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Local Fly Fishing Report
September 2010
By: David Newsom- Choo Choo Fly and Tackle Fishing Guide
Hello fellow anglers! We are beginning to see a slight transition to fall weather here in the south, but the weather is still warm. Terrestrial fishing is still good on all of our tailwater rivers, and the bass fishing is still productive. Hopefully the weather will be cooling down soon, and the bass fishing will pick up tremendously. I hope you all are still getting out and fishing!
Elk River- Throughout the month of September, TVA should still be been running between 100 cfs to 240 cfs on the river during the week, which is ideal for wade fishing. During September, terrestrials, such as Parachute Hoppers, Madam X, beetles, and ant patterns will still work well. We have seen a lot of good midge hatches, and topwater action is still good. Some good nymph fly patterns on the Elk are: Mercer’s Mayfly Nymph (size. 14-20), Zebra Midges (size. 18-22), Cadillac Pheasant Tails, and scud/sowbug patterns. Lastly, don’t forget to fish streamers, such as Crystal Buggers, Clouser Minnows or Leeches through deep pools and runs. Make quarter upstream casts, let the fly sink and then begin stripping as the fly is across and downstream.
Toccoa River- The Toccoa River in North Georgia will be running around 1600 cfs of water from August through October. TVA is working on the dam and is trying to lower the water level of the lake. Therefore, it is going to be very hard to wade fish this river until October. Due to these circumstances, it is best to fish the river with a drift boat or motorized boat until then, but be careful! There might be some opportunity to wade fish early in the mornings before generation begins. I have noticed that the water coming out of the dam is slightly stained, so bigger flies with lots of flash are needed. With the high water, you will have to use deep nymph rigs to get the flies down to where the fish are located. Nymph patterns in sizes 10-16 would be ideal, and streamer patterns in sizes 2-10 are your best bet. The high water will push fish closer to the banks, therefore its best to hit the banks with streamers and nymphs. September is still good for terrestrial fishing, so you might try throwing big hoppers near the bank, as well.
Hiwassee River- The Hiwassee River, which is known by some as one of the most beautiful tailwater rivers in the southeast, typically runs between 0 to 1 generators throughout the day. You can wade fish or fish from a drift boat on this river. Some of the best water is between the Powerhouse and the Reliance Access, but you can still fish down to the 411 bridge. There are numerous pull-offs and parking areas along the river, so access to the river is abundant. This is a great river to take beginners and introduce them to the sport of fly fishing, but careful wading is needed on the slick and jagged rocks in the river. Some good flies to use this time of the year are micro- mayfly imitations, split case PMD’s, Pheasant Tails, Zebra and Jujubee midges. Some good dries would be Elk Hair Caddis and Adam’s dry flies in sizes 14-18.
Tellico River- As our main freestone river nearby, located in Cherokee National Forest, summer fishing has been good. The Tellico river follows River Road throughout the most of the park, therefore accesses are abundant. Good nymph patterns this time of the year and throughout most of the year are the Tellico Nymph, Pheasant Tail, Prince Nymphs, Lighting Bugs, and Zug Bugs. The fish are going to be more concentrated in the deeper pools during the hot summer months, so you might have to try a deep rig setup with split shot to get your flies down to the fish. Also, don’t forget to check out the upper sections of Sycamore Creek to catch wild brook trout. With the warm temperatures, dry fly action is excellent, and key dry flies to use this time of the year are: Parachute Hoppers, Madam X, Sofa Pillows, Elk Hair Caddis, and any other terrestrial patterns.
Tennessee River- The bass are still in deeper water right now trying to dodge the heat, so you need to fish areas that contain deeper structure and ledges. The key to fishing for bass during the late summer will be to use minnow patterns, such as the Clouser Minnow, Half and Half, and Deer Hair poppers/diver around deeper structure. One of the best flies to use is a big black streamer in sizes 1 to 3/0 or diver patterns. Fish will be more willing this time of year to come up and take a fly from deeper water. There are grass lines along most of the river edge right now, so try to fish the edges of those lines because the fish will be cruising in and out of the grass to find shade and shelter. The sunfish and shellcracker are not hitting the surface as much anymore, so you might have to opt for using subsurface flies to catch these fish. The best bass fishing will still be in the early morning and late evening, but fish can still be caught in the middle of the day if they are generating water. Also, check out some of the tributaries, such as Battle Creek and the Sequatchie River. October and November are some of the best months out of the year to bass fish, so be looking forward to the fall.
I hope all this information will be helpful and good fishing!
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