Fishing Report 10-19-15

This past weekend I had the opportunity to guide a father and son trip that was a ton of fun. My hats off to Rob and Ed who locked on to fish early and held on until high water caught us and forced our take out. These guys were absolute gentlemen and a pleasure to spend the day with. I’ve got to remember to tie up some olive wooly buggers for Ed. Thanks guys, I'm looking forward to the next trip.

There is no denying that fall is here. Mornings have started to cool, leaves have been dropping and the smell of wood burning at night is everywhere. The first fall frost of the year occurred this past weekend and thoughts of chasing steelhead and heading to the Smoky Mountains have started. The cooler temps have lots of people thinking of deer and bird season too. For the next few weeks or so nothing will be consistent. Weather and temps will be up and down, TVA and the COE will concoct wild generation schedules and fishing on the Cumberland River will be everything from red hot to ice cold. We’ve been out on the water and catching fish, but nothing really big has been hitting the net. Numbers of fish caught have dipped a little due to the swings in generation schedules, but plenty of fish are still being caught. Don’t let cold weather stop you from fishing. Big fish can be caught on the river during the fall and winter months and you can bet you will enjoy solitude. For now, enjoy the cool mornings and warm afternoons. They make for a perfect day of drifting the Cumberland.

In regards to the generation schedule, TVA / COE have been operating (2) sluice gates now for several weeks. If you are new to the river you need to be aware that the ‘TVA Generation Preschedule’ does not indicate the amount of water released from the sluices. 2 sluice gates is roughly equivalent to 1 generator running at the dam and that’s plenty of water to provide for a great day of fishing from a drift boat. However, 2 sluices does make it a little tougher for the wading fishermen.

I recently noticed that the bite seems to be getting more timid. Remember if you are nymphing (hopefully you are) and your indicator moves, check it! Many times clients (and myself) miss slight indicator movements that are a take. I can’t stress enough that if you don’t check your fly and are ready for small nibble takes, you will miss a lot of fish and never even know it. Don't be afraid to be aggressive.

If you want to head out and catch some fish, send us an e-mail or give us a call!

Respectfully,

Greg