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Great Places
To Stay...
Beetles & Browns
go together!!!!
Overhanging sycamores
mean good terrestrial
fishing for sure.
Small streams fish well
with terrestrials too
Vacant Giant Stonefly
Shuck....Jackson R,
Falling Spring, VA
Native fish are great
summer targets....
Popper fishing for
largemouth is a fun summer
thing too..... |
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South Holston
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Give us a Call
336.644.7775
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| Dear Friends,
Summer is finally here, bringing with it its own type of fishing, one that is very enjoyable to me. Gone are the crowds of spring, and much like winter there is a quiet solitude that goes beyond words. And for me it means some of the best fishing of the year, dry fly fishing in skinny water with terrestrials. Perhaps some of the most challenging fishing you can do, but also some of the most rewarding when things go right.
Summer also holds many surprises. I remember sharing stories with old friends about summer experiences....some quite interesting. Like my friend Don Sink of Lexington, an incredible fly fisherman, who once shared with me about being on Avery Creek (tributary to the Davidson R.) near Brevard. He cast into an unseen hornet's nest that was hanging over a pool, and then had to hold his nose and submerge in the pool he was in to avoid the angry hornets. Fortunately not all adventures have that to them, but thankfully Don was okay. I can imagine the sight of seeing that happen and seeing a geared up fly guy submerging like a submarine.
Summer is a busy time for many, but hopefully you have had the time to get out fishing. There are great opportunities, take advantage of them! Join us in this newsletter in looking at some of them. Thanks!!!!!! |
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"When Flies go Plop......"
Characteristics that Make a Great Terrestrial Fly
 When we talk about any fishing, what's the first and foremost thing that comes up? No matter what your type of fishing and what tackle you choose to use it always seems the bottomline to most of us is what we have tied to the end of the line. And, sometimes, I guess, all things equal and good presentations made, it does sometimes come down to what we have tied on. Such as is the case with terrestrials, and not all flies are equal........and difficult fish reveal that fact. Learn More........
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Carolina Bonefish ?...yeah Mon
Capt Paul Rose on "Carp on the Fly"
Whether you are a trout fisherman making the saltwater transition, planning your first redfish trip to the Low Country or a seasoned salty dog, fly fishing for carp has something to offer. Be prepared to be humbled, particularly you trout fisherman, yet pleasantly addicted to this form of fishing. There is just something I can not explain in words about stalking and presenting flies to meandering targets without altering them to your presence.
Begin your quest by first differentiating what type of carp you will be chasing, grass or common. Techniques for each species does vary and will make the difference between success and failure. Grass carp or "silver bullets" have relatively small heads in relation to the proportions they grow to. Typically a sterile fish stocked for weed control, they are found cruising high in the water column and do not tail. Try staking out in travel lanes, placing flies well out in front of these fish. Gotchas, or crazy Charlies, seed flies and black beetles are productive. The take is more of a slurp from the surface film and remember these fish can easily surpass 20 lbs.
Common carp or the "Carolina bonefish" are my main target and is where you should concentrate. I say this because you will be actively hunting and stalking these widespread and abundant fish. Unlike grass carp, common carp, with their Texas orange tails and burnt orange barbell lips readily tail in extremely shallow water. Tolerating tepid summer lake temperatures, you also have a long active season with a flats style excursion in your backyard.
The learning curve for carp fishing is steep so I do recommend a guided trip at least once or twice. Being on the water learning to interpreting a carp's body language, finding muds, presenting flies to a moving targets and detecting strikes is a priceless education. Many of the skills stressed will be easily incorporated to homewaters and beyond.
Common Carp are opportunistic feeding machines so start by opening your trout and bass fly boxes. As with most fish, presentation and accuracy is the key. Fly selection is not as critical as say a tailwater fishery. With that being said, I always recommend having a few confidence flies. Mine include rubber legged dragons, headstands and carp clousers. Experiment with size, color and fly weights to match forage in your local water. Crayfish, large nymphs, worms and leeches have all been pumped from the stomach of common carp plus some things better eaten on Fear Factor or Survivor reality shows.
Gear Basic equipment is a 9 ft 6-8 wt rod with a WF floating line being used 99% of the time. Reels with adequate backing and stutter free drags are needed. In fact you may get to actually see your backing go through your guides very rapidly. Leaders are a minimal of 9 ft with 12 ft averages utilizing an Ox fluorocarbon tippet. The other essential worth mentioning is polarized glasses. I have several sets available on my Hell's Bay skiff. The day is lost without the best pair money can buy and anglers tend to forget their importance when sight fishing. Throw in wide-brimmed hat, some vigilance and a boga for these slimy creatures and your all set.
Presentation Be prepared for casts of 10ft to 50ft. Fish approach from a variety of angles appearing quickly and disappearing even quicker. Being able to load a rod and cast accurately with one false cast from the ready position only comes easier with bow time. Communication from the poling platform to assist with all the multitasking required is part of the learning curve mentioned earlier. Try to overcome the stigma of carp being a trash fish and I guarantee you will be on your game for your next saltwater trip. Go on and give it a try!
704-616-6662 |
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Fly Fishing Demystified
 Certainly one of the simplest, and best little books out there, "Hatch Matcher Fly Fishing Demystified" The Streamside Pocket Guide by Dr Bill Fisher. This little book is packed with lots of info, including 59 pages of useful nuts and bolts info on topics such as identifying insects, matching them with the fly, which fly to use and how to present it in all conditions, fly fishing when there is no hatch, rigging your equipment, reading water and locating the best spots, avoiding spooking fish, recommended casts, retrieving line and landing the fish, tips, knots, and more. This book has one of the best suggestions for picking a fly I have seen in over 30 yrs of fishing, my nearly 20 yrs in the industry and 17 as a fly fishing instructor and guide. Simply brilliant, and brilliantly simple. Good not only for beginners, but intermediate fly fishers too who want to brush up on a few things. Always a great seller for us for beginning anglers! Thanks for looking and be sure to check out our other items.
Our Price: $ 6.99
List Price: $8.99
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Friends,
Again, we really appreciate all your patronage and cannot say enough how much more enjoyable you make everything we do. Thanks for allowing us to share in your fishing journey with you, we hope that the journey continues to be filled with much enjoyment and success. May God richly bless each and every one of you.
Tight Lines,
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Jeff Wilkins
Jeffrey Wilkins Fly Fishing
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