Fished with Jay this morning, and started off on lower Holston amongst a stellar caddis hatch. Only problem: it had flooded a feeder creek severely high, and the water clarity was less than one inch visibility.
Big fish were around, but not easily caught.
So we drove upstream about forty miles, and found much better conditions.
Fish were in summer mode, and my usual nymphing was tougher than normal. Had some fish take, but not near the numbers I would expect.
Meanwhile, Jay keeps telling me:
"Trav, you have GOT to try fishing beetles! I love these things!"
I stubbornly keep nymph fishing a run, snagging didymo on about every other cast, while Jay keeps hooking up fish with aggressive strikes as he slowly hikes downstream.
Looking back, I've seen several great anglers fish terrestrials this time of year. I had always written it off, expecting it to be much less productive than my routine. However, a recent photo a friend showed to me of a 26" brown on a beetle made me think otherwise.
It was getting close to leaving time, and I finally adjusted my leader and borrowed a beetle from Jay, and cast it up a bubble line I had been working.
Instantly! GULP! A fiesty brown surfaces. The fish took it deep, showing a true intention to eat. Got a few more quick rises, and we headed back to the truck.
What I like about this type of fishing is that it opens the entire river back up to a different style of fishing opportunity. You get to stalk or blind cast, and make long drifts and fish the river like a mountain stream instead of a technical tailwater. Also, I watched Jay catch a fish out of a shallow flat of 6" water---impossible to nymph, and without a hatch, it would be hopeless to fish.
I think I'm gonna like this beetle fishing. It makes me excited to get back on the SOHO, even if the crowds come too.
