The Dossers and I made it out to the Holston today for a float. The sun was shining and the fish were biting, what more could you ask for. The weather channel was calling for rain but we only saw a few sprinkles. There were a lot of fisherman out today, mostly wade fisherman and the fish were very active and didn’t get put down due to the pressure. That’s an indication of how awesome the fishing is on the Holston right now, not to mention all over East Tennessee. Here is a photo of a nice rainbow that Bob Dosser caught. Gail Dosser caught several fish about the same size and missed a good smallmouth.

The fish were not hesitant to eat the fly today, but were hesitant to get stuck, which means they were quick strikes, plus we had a bunch of L.D.R’s. The funny thing is that we still boated quite a few fish nonetheless. It is silly right now in our area, but it is just a normal Spring for us, it gets crazy. The caddis did let up a little around 12:30 so we stopped for a bite to eat and had to get a shot of our view.

On the way to the take out we were pleasantly surprised by this small doe wandering the bank. It was a beautiful day and we can only thank the Lord for it. Don’t forget about troutfest tomorrow and Sunday, and if you want to talk about fishing I think we can help you out.

We have been fishing in the Smokies and on the tailwaters this past week and both have been incredible. In the park, the dry fly fishing has been so good with the yellow sally’s, hendricksons, and march browns that there is no need to put on a nymph. The Holston River caddis hatch has started too and it has the fish going nuts. Hugh Hartsell and I fished the Holston Monday and had a great time. The fish were eating the adult caddis, emergers and nymphs all day. We caught several fish and a few that would run in the 18 to 20 range on dry’s. The caddis hatch will last until the end of June so you don’t want to pass it up.

Like the tailwaters, the Smokies are on fire. The dry fly action has been outstanding, especially with the yellow sally’s. The yellow sally is a small yellow stonefly in sizes 18 to 14. It’s our longest hatch of the year and they come off all day long. Towards the later part of the day they are very thick, but it doesn’t matter to the fish because they eat them all day. The eawther has been great and the rain has held off for a while which has our rivers at great levels. If you are thinking about a vacation and want to get away, the Smokies would be the place to do it. I can’t say enough about the fishing, it has been awesome and you don’t want to miss it.

Along all the roads and trails by the rivers you will see tons of wild flowers growing, and right now one of my favorites, the Trillium, is blooming everywhere. You will also notice what looks to be a small snake in the rocks and soil, but don’t be alarmed because it is a giant millipede. The Smoky Mountains is an incredible place with very beautiful surroundings and lots of wild animals and plant life. It’s a one of a kind place. Have a blessed day and thanks for reading with us.

Yesterday the high was around 88 and it was supposed to be sunny all day, so Ashley and I couldn’t pass up floating the Little River for some early season smallmouth. The water temp was about 60 which is good, because it speeds up their metabolism and they will be more willing to chase down their prey. They are also starting to move up into shallower water, but don’t rule out the deeper holes just yet. They should be starting their spawn right now and will for about a month. So be careful where you step. Watch out for gravel shoals and backwater areas with gravel and sand.

Craw patterns are always a good fly to chuck, but they will eat baitfish as the water gets warmer like it has been. They were pretty aggressive yesterday and would absolutely pound the fly. We cant get enough of them, and we have the ultimate rig for floating this season, so we are pretty excited. We have been booking smallmouth trips for the spring and summer, and it seems like this fish is becoming more popular with fly fishermen. They are strong fish and give super aggressive strikes, but if you have never experienced a smallmouth bass than give us a call and we can set you up with some.

We spent Saturday and Sunday in Asheville with our friends Megan and Tyler at the Fly Fishing Film Tour that was held at the Highland Brewery Co. The videos were great and they did an awesome job setting everything up. They had an incredible smallmouth video from RA Beattie. Sunday we decided to get the gals on the water for some dry fly fishing on the Oconaluftee River in the National Park. It is one of my favorite rivers to fish because it has lots of good sized browns in it. A lot of the wild flowers were blooming on the banks and the Dogwoods are in full bloom as well and they look amazing. We are very blessed to be living in such a beautiful part of the country, and we would love to share it with you too. Have a great day and remember to wear sunscreen when you go out, just ask Ashley about that.