A fishing report I received from Derek Porter:
We just got back from 4 days in the smokies backcountry. As you know, the water is the lowest it’s been since 2016. Obviously had to use great caution approaching the creek and casting, moving around etc. We saw tons of Great Autumn Brown Sedge in the air – laying eggs all day long (usually you think of it as a dusk or dawn thing). Maybe because so much of the creek is in the shade all day? Also – tons of cream midges and BWO.
In my experience the Sedge are smaller than the size 10 you sell. I’d say they are 12 or even 14. This continues to be the case every year for me.
Caught a lot on cream midge pupa and blue-winged dun emerger. Even though water temps started in the 40s every day we had dry fly action all day long. Dry/dropper was the best way for us to present the nymphs. The low current made it hard to keep drifts going on the nymphs and the dries were getting hit all day so it was a win/win.
Here are a few photos. Actually caught the big male on the Perfect Fly Articulated Black Bull Head Sculpin. All the fish we caught were in great shape. We didn’t see any redds or spawning activity and the females fins looked good. I imagine things will be kicking into high gear soon. Glad we were there before the spawn. Hope the forecast for rain really arrives.
Derek
