Fish America, Fly Rod & Reel, American Angler, Fly Fishing & Tying Journal, Fly Tyer, Angling Trade, Eastern Fly Fishing, Southern Trout, Southern Trout Ozark Edition, Fly Fishing New England, The Maine Sportsman, Northwoods Sporting Journal, Tenkara Angler, On The Fly, OrvisNews, the R.L. Winston catalog, and the books Guide Flies, Caddisflies and America’s Favorite Flies. Bob has written two books and contributed to several others. Look for his books 50 Best Places Fly Fishing the Northeast and 25 Best Towns Fly Fishing for Trout (Stonefly Press.) Bob’s next book, Squaretail: The Definitive Guide to Brook Trout, is due out summer of 2019 (Stackpole Books.) He can be reached at www.bobmallard.com, info@bobmallard.com or 207-399-6270.
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AIN TROUT UNLIMITED CONTEST 2019” John Reinhardt
On your mark…..get set….and get ready to rumble! Yes, it’s time for the biggest fly tying event of winter as the Great Smoky Mountain Trout Unlimited Chapter’s “IRON MAN FLY CONTEST 2019” makes the journey to Knoxville TN on January 24th, 2019. Celebrating the 4th anniversary of this one of a kind event at this year’s new location Dead End BBQ, this is a do not miss a night of fun, great food, and good-natured hijinx. The “IRON MAN FLY CONTEST 2019” has grown into a winter tradition where competitors are pitted against one another as they attempt to make sense of the fly tying material they are given. The competition consists of three separate rounds where the tiers must complete each fly in a timed event from a grabbag of material that rivals a junkyard. Screws, bolts, and rubber bands have all made an appearance and each year the tiers never know what to expect next as the planning committee does their best to confound them. Did we mention blindfolds … yes, what has become the most wildly popular round is the blindfold segment where the tiers are completely unable to see their fly as they tie. Add the presence of a standing room only crowd watching and laughing and the pressure goes up tenfold as the clock ticks down on each round. www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l December 2018 l 159
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Unlike many competitions, the “IRON MAN FLY CONTEST 2019” is the great equalizer no matter whether a pro or beginner fly tier. Past winners have included sixteen-year-old first-time tiers to grizzled pros all trying to rise to the occasion and claim the title “King of the Mountain”. Each year the number of women tiers increases with one of last year’s three-round winners becoming the first woman to take home some great prizes and bragging rights. This event is a laugh a minute evening right in the middle of January but most importantly there is a serious reason underlying this night of fun. Each year the Great Smoky Mountain Trout Unlimited chapter uses the tiers entry fees to help send a deserving boy or girl to Trout Camp in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park each summer. This week-long camp allows the campers to experience the outdoors, some for the first time as they learn about conservation, fly tying, and of course fishing for wild trout. Most of all it enables them to see the importance of protecting our most valuable natural resources as they spend time in the Park amid its natural beauty. www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l December 2018 l 161
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Of course, none of this is possible without the strong support of our sponsors who each year donate the prizes that are awarded for the individual rounds and overall winners. Don Kirk, his wife Leah, and the Southern Trout Magazine family have been a part of this evening since day one along with Little River Outfitters, OrvisSevierville, 3 Rivers Angler, and Smoky Mountain Angler. A big thank you goes to these sponsors who extend a helping hand to the Great Smoky Mountain Trout Unlimited chapter all year long with the many events they hold for Trout Unlimited! Consider this your personal invitation to join us on Thursday, January 24th, 2019 as the Great Smoky Mountain Trout Unlimited presents the 4th anniversary of the “IRON MAN FLY CONTEST 2019�. Come out for an evening of rollicking fun, food & drink, all for a good cause at our new event location. Dead End BBQ is located at 3621 Sutherland Ave. in Knoxville TN, we look forward to seeing you there! Please click the link http:// greatsmokymountain.tu.org/ for information and competitor registration. www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l December 2018 l 163
A Museum for the Southern Fly Fisherman
The Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians — originally
located in Cherokee, NC — has a new home in neighboring Bryson City where it shares a building with the Bryson City / Swain County Chamber of Commerce. It’s centrally located on the town square across the street from the visitor center. The Museum is open Monday thru Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm and admission is free.
The scope of the museum covers an
area with more than 14,700 miles of accessible trout streams — the nine Southern Appalachian States of North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama; the Qualla Boundary, home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; as well as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Bryson City, NC
PHOTO BY JIM HEAFNER
Through exhibits and videos you’ll
learn about legendary “Stream Blazers,” the evolution of rods and reels, basic knots, fly-tying, types of gear, types of gamefish, regional fishing waters, and the history of fly fishing in the Southeast. Whether you are a long-time fly fisherman, or have only attempted or never tried fly fishing, you will find something to enjoy and to learn from in the museum.
FLY FISHING MUSEUM
OF THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS
Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians 210 Main Street Bryson City, NC 28713 800-867-9241
FlyFishingMuseum.org
Please be a p
part...
Expansion of our Fly Fishing Museum of Southern Appalaciansand needs a helping hand from the fans of Southern Trout. Please do your part by contributing $10 to $50 on their gofundme page. Be it an individual or TU or FFF Chapter, pledge what you can to the Museum . Lets save what we can of our great fly fishing history.
CLICK HERE TO HELP