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R & R Fly Fishing December Newsletter
Phone: 865.448.0467        Email: info@randrflyfishing.com
Winter has certainly arrived here in the Smokies. We've had our first significant snowfall of the year and long range forecasts are predicting more before spring.

We've put together a short last newsletter for 2009 and it's a fun one. We've assembled our favorite pictures from the past year and they range from trout, mountain scenes, and black bears. You'll also find a quick fishing report from the past week.

Smokies Stream in the Snow
Snow on the Middle Prong of Little River

Big Things Coming in 2010
We'll be upgrading our website over the next few months. You'll see the changes when you check our fishing reports through the winter.

We're also putting together a Western fly fishing trip and trying to get that arranged for September 2010. We'll be going to to Hazel Creek this spring and have plans for another fun trip in the Smokies in the fall.

The year is nearly over, but we're excited about all the great fishing on the way in 2010. Spring hatches and rising trout usually arrive in early March. That's only a little more than 10 weeks away! Until then we'll fish right through the winter so check back often for our latest fishing reports.
From Our Family to Yours
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays

Christmas Greeting

Ian & Charity Rutter wish you a joyous holiday season and prosperous New Year!
Report From the River

We've been rather surprised at how well the streams in the Smokies have been fishing this December. Fishing slowed down a bit the last week of November as we had our first real cold snap of the winter, but it seems that the fish have acclimated to the lower water temperatures and are pretty happy.

Rainbow Trout w/ Pat Nymph
Typical rainbow trout we've been catching in the Smokies this month

We're catching solid numbers of fish in the afternoons on nymphs. It's important to look for slow currents. These spots will allow your nymph to sink to depth and drift through more of the strike zone.

Double nymph rigs are valuable at this time of year because you can offer the fish two choices. We like to fish a large stonefly pattern on the bottom and smaller beadhead pattern above it. The bottom fly is typically about 3'-4' deep and the #14 beadhead about 2'-3' deep.

Tailwater fishing has been almost non-existent over the past month. High flows on the Clinch, Holston, and South Holston have kept fishing out of the picture. The Watauga has had some good schedules but even that consistent river has seen some erratic flows because of the wet weather our region has experienced.

We've continued to float the Tuckaseegee in Western North Carolina, but wade opportunities are difficult at best. We're still catching fish in the high water but we're focusing our efforts on streamers. This has moved far more fish than nymphing and has resulted in a better percentage of above average fish.

Check Our Most Recent Fishing Report
Subscribe to our Fly of the Month


Brown trout adipose fin with bright red spots

We'll select a different fly pattern for each month. Around the first week of the month month you'll receive two or three of those flies that we're fishing here in the Smokies.

The flies are selected to be among the most effective patterns for that time of the year and are the same flies we rely on to help our customers catch fish.

We want to be sure you're fishing the fly the way it's intended so you'll also receive Advice from the Guides, written instructions telling you how to fish it. This tells you the best types of water and time of day to fish it as well as tippet size and other particulars to ensure you fish the fly correctly. We also include detailed tying instructions with photographs if you're interested in tying up a few for yourself.

12 months for $50, postage paid

Learn More About our Fly of the Month
A Look Back at 2009:
The Year in Pictures

Brown trout adipose fin with bright red spots
Just one of our favorite photos from 2009

Once the weather gets cold and we don't spend as much time on the water we begin to reflect on all the great moments of the past season.

We've covered a ton of water this year from streams in the Smoky Mountains to the TVA tailwaters. From smallmouth rivers in East Tennessee to the fabled rivers in Yellowstone National Park. While you may have seen some of these photos on our fishing report we've included a few that weren't posted.

View our Favorite Photos from 2009
Take Advantage of Our Off Season Special
On Half Day Guided Trips in the Smokies

Brown trout adipose fin with bright red spots

Every winter our guide business slows down quite a bit, but we continue to fish through the cold weather. Fishing is certainly slower in the winter than other times of year, but fish can still be caught.

We've come up with a special discount on half day trips to help you take advantage of the good fishing that's available during the winter.

Learn more about our Winter Half Day Guided Trip Special
Join Us On
Hazel Creek
April 29 - May 2
Hazel Creek scene

Our Hazel Creek Camp has become an R & R Fly Fishing tradition!

Great fishing, excellent food, and the beautiful surroundings on Hazel Creek provide the perfect long weekend.

We provide the tents, padded cots, all the food, and the shuttle across Fontana Lake. You bring your sleeping bag, clothes and fishing gear. We even have carts to carry your gear to camp.

Come fish with one of R&R Fly Fishing's guides or just come along for the amenities of camp and fish on your own.

Learn More About our Hazel Creek Camp

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Our New Books Are Now Available
Fly Fishing for Brook Trout - Advice from the Guides
Fly Fishing with Streamers - Advice from the Guides

We have started a new series of pocket size books that we have titled "Advice from the Guides". The first covers brook trout in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Most of the streams were recently opened and not included in Angler's Companion, Ian's previous guide to the Smokies.

Fly Fishing with Streamers is a great book to understand streamer strategies. Streamers will often catch larger trout that nymph of dry flies, but the methods are often misunderstood. This book explains streamer methods in clear with easy to understand language and illustrations contributed by Atlanta artist Paul Puckett.

Order Now!
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