by Karl Ekberg
The rivers around us here at Chattooga River Fly Shop are fishing well. Everyone from the novice to the expert has been having a great time on both the Chauga and the Chattooga rivers. There is plenty of dry fly fishing to be done, especially in the evening hours up to dark. The morning hatches have been subtle, but the use of emergers and nymphs have done the best.
We have seen the first of the Golden Stone flies hatching, and there is nothing finer than seeing fish rise to the large dry flies. The Drake hatches are upon us as well, along with Yellow Sallies. Fishing the Drake nymphs from the riffles into the seams has been successful throughout the daytime hours. For the Slate Drake nymphs, casting upstream and using a dead drift and strip technique is very successful as the larger nymphs pulse through the water looking for a safe haven. Swinging these nymphs into pools and calmer water and then slow stripping them back is also another technique as well. Also, the use of Golden Stone nymphs trailing smaller nymphs has been successful. The Sulphur and Cahill hatch in the last couple of hours of daylight has been great. Soon to come in the next few weeks will be the Pale Evening Duns.
As the waters start to warm, the fish will start looking for cooler waters in the deeper pockets and pools of the rivers. The use of a pinch of split shot may be necessary, or the use of a heavier nymph with a trailing smaller nymph will do the trick. If nymph fishing is a little slow, the streamer bite has been very good. Casting upstream and mending the line so the streamer will fall further in the water column is the key. After the fly has reached the desired destination of the drift, a slower strip and pause technique will work. The rivers are loaded right now with many shiners and small baitfish.
As the water temperatures rise and we leave the trout alone for survival, red eye bass and panfish is where we go on the river. The red eye bass are bedding as well as the panfish, and the bite is starting to turn on. With the water temperatures warming, this can provide a great day of fishing as well. Using small streamers, terrestrials and poppers will take care of these fine fish.
We carry a full line of flies to help you have a successful day on the water. If you are not sure where to find these fine fish or what to fish with, let us take you out on a guided trip to show how much fun topwater action can be on our beautiful rivers. We hope to see everyone out on the rivers!