Spring Has Sprung

You don't need to set foot in a stream around here to know that spring has sprung. Daffodils are blooming along the roads, and deep in the woods, hepatica, bloodroot, and trout lily leaves are poking up out of last fall's leaves. Bugs are flying, too, including decent hatches of Quill Gordons, Blue Quills, black caddis and Blue-winged Olives. You can also tell that spring is here because we've seen a lot more traffic on our streams and in the shop. After a long, cold winter filled with depressing economic news, it's good to see people are still willing to support local businesses like Headwaters. We appreciate everyone who has come in or taken a guide trip with us.
We started the month of March out on private waters, guiding Paul T. and three friends on the Farm stretch of the North Fork. The fishing was good, despite water temps in the low 40s. Black caddis pupa and clinger mayfly nymph imitations were the top sellers. On the 8th, I took out repeat client Mark S. from Nashville and we netted several dozen fish over the course of the day on Bird's Nests, Hotwire Caddis nymphs and Bloom's Soft Hackles, among others.
On March 17, I got to take my favorite repeat clients, Dave and Marty M. from Florida on a trip to the East Fork, which was low and clear but fished well. Dave hooked up 10 trout in the first hole he fished, including a 17-inch brown that dragged him 25 yards downstream. Meanwhile, Marty and I snuck up on a bunch of risers in the head of a big pool upstream. They were pounding Quill Gordons and a few Blue Quills and we had fun hooking up a few on both a Parachute Hare's Ear and a Hare's Ear dropper.
The next day, I was tickled to take Don P. and Steve F. up to our private waters, where we spent the morning perfecting our dead drifts and hooking a slew of nice-sized rainbows on a variety of nymphs, including Karnopp's Keystones and San Juans. Thanks to higher water levels, most of the bigger fish we hooked pulled out or broke us off on limbs that had washed downstream, but it was a thrill to watch the larger fish take off up into the whitewater.
This past weekend, guide Mac Marett and I both had trips on public and private water. Mac took out Sid J. and his son on the private waters, where they wore them out on clinger nymph patterns and even streamered up some fish. On the 22nd, I took one of my favorite clients, Jimmy L. from Florida up to the Farm and we were blessed by an awesome Brachycentrus hatch in the morning that had all of the fish in our first pool suspended and feeding actively. We had to tinker with the weight and depth, but after we dialed in, Jimmy hooked more than a dozen trout, including an 18-inch wild brown with bright red spots. Just as we were preparing to move upstream, a sharp-shinned hawk buzzed by his rod tip and divebombed some songbirds in the rhododendron across from us. He must have hit his mark, because feathers flew, literally.
We're getting a good soaking rain as I write this, and temperatures are forecasted to climb into the 60s all next week, so we couldn't ask for better fishing conditions heading into April. All of the Delayed Harvest streams will get another stocking in early April, and our private waters are fishing very well. If you're in town for a trip, come check out some of the special closeout deals we're having on fly rods from Thomas & Thomas, Wright & McGill and Redington. We have a couple of sweet 7'6" 3-weights that would be perfect for brookie fishing this summer.

Tight lines,
Than

The Ice Man Cometh

Until today, we've needed to lace up our ice skates to go fishing in the upper French Broad River valley. Thanks to record lows at night, most first-order streams are still completely iced over (except on south-facing slopes) and the Davidson, East Fork, North Fork and West Fork are all rimmed by mini-iceburgs and slush. Tread carefully, if you plan on fishing the lower 'D' or East Fork this weekend (bring studded boots if you have them.) The good news is the weather forecast for the next 10 days could not be better: highs in the 60s are predicted, with lows only in the 40s some nights, along with the promise of some badly-needed rain, too.

Water levels remain well below where they should be, thanks to our ongoing drought. NOAA still ranks our area as under "severe drought." The agency's latest Seasonal Drought Outlook predicts that Transylvania County will experience "ongoing drought with some improvement" from now through April, with rainfall "barely reaching above normal." The Davidson looks really sad right now, although there have been some good hatches of BWOs, midges, micro-stones and black flies in recent weeks. The East Fork, for some reason, has held water better, but fish populations are really thin compared to last fall. Poaching? Tons of people mishandling fish (throwing them up on the dirt or gravel for a digital creeling)? Natural predation? Probably all of the above, but there are still some fish to catch. You just can't stand around in one hole for very long, unless you've got risers to work. Please use good catch-and-release practices, which means not removing fish from the water if possible.

Our private waters on the North Fork are holding their own, despite lower-than-usual water levels and a fair amount of natural predation from kingfishers, otters, etc. Fishing on "The Farm" has been fair some days, great on others. Not unlike the heart of summer, except there has been less pressure from anglers, so the fish aren't as particular about fly selection or drifts. If you book it for a sunny day in late February when the first Paraleps are popping, you'll probably slay them if your casting skills haven't deteriorated too much over the winter. We had a killer BWO hatch up there on Wednesday, where the duns were drifting up against the lip of the ice flows and POOF! disappearing into the maw of a big rainbow hiding beneath. Pretty cool.

Probably the two best public streams, in terms of water levels and fish numbers, are the Tuck and the Chattooga Delayed Harvest sections. The Tuck was on fire in January until the mercury starting plunging, but it should be back to its old self this week. Nantahala Power is not supposed to be generating on either the East or West Fork this weekend, which means wade fishing will be ideal. On your way to the river, stop by and stock up on #16-#18 Purple Sparkle Princes, #16 Bloom's Olive Soft Hackles, #22 Copper Johns in black and green, and #18 Tungsten Bead Rainbow Warriors. If you see rising fish, try a Henryville Special with a small Griffith's Gnat or Midge Winker dropped off it.

Tight lines,
Than

Delayed Harvest Is Here!

The foliage is beginning to change here in the French Broad Valley, particularly the sassafras, sumac and poplars, and you know what that means for the fishing --- it's ROCK-tober, when many of our rivers receive a truckload of freshly stocked rainbows, browns and brookies courtesy of the state. Although our water levels are still very low, the state did not shortchange us too badly on the number of fish stocked, as they did last year. At this writing, the East Fork, North Mills, Little River and West Fork of the Pigeon have been stocked, and the Tuckaseegee is supposed to get fish this coming Monday. Reports we've gotten so far from anglers and our guides indicate the stockers are running a little smaller on average than in past years (no doubt due to the drought's effect on hatchery operations), but that some of the stocking buckets contained brood stock browns averaging 18-20 inches! Remember, Delayed Harvest is catch-and-release only until next June and any scented plastics such as cheese worms are now officially illegal, so please report any violations by calling Wildlife Enforcement at 800-662-7137.

Our water conditions are still on the low side, since we haven't had much rain in the last week or so. Our streams are also very clear, which means 5X and 6X fluorocarbon will be de rigueur after the fish have been beaten on for a week or so. In the meantime, black and olive woolly buggers, eggs, San Juans, Lightning Bugs, Delektables, and other flashy nymphs will certainly account for lots of fish. With the water so low, many of the fish will be podded up in the deeper holes. Water temps are ideal right now, starting in the high 40s, and climbing into the mid-50s by the end of the day. Getting an early start may be advantageous if avoiding the October crowds is your goal, but the fishing won't really heat up until the sun gets on the water and gets the bugs -- and trout -- moving. October caddis are coming off in good numbers at night, so an Orange Stimulator (size 10-14) or Fox's Caddis Poopah in the same sizes is a smart thing to try in the morning and around dusk. We've been seeing a lot of cream-colored crane flies on the water, as well, which are about a size 16-18. We sell a sulphur cranefly here that has been fooling a lot of fish, skating it across the tails of the flatter pools in the mornings. If we're lucky enough to get some rain or cloud cover, the fall Baetis hatches will be good, given the number of nymphs present in the stream bed. Stock up on #18-#22 thorax Blue Winged Olives, parachute BWOs, Baetis nymphs, Flashback Pheasant Tails and pray for rain!

We had a reasonably slow September, guiding wise, which is normal for us. But September is usually when our guides take a vacation and get some personal fishing in; last month was no exception. Justin fished Kamchatka in Russia and Alaska with his dad and caught some gigantic rainbows, char and salmon. Mac took his annual muskie trip to Wisconsin, raised more than 40 fish and even had two 45-plus-inch muskies come after his fly simultaneously (a feat unheard of in the world of muskie fishing.) I headed out to the Fly Fishing Retailer's Show in Colorado, and was blessed with some wonderful hatches on the Fryingpan River, where I landed a 5-pound bow one morning, and spent several days floating and wading the Roaring Fork below Aspen. I returned to some rain showers, but generally we haven't gotten out of our rain-free rut.

Despite low water, we've had some really good days of guided fishing on our North Fork private waters lately, thanks to lower water temperatures and some decent bug activity. Guide Justin Howard and I took a corporate group out on Oct. 2, consisting of three beginners and one intermediate angler, and everyone landed double digits, including a couple of honkers apiece. If past years are any indication, this month will offer continued hot action on both private and public waters: browns are starting to move up into the West and North Forks to spawn, Delayed Harvest waters are brimming with fish, and our private waters continue to fish well thanks to careful management on our part. The fish seem to know winter is coming and have strapped on the feed bag, bulking up for the spawn and the long cold months ahead. Get out soon and enjoy autumn's bounty, because it won't last long.

Tight lines,

Than

Rain, Just In Time For Labor Day!

It's pouring here at the shop as I write this, and thanks to Tropical Depression Fay, we're supposed to get up to 4 inches of rain in the next 2-3 days. That's excellent news, considering we're headed into the Labor Day weekend and the phone has been ringing off the hook with people asking about fishing trips and conditions. Fay's soggy remnants are just what the doctor ordered to bump up our droughty water levels as we head into fall. The North Fork is almost back to her ol' self, and even prior to today's rain, water temperatures were only topping out in the mid-60s thanks to cooler nights. So hopefully the worst of the 2008 drought is behind us and autumn will continue to bring good fishing and ample rain.  

We've had some wonderful days of trout fishing lately, on backcountry brook trout streams, the Davidson and on our private waters, which seemed to weather the drought much better than last August. Guide Mac Marett found some physically fit folks willing to hike into Panthertown and the Pigeon watershed in search of wild brookies, including Jack S. of South Carolina and Mark and Jill H. from Missouri. The water temperatures remained cool enough to keep the "specs" active; everyone hooked fish in the double digits, on dry flies ranging from Mac's Blowfly to Streambank Hoppers. 

On the 15th and 16th, the King family from Chapel Hill took an All-Day School of Trout on the private waters, followed by a public water wade trip on the Davidson. Mrs. King and her son are both natives of France, but both spoke English far better than Mac and I speak French, that's for sure! With their newfound casting skills, everyone landed a bunch of fat rainbows and a few wild browns. Foam terrestrials and tiny nymph droppers on 6X did the trick. Their day on the Davidson was equally as productive, despite brutally low water, thanks to the hard work of Mac and guide Sam Aiken. Trico patterns and #24 midge pupas accounted for most of the fish. 

On Aug. 20-21, guide Justin Howard had back-to-back trips on the private waters that went exceptionally well considering the low water levels. Charles H. from Florida and his buddy stuck a bunch of fish on Day One. Then, Winston F. and his wife, Elizabeth, from Mobile landed some toads the next day, including a 20-plus-inch rainbow Winston landed on his second cast of the day on a Chernobyl ant! It's up on the Wall of Fame slideshow, if you want a look.

Perhaps our most memorable trip of the month involved hosting a group of Alabama state legislators and two lobbyists. They wanted to fish the Davidson, which at the time was running at an 85-year low. Add to that the fact that two of the four were beginners and we knew we had our work cut out for us. However, Mac and I were pleasantly surprised to find that the fish were in the eating mood. Everybody landed 7 or 8 fish apiece, including at least one over 18 inches. We busted off some of the bigger fish, but that's fishing on the big 'D,' right? We heard some hilarious jokes over lunch, but few were clean enough to share here, except maybe this one:

Did you hear that Barack Obama has a chance of winning Alabama?

No way! How is that possible?

Because if you put a 'G' in front of his name, you get, "GoBAMA!"

We haven't been able to float for smallmouth on the French Broad in several weeks, due to record low water. But the wade fishing has been consistently good, especially around the Long Shoals and Bent Creek areas. Going into the Labor Day weekend, the only problem will be visibility. If we get all the rain we're predicted to, the French Broad mainstem will be chocolate milk for several days afterwards, but may clear enough to run some float trips in early September. In the meantime, we're back in the business on the trout front. As always, feel free to call the shop for up-to-date conditions or stop by and pick up some "Hot Flies" on your way to the river -- 828-877-3106.

Tight lines,

Than

The Dog Days of August

 We've officially entered the "Dog Days" of August, with daytime temperatures hovering in the high 80s and lows only dipping into the mid-60s. That means water temps are starting out around 63- to 65 degrees on the North Fork and Davidson, and climbing into the potentially lethal 70s by mid afternoon. In short, it's a tough time to be trout fishing in Western North Carolina. As I write this, the North Fork is running at 1.79, which is the lowest it's been all summer. If you are thinking about going trout fishing in our area, I would wait until we get at least a few inches of rain. Should you be in the area for a limited time, and are just dying to fish, we have had successful days recently on our private waters, the Davidson and on several brook trout streams. But anglers have to change their expectations if they want to have a good day: the days of 20-plus fish days are largely over until September's cooler temps hit, and fishermen have to work hard for each strike. That being said, there are still some quality fish to be caught, if you're willing to work for them. Top flies remain hoppers, beetles, ants, inchworms, Isonychia nymphs, midge pupa and dark bodied mayfly nymphs such as the A.P. Flashback or Zebra Copper Johns. 6X tippet and long leaders are mandatory, except on brook trout waters.

July was hot and largely rain-free, but we still managed to keep our guides very busy, thanks to a never-ending line of anglers walking in the door of our new building. The month started with a bang on the private waters. Guide Mac Marett and I took Bestor W. and his family from Alabama up to the private waters and everybody hooked and landed their "limit," including at least a couple honker fish apiece. One of the cool things about repeat clients like Bestor's group is you get to see them grow over the years, both as anglers and individuals. Bestor's son, who I first guided as a young "tween," is now headed off to Suwannee to play football on a scholarship. For a young man who lives in bowfin country, he's evolved into quite an accomplished trout fisherman. On July 11, Mac took another favorite family of ours, Wes G. and his two sons from Columbia, S.C., up the North Fork. They all landed a mess of nice trout, mostly on dry-and-droppers. Wes even fished up a storm while sitting on a streamside rock -- talk about a man of leisure!

Guide Freddie Raines was handed a plum on July 20, when he took Richard B. from Vail, CO up to the private waters. Not only was Richard an advanced caster who could put the fly on target, but the fish were really amped up that day. He caught numerous trout pushing 18 inches and broke off a few bigger than that. Two days later, the fish were still on when I took Judge Harold A. and his good friend,  Billy W., up to the private waters. I didn't count how many Billy hooked, but the honorable judge landed 21 trout, including several over 17 inches. Considering the low, tepid water, that was a great day. Another pair of repeats, Michael and Misty M. from Florida, came up to fish "The Farm" with their youngest daughter, who they signed up for an All-Day School of Trout. I guided the 'rents, while guide Sam Aiken did the school. The fishing was slow at times, but everybody landed some nice rainbows and browns. Misty smoked them on dry flies, including several foam bodied terrestrials, while Michael put many bends in his Scott rod streamer fishing.  At the end of the day, a frog-choking thunderstorm ran us off the water, but nobody complained because we needed the rain so badly.

Most of that water had run off by the 24th, when guide Justin Howard had Carter D. and his two grandsons on the private waters. Anyone here will tell you that guiding three people is difficult under any circumstances, but Justin did a yeoman's job of getting each of them into fish. On July 27, Mac took Page S. from Mobile, AL on a brook trout fishing expedition that involved 7 miles of hiking, climbing up the sides of several waterfalls (the rock was dry), and throwing a little 2-weight at these native fish. After a lifetime of fly fishing, Page landed his first brook trout, followed by roughly 20 more. Dry flies such as Mac's Blowfly and Parachute Ants did the trick. Despite an arduous hike, Page said he'll be back. Two days later, Mac took Jack H. and his wife up the North Fork on an All-Day School of Trout. Using Bloom's Beetle, craneflies, and a host of midge pupa, the couple landed a brace of trout apiece, despite water temps in the high 60s. 

Although trout fishing is in the doldrums, smallmouth fishing is just hitting its stride. We've been fishing the French Broad, the Little Tennessee and the North Toe, and each river is fishing well using Shenandoah Blue Poppers, Sunfish Sliders, and white streamers. The bass are definitely spooky, but there are a TON of little guys willing to pound a well-presented topwater fly and a few big boys hanging out in the tails of the bigger pools. Until we get some cooler temps or rain, we're offering a special full-day wade trip that involves fishing public wild trout water in the morning and smallie fishing the French Broad in the afternoon. We also have access to a private lake with lots of largemouth and big bream that are willing to eat a popper or streamer. Call me at the shop for details: 828/877-3106.

Tight lines,

Than

Summertime & the Fishing Ain't Easy

Is it July already? The summer is just flying by, but we're having fun introducing more people to our private waters on the North Fork and hiking people into the backcountry for brook trout trips. Water levels on the North Fork are holding their own, on par with last summer, but the action has slowed down some as our water temps have climbed in the afternoons. The Davidson produced some bigger fish for us in the last two weeks, but the water levels there are very low (thankfully, water temps are staying cool enough for now). On the tailwater front, I fished the South Holston a few times in the last couple of weeks and the sulphur hatch there is kickin' at low water, with good terrestrial and streamer fishing when TVA generates. Bring a 3-weight and long, fine leaders for fishing it in low water. If you want to float the Holston or the Watauga, we have two guides on our roster with lots of experience on those rivers. It involves a 3-hour drive to the river, but we can arrange for accomodations in Bluff City if you're interested in floating the Soho one day and the Watauga the next. Call 828-877-3106 for pricing.

We started the month hosting a bunch of trips on our private waters, most of them repeat clients who had fished with us in the past. Guide Freddie Raines and I took Billy W. from Alabama and three friends up to "The Farm" on June 5, and everybody landed some nice fish on a variety of small nymphs. Billy even brought a few to the surface with dry flies, including a Red-Legged Hopper and some beetle patterns. On June 6, guide Justin Howard took Chris H. from Raleigh to the Davidson and landed several big fish, mostly on midge patterns. Justin said the river fished better than he expected, considering how low and slow-moving it was. That day, I took Ed H. from coastal South Carolina up to the private waters. We had a good day of fishing, although it wasn't easy. We had to get the drift right in their feeding lane to get any eats, and even then they spit the fly instantly. We had a little easier time on June 8, when I took Payton C. from Alabama up to the farm. Payton put the wood to several fish over 18 inches, including one beautiful red-sided 'bow that looked like it belonged in Alaska. On the 11th, Justin took Terrell H. from Texas over to the big 'D' and they had a fabulous day trying to fool the fickle fish on the hatchery stretch. Jujubee midges, blood midges and WD-40s did the trick, but as usual it took multiple presentations to get strikes.

Mac and I got invited to a bachelor party of sorts on June 13. We hosted groom-to-be Paxton L. from Hendersonville, along with his father, future brother-in-law and future father-in-law. For the record, there were no strippers or alcoholic beverages involved, but everybody managed to hook up with some nice fish in the short time we were able to fish them. On the 15th, Freddie took Ellis B. and his wife from Florida up to the private waters and they managed to hook up with some beautiful trout, both wild and stocked, despite water temperatures that hovered close to 69 degrees thanks to a series of 90-degree days the week before. Guide Woody Platt found time in his busy schedule as a bluegrass pickin' star to guide Shannon W. on the private waters on June 16. Shannon was agog at the nice trout she caught, but I think she was more impressed with Woody's affable nature and stories of touring the country with his band, the Steep Canyon Rangers.

We've run some smallmouth bass float trips this month and the fish have been more cooperative, overall, than the trout. That doesn't mean that the fishing is always easy, though. I floated Richard O. and his son, James, down the French Broad on June 18. This father-son team has fished for muskies, peacock bass and big lake trout on the fly, so they were experienced fly fishermen who could cast accurately and far -- in other words, a guide's dream trip. Unfortunately, a constant 25 mph headwind, coupled with brutally low water levels, made for a difficult day of casting and rowing. James landed two really large bass that fought like tigers, and both anglers landed a bunch of smaller ones, but rowing into the wind all day and dragging the boat over shoals made for a long day on the water.

Although this summer may not offer non-stop action, it's still a great time to learn to fly fish. Compared to the high water flows of spring, the streams are easier to wade and there are plenty of smaller wild trout willing to pounce on a dry fly in faster water. Guide Sam Aiken took John R. and his wife from Orlando to the West Fork on June 24 for our All-Day School of Trout and they had a great time and caught a mess of fish, even though neither had ever cast a fly rod before.

We ended the month much like we began it, with warm daytime temperatures and low water levels. But for the persistent angler who wants to land a big trout or two, or lots of small wild trout, there are days when the fishing is still excellent. Mac took Mark and George H. from New York on a backcountry brook trout trip on June 28, and they slayed them on dry flies. I took Ralph B. from Tampa over to the Davidson on July 1 and the fishing gods were definitely smiling that day. Ralph landed two tanks, both taping out at 21 inches, and about 15 other smaller fish, including a nice 12-inch brookie on a dry fly. Meanwhile, that day Mac took Wes and Scott G. from Columbia up to the private waters and they landed several whopperjaws. Justin had equally good results two days later on the big 'D' with Mike K., a Texan who is considering relocating to the Brevard area. Some days are slower than others, of course, but if we continue to get afternoon thundershowers, we should be okay through August. We're happy to give you an up-to-date assessment of fishing conditions if you call the shop -- 828-877-3106.

Tight lines,
Than

The Heat Is On!

Well, May has come and gone and all we can say here at Headwaters is WHEW! We had a very busy last half of the month, so much so that I haven't been able to get away to fish much myself. I did fish the main stem of the French Broad one afternoon last week and landed a bunch of small wild rainbows, all on yellow sally nymphs. And I hit the Davidson a few times at dusk and managed to land some nice brownies on sulphurs and Cahills, but the water is brutally low again. A 3-weight and a 12-foot leader really helped, though I still put down more fish than I landed. As I write this, it's 90 degrees here at the shop (!!) , with no significant rain in sight until late this week. Water levels are holding above 2.05 feet on the French Broad, which is an improvement over last summer at this time. Still, it looks like we're in for another droughty summer, which definitely has its pluses and minuses.

On the plus side, lower water levels force trout to pod up in the deepest water available to them, which means where you find one trout, you'll probably find more. As the water warms, oxygen levels drop, so don't neglect the faster broken water (riffles, heads of pools, etc.) Surprisingly large rainbows, in particular, will hold in such places because there's more oxygen and plenty of food. On the negative side, you must play and release fish quickly to avoid stressing or killing them, especially once the water temperatures get in the upper 60s. Right now, temps on our most popular streams are still holding in the low 60s, but they're rising fast thanks to the hot weather. If we get a bunch of afternoon thunderstorms, that will certainly help keep water and oxygen levels where we need them well into July. I'm doing my rain dance every morning, believe me.

Water levels certainly weren't an issue when guide Freddie Raines and I took Tom P. from Atlanta and his two fishing buddies up to the private waters for a day of mountain trout fishing on the 15th. It rained lightly all day and the fishing really turned on as a result. Freddie and Tom fished to a gigantic brown they saw eating behind a drop-off, trying "everything but the kitchen sink." Eventually, the fish opened its gaping maw and snarfed a golden stonefly nymph, but spit it instantly. Tom landed numerous beautiful 'bows out of the same pool, however. After lunch, his friend Rick hooked a beast of a rainbow that went shooting downstream with me chasing after it with my net. The pic is on our "Wall of Fame" if you want to check it out.

On May 17, Steve M. from Milledgeville Georgia, and his son, Charles, booked a day on the private waters. Steve broke in a brand-new Scott E2 5-weight with style, landing several nice rainbows in the morning and a creel full of nice trout (metaphorically speaking) in the afternoon. Not to be outdone, Charles stood downstream of his dad and wore them out pretty well himself, even though he'd never picked up a fly rod before. It helped that Charles is a former pro baseball catcher, who was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds. Talk about hand-eye coordination!

Over the next two days, I took Curt H. and Ed B. from Florida to the private waters, and they had a blast. We caught some fish on top, which is always fun, but most of the fish ate sulphur or yellow sally nymphs fished deep. On May 24, we hosted a group of 7 anglers headed up by angler extraordinaire Pam J. from Atlanta. This group all attended NC State together in the 1970s and it was so much fun hanging out with their Wolfpack. Pam and her friend Nancy fished with me on the private waters, and they took to nymphing like a hummingbird to nectar. I didn't count, but they landed more than their "limit" by threefold. The others split up on the East Fork with guides Freddie and Mac Marett (who manned up and took three people) and despite quitting early, everyone caught some fish and had fun. The group stayed in some of our cabins at our Adventure Village, which they enjoyed thoroughly.

Mac and Matt Canter ran two All-Day Schools on the 25th and 26th, teaching their clients how to choose the right flies, present them accurately, mend line, set the hook, and play their fish. The East Fork fished great for both guides, who did well on an assortment of dries and nymphs, including sulphur nymphs, partridge & yellows, and PTs. On the 27th, Freddie took Bud W. and his fishing buddy D.J. up to the private waters on a day that threatened with thunderstorms. They slayed them on Harrop's soft hackles, woolly boogers and a CDC sally imitation that Freddie ties. Freddie said the wild fish, which make up probably 50% of what we catch usually, were really amped up and jumped on any good drift. On the 28th, I took Harry H. and his fishing buddy Sam H. from Atlanta down the Tuckaseegee on a float trip. We lucked out with the generation in the morning, but the water soon dropped to run-of-river flows and we squeaked by the islands just in time. The fish were definitely looking up, despite very off-color water conditions. We got lots of strikes on Chernobyl ants, Hopperstones, and Streambank Hoppers, and more than a few eats on yellow sally and Copper Johns dropped off them. We fished some tiny terrestrials on 6X to a bunch of rainbows sipping in a filmy back eddy below Webster and got several of those guys to eat, as well. Best of all, the predicted thunderstorm never evolved, so we floated most of the day in cool-ish, overcast conditions.

We ended May with a slew of private and public water trips, including three days of fishing with Jim M. from Florida. Jim sampled the private waters with me on two days, breaking his biggest-ever fish record on Day 2 with a 19-inch rainbow, and on the East Fork with Mac in between, where he got to catch some nice brook trout on top using his spanking new Scott E2 4-weight. Guide Sam Aiken took Gary and Cathy G. from Naples, FL to the East Fork for an All-Day School. From the sounds of it, they learned a lot from Sam and had a great day of fishing in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Now that tourism season is here, it pays to book your guided trips at least a week in advance. We are already fully booked up for the Fourth of July weekend on the private waters, for instance. Another reminder: Delayed Harvest ends this Saturday (June 7), so prepare yourself for more challenging fishing conditions after that date. We've already run a few wild brook trout trips, and those streams will continue to provide plenty of great trout fishing through the dog days of August for those willing to hike off the beaten path.

Tight lines!
Than