Hiwassee River

I usually fish the Hiwassee river in the spring. No different this year. I got there at about 9 am and rigged up for nymphing. Hiwassee is a real bug factory and a fish factory also. The only negative with this river is that it is very difficult to catch anything of size. Hiwassee is mainly a put and take fishery and doesn't have many hold over Rainbow trout. Temperature issues and possibly other factors limit the survival rate of the fish. The river does have some hold over browns and they can get huge. They are however not easy to catch and I would say almost impossible during low flow. It has to be a high water float to even have a chance to catch the. Hiwassee river could be a gem if the hold over trout was there. The river is a literal bug factory. I saw BWO's in the morning, along grannom (Little Black Sedge or Caddis), and you would thinkg they would take on top. Not so today. I had to stick with nymphing, although I tried a Black EHC several times. I managed to catch 28 or so rainbows today. I caught them all on BH princes and some black spiders and Iron Blue Dun wets. But it is somewhat disheartening that not one of the fish was a keeper. They were all 9 to 10 inches each and looked like they had been recently stocked. I do however love the rive and the nature surrounding it. It is one of my favorite places in TN. I have fished Hiwassee river of and on for almost a decade now. I used to do it more often but lately it has been a spring trip every year. Mainly a practice run for more technical waters to come. If you ever have to take a beginner out, this would be one of my top choices. The river is choke full of fish and with some practice and help with the entomology a beginner should have a field day. The water temp was 60 degrees today and I fished about six hours total with a break for lunch in between.

2nd Trip to Clinch this spring

I couldn't stay away any longer. I decided to go to the river right after work. I managed to get there and rigged up by 5:15 pm. There were about seven others in the vicinity. My favorite hole was empty though. It started slow like last week. There were plenty of black fly's and some BWO's sputtering about. I tried my run for awhile but nothing. Moved downstream after two other fishermen went home. After about an hour away from my hole with no strikes I was back at my first spot. I caught two fish in two casts. The first one was a 10" bow and the second one a solid 15" Rainbow. Then after about another 15 minutes a smaller brown and two more 10' bows. It was now getting close to dark and time to head home. Not bad for 2 1/2 hours of fishing on a week night.

Littler River above the sinks

I just had to get out of the house today, knowing that rain is coming. I drove to Townsend and stopped to chat with Byron and Paula in Little River Outfitters. I haven't seen Byron in ages. I used to go over that way a whole lot more often a couple of years ago. I guess I just got burned out on fishing that particular area. I have spent the last two seasons on other waters. Today however I began fishing low since we had frost last night. The water was right at 50 when I began fishing at 3:30 pm. There was a peak of Quill Gordons and Blue Quills coming off at around 5 pm. The hatch was by no means heavy. This cold weather must have slowed them down again. No real rises either. I managed to catch one 8" Brown and missed a couple of more strikes and that was it. I quit right before dark at 7:45 pm. I had a very nice evening out so let the rain begin.

Finally got my skunk off on Clinch this evening

Decided to hop over to Clinch since it's only 40 minutes from work. I had my truck loaded up and went as soon as my shift ended. Got to the river at 5:10 pm and there were about half a dozen people in the vicinity of Massengill bridge. I rigged up and got a hit on the third cast on a 22 black Zebra midge with a gold bh. Lost the fish and then nothing for about an hour and a half. A heavy black fly emergence were going on and I had no good black emerger. I found a Stewart's Black Spider but it was way too big a size 14. I needed 20 and smaller. I put it on anyway and kept my Zebra midge on. Then I finally got a fresh stocker bow on the spider. I managed to catch another one on the Zebra midge right before dark. Two hours is not enough to fine tune anything but it sure was nice to get out.

Back in Cherokee, but no luck

I went to Cherokee, NC to fish the fly fishing section again. It's been almost a year since I was there and lost a very big bow. This time no such luck. The water temp was good at 50 but it was still too early for a major hatch. We, my friend and I anticipated a Quill Gordon hatch in the evening but only sporadic bugs coming off. No real activity. I saw two other fishermen play a fish for a while but loosing them. Other than that no real action. It was the first day of spring and a nice one at that. Warm and sunny. I will be back for sure when the season has progressed a little bit.

Slaget om Finland Tali-Ihantala 1944

I watched the second Åke Lindman directed movie about Finland during WWII. This movie depicts the events leading up to the biggest battle in Scandinavia during the second world war. The battle at Tali-Ihantala in the summer of 1944. Finland managed to stave off the Red Army's attack on the Karelian Isthmus. It was a heroic battle regardless of the political disputes. If looked upon as David against Goliath it showed why my admiration for Finland is still so great to this day. Finland found itself on the wrong side of the good people at the end of the war, many say Finland had no options but using Hitler. Regardless, Finland kept it's freedom somewhat intact during the cold war and Soviets domination of Eastern Europe.

The movie itself is not as good as the previous Åke Lindman movie about the winter war. It is lacking in plot and the battle scenes are not as good. Budgetary problems maybe. Even so, it's a movie worth seeing for anyone with an interest in world war II.

First trip of the year

I couldn't take it any longer. I haven't fished since October last year. I had to get out. I didn't catch anything in the 42 degree water but it was nice to be back out swinging the long rod again. It won't be long before the trout will be looking up again. This has been a long cold winter and people can't wait until they can get out and enjoy the outdoors again. Don't get me wrong. I like winter hiking and such but this year was dreadful. I have been gone from Sweden too long. Thank God I don't live there anymore. They have had more than 3 ft of snow in my old home town. It's been snowing off and on since Christmas.