flyman

OK, not really as exotic as Alaska, but I am going on my annual Smoky Mountains trip, just outside of Gatlinburg. I go there for work every year then stay a couple days and fish. Just wondering if anyone has been there and where they may have had success. Looking for new places this year. If you have been there you will know the place is huge. I believe I read it has about 2000 miles of wild trout water in and around the park. So, lot's of places to fish. They have native and/or wild brook, brown and rainbows. Also, my goal is to fish the backcountry. I would like to hike a ways to get away from the campers. Although any suggestions are welcome, if if not off the beaten path. Fly recommendations would be helpful as well. In that area they love to use big dry flies with a dropper fly nymph below. What did you have success with? Thanks guys!

That's great! I always wondered if anyone else ever thought of using a pet as tying material. I have a collie/shepherd mix and I always think of how he would look great as a fly. I think it shows how truly addictive fly fishing is. If you start looking at loved ones and pets and start thinking of fishing, you may have a problem, hahaha:)

Went down last night. Full moon with heavy overcast. The sky was still very bright, it was almost like the sun was rising. You could actaully see well anough to mend line on a drift, lol Tied on a blood red mohair leech, got one average size rainbow. Next, I tied on an unweighted natural color pine squirrel sculpin, with a mixture of cream and hares ear prism dubbing (came out sort of brownish grey, I wanted something to match the natural PS but still have some shine). I dead drifted it below rebar then toward the gauntlet, picked up a decent amount of fish. There where cycles of no fish then it would pick up again, every cast, fish on. Better than expected for the full moon. Nothing of size, but still fun. Not a single brown for me, buddy caught one.

Did you end up going? Got there about 10:30 but didn't see your jeep. I will be back down possibly sat or sun, who knows, maybe both.

Great pics! I would love to fish with you again sometime ducky, had a great time and learned some stuff, would love to learn more.

Cool, I will look for you. I am by no means an expert, at all, so I don't know if there are any tips I can offer. I can show you a few things people have shown me. I just like to meet new fishing buddies and get new tips myself.

I am heading to the dam tonight, depending on generation. Should get there around 7:30 or 8:00. Anyone going?

Did you by chance check the hatchery office? They have lost and found items sometimes. Also, sometimes people take things to the area fly shops, check there also. I did the exact same thing last year. Last New Years Eve evening to be exact. I never recovered my rod, but those are the places I checked and they actually had lost items, just not mine. I know your pain.

Man I hope they shut those generators down soon! Was supposed to go last night, but they had three on. Guess with the storms I'm glad I didn't go anyways. Every time I call today the line has either been busy or said 3 units. Alright, I will stop complaining:)

Have a friend that doesn't know how to fly fish very well, but he still wants to come down with me to try and catch a couple browns at night. I am not as knowledgeable on spin fishing but I told him that Rapalas, Little Cleos and Roster tails would probably work. Dark colors for night. Perhaps the brown trout imitation in the Rapalas (I think I have a couple of those, but have never used them). Are those good lure choices? What else might I tell him to try? Are there specific lure models or colors you like?

Great report, what color was your pine squirrel sculpin?

I wish. That's about all I can think about. Those browns, they got me. I'm counting the minutes until Thursday night

I completely agree with the comments on number 2 outlet, it's a problem. Would creating more "chutes" or swift areas kind of like around rebar, would that be a problem for generation? Is, it even possible? Everyone on here knows those fish like the moving current where the water is oxygenated so any way of creating some places where the water narrows and becomes faster moving would probably be beneficial. Just a thought, what do I know?

Thanks. No problem at all. See you on the water.

Ducky, thanks again, I had a great time! Would love to fish with you again sometime. You have me officially addicted to night fishing. I tied up a few of your suggested patterns and went out again last night, the white bunny leech seemed to be pretty good up near the cable above 1. I also caught some on the electric blue mohairs. Now all I need is a replacement for the heavier stick I lost last year. Trying to pull in those fish with my 3wt just isn't going to work. Anyone know where I can find a used rod? Is there a spot on the forums for that for that?

Thanks, again duckydoty. I was going to call tonight, but I had to work late, actually just now getting home. I don't want to bother you this late. I will try calling tomorrow around 5:30 when I get off work. If I can't reach you I will just start yelling your screen name when I get down there, just kidding

That sounds great. That is very nice of you. So should I just PM you to arrange a meeting time? It gets dark around seven? I get off work at 5:30, so I can just drive down and get a bite on the way. I can't stay late either, I remembered as soon as I submit my post that I have a meeting on Friday morning, but it's not until 10:00, so as long as I'm not out too late I should be fine. Thanks so much.

I was hoping someone could give a little advice on night fishing at Taneycomo. I have been fishing Taney for many years but have only twice tried night fishing. I think I caught 2 rainbows the first time I tried it and none the second time. Maybe someone would be so nice as to give a couple tips. I do know some of the basic fly patterns that are successful, zonkers, mohair or marabou leeches, wooley's, etc. I have heard mentioned on here PMS and electric blue boogaloo, although I have to admit I have never heard of either outside of this forum. What I am wondering is, what are some holes you would recommend a night fishing beginner try? What are your favorite night flies and how do you fish them? Any tips would be appreciated. I will probably come out on Thursday and possibly Saturday night. Thanks everyone.

Went down yesterday morning. Weather started cold, but turned out to be a cool but nice day. Very few people out yesterday because of the holiday. Fishing started slow caught 2-3 on a rusty colored midge. Next moved on to a tan scud, picked up 2-3 more. Then at about 11:30 I was getting down to the last few flys in my box, (Been to busy fishing to tie) out of curiosity I threw a gold hares ear, not something I normally use at Taney. Wow first cast got a nice one. Got a couple more. Then I got tangled in the wind, doh . After untangling I decided to again change flys. this time I put on a gold bead head prince nymph (again, not something I normally use) with a tan scud as a dropper. Wow! Is all I can say. Caught one just about every single cast for about two hours until I was forced to leave for family Easter time. Turned out to be one of the best days I have had in a long time. Just remember it pays to experiment and try something new or different from the norm. I will be tying more prince's for my Taney box from now on!

Hey Phil if you ever have any questions on any of that stuff, let me know. You do so much for all of us! I am a professional Web Administrator/programmer with excellent knowledge in php so if there is something you can't figure out just give me a yell! My full time job is doing this site: www.mostlymemories.com. I would love to help you if you ever need it. You have a great site!

Lovebug Variant ------------------------------- size # 16 scud/Shrimp hook Black 8/0 thread Peacock Hurl Black Dubbing Tungsten Bead - Black Hares Ear I learned this original fly from the "Fly Tying an Anglers Art" on PBS. I have modified it a little. They commented on how it was a popular local fly on the Missouri River. I have used my modified version down at Taneycomo and it works very well. 1. Place the bead on the hook towards the eye. 2. Start wrapping the hook directly behind the bead to secure the bead. wrap towards the bend. 3. Remove the barbs from the peackock hurl so you leave just the feather shaft. There are different methods of doing this but using your finger nails is the method I use. 4. Tie in the Peackock hurl shaft. Start wrapping in evenly up towards the bead. Stop about the width of the bead length away from the bead. 5. Secure the Peackock Hurl Shaft with a few wraps. 6. Pull out a little thread from the bobbin. Apply a small amount of dubbing, just an inch or so to your thread. 7. Wrap the dubbing startng narrow and get thicker towards the bead. 8. Secure the dubbing directly behind the bead. 9. Cut off a small amount of hars ear to use as sort of a wing. This is where you can expiriment and try different materials. I used hairs ear here, I am not really sure why, I just thought it would look good to the fish I supose. The original called for I beleive saddle hackle cut from the stem. Feel free to try different things here. 10. Place the hares ear above the bead and dubbing. The middle of the hares ear should be between the dubbing and bead. Wrap a few times to secure. 11. Now push the front of the hears ear back towards the dubbing and wrap a few times to keep it pushed back. 12. Whip finish behind the bead. 13. Trim the hares ear so it kind of stands up above the dubbing and bead, like the picture. This fly is good as a dropper fly or sometems I tie a scud below this. Yesterday 12/30/2005 I cought several nice fish on this pattern down at Taneycomo. I drifted in the current between outlets 1 and 2. Had a scud tied as the dropper.

Thread Midge Pupa ----------------------------- Size #20 Scud/Shrimp hook Black 8/0 thread Peacock Hurl Silver wire(optional) 1.Start by dressing the hook. I start at the top on this one so I can make the body slimmer. Start towards the eye about one and a half times the width of the eye. Cover the hook shank down to the bend of the hook. 2.This step is optional - if you want to make it more flashy tie in some silver, brass or gold wire. I prefer silver. 3.Wrap the shank evenly back up to towards the eye. 4.If you did tie in the wire from step two - very evenly wrap the wire towards the eye. Evenly segment the wire about 5-6 wraps would probably be good. Secure the wire and clip the wire tag. If you did not tie in the wire, skip to the next step. 5.Now you are ready to tie in the head. Tie in 2 peices of peacock hurl. and trim tag. Wrap 2-3 times to make a good head. Secure the pecock hurl by wraping a few times behind and a few times in front. Whip finish and apply head cement. Makes a great dropper fly.

Taneycomo Scud --------------------------------- I see these all over Taneycomo. They are a reproduction of the scud sold at Anglers and Archery. Dificulty Level: 1 Materials: Size 16 to 22 scud/shrimp hook Red 8/0 thread Tan scud/sow dubbing material Directions: 1. Start at the rear end of the hook close to the bend. Wrap forward. Stop when close to the eye. Stopping point should be about the width and a half of the eye. Wrap back down to the bend. Clip the tag. 2. Next create a dubbing loop by pulling out about 8 inches of thread. At about half way hold with your finger and wrap once in from and once or twice behind to secure you loop. Wrap back up to the front. 3. Insert your dubbing tool to your loop. Note: You can make one out of a paper clip. 4. Start adding small amounts of dubbing material spinning the dubbing tool as you go. I usually roll the dubbing between my fingers to get it even as I am adding it. This is where you expirriment to get the right length. 5. Once it is fairly even and you have about the right length to wrap the shank. Finish spinning the dubbing loop with the dubbing tool. Not to tight! The tighter you spin it the less hair sticks out and it does not look as life like in my opinion, to loose and you just have a hair ball. 6. Attach your hackle plyers to the bottom of your dubbing loop and wrap the shank. Once you get to the stopping point, use your fingers and push some of the hair back. Secure the dubbing loop with 4-5 wraps behind your tag and 5-6 in front. 7. Trim the dubbing loop tag and give it one or two more wraps to hide any left over tag and give it a nice little head. 8. Whip finish and apply head cement. Note: You can also make a whip finisher out of a paper clip too if your cheap like me. 9. Clip the excess hair off the top and sides. 10. Pull some "Legs" out of the bottom. Trim if to long. Try expirimenting with different thread color. Remember Scuds can be different colors, like pink and orange to mimic dead ones

Marabou/Mohair Leech -------------------------------- #8-10 wet fly hook Black 6/0 thread Blood red mohair Black marabou HINT: I went to Wal-mart and got a spool of "Red Heart Syphony" yarn to use as mohair. It looks very similar to mohair and costs three bucks and will last a really long time. Works great too. Has a nice texture. 1.First wrap about ten wraps of lead wire around the hook shank. It should end towards the eye of the about two times the width of the eye. 2.Next dress the hook shank. Start wrapping at the bend of the hook and wrap forward. Wrap over the lead wire. Stop just before the eye. You should stop at about one and a half times the width of the eye. Wrap back down to the bend. 3.Bunch together some marabu and cut to length, should be about the same length as the hook. Tie in just bove the bend. Give it 5 or 6 good tight wraps. Make sure it's straight. Next tie in a piece of mohair give it a few wraps to secure it. 4.Start wrapping the mohair up the shank. As you wrap, use your fingers to raise the mohair as you wrap. You want it to be "fuzzy". Keep raising the mohair as you wrap and push the raised hair back as you move up as to not wrap the previous hair. Stop just before the eye about 1 and a half times the width of the eye. Secure the mohair by wrapping behind the tag 4-5 times then in front 4-5 times and trim the tag. Finish with several good wraps to put on a little black head. 5.Pick out some hair if needed. Should have a sort of hair sillouette. 6.Whip Finish and add your head cement. Fish with very slow long strips. That is what works for me:)

What is the population of walleye in Taneycomo? I know boal shoals has a good Walleye population, at least that's what I hear, don't fish for them much. Just curious.