For many anglers here in the southeast, fall means cooler temps, brilliant colors, and great fishing. Whether you're back on your favorite freestone after the dry summer months, casting streamers to pre-spawn browns on a tailrace, or waiting on the delayed harvest waters to open up, fall is a welcome departure from the summer we've just had.
For those of you who may not be familiar with the opportunities we have within just a few hours of the shop, we're gonna break it down for ya. We'll begin with the tailraces that will offer you the best chance at a big brown looking for a fight.
Georgia: Chattahoochee and Toccoa Rivers
NC: Davidson River
TN: Clinch, Hiwassee, and South Holston Rivers
These rivers are known for having large brownies and with the fall coming in these toads will becoming territorial and aggressive. To tempt these guys, go with streamer patterns. I like yellow for the fall, but really, presentation is key. Getting the fly down and in front of the trout is paramount. For deeper runs, use sinking tip lines. If you're fishing a smaller stream, a heavy fly that gets the fly down deep. Some good reading on this subject would be Galloups Modern Streamers for Trophy Trout or his DVD on the same subject.
If you're a Delayed Harvest (DH) junkie, here are a few hotspots to check out:
GA: Amicolola River, Chattahooche River, Smiths Creek, and the upper Toccoa River.
NC: Tuckaseegee River, Nantahala River, North Mills River
TN: Tellico River
When you're fishing for early fall DH trout, a good rule of thumb is if it is bright, it will catch trout. Pink, blue, silver, and chartreuse are good colors to start off with. If they seem selective, tie on a pheasant tail or 'generic' nymph. Also, don't think you can't tease up a few with big, bushy dry flies. A solid tandem nymph rig is a pink San Juan worm trailing a pheasant tail nymph.
Also, fishing new water is always a treat. Check out some new water this fall. If you're looking for a great family getaway where fishing would be a great distraction amidst the "fam" duties, the Great Smokey Mountain National Park is always a winner. Numerous towns offer family fun and wonderful fly fishing opportunities nearby.
