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Soho

Started by troutphisher, August 26, 2007, 13:14:10 PM

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troutphisher

I fished the South Holston river yesterday all day. I left my house at 4:30am to arrive on the river by 7:00am.

I fished the lower section miles from the dam. The air temp was 73 degs when I started and the water temp was 60. I knew it would warm up during the day, but the water was very cold.

I started fishing a black and silver wire zebra midge in a run near the bank.
On my second cast I hooked a nice 14" brown and it was an indication of things to come. I stood near this run and fished it for about an hour and caught many fish.

About 9:30 I heard the clacking of hooves behind me.
I turned to see a deer cutting across the river, it stooped midstream and stared at me for about a minute. I froze to see how long it would stand there.
It was trying to get me to move, because It was up wind of me and couldn't pick up my scent.

I moved up stream about 2 miles and fished another wide section of the river. I could see from the car, fish rising along the bank, so I found a spot to park and waded to the middle of the river.

I tied on a red and silver wire zebra midge as a change up, to see if it worked.
The fish attacked this fly. it was size 18 tied on a mustad signature hook  C49S. I caught several nice rainbows, with one going 16". I finally lost the fly to a big fish that hit like a train and snapped me off on the shelf rock ledges.

I switched flies to a size 18 Sulphur dun, and had fun casting to them. Although I saw some monster browns, I couldn't get them to rise.

I saw large dark shadows near the bank, held up on a grass bed. I approached them very slowing and they didn't spook. When I got within 20 feet, I could see they were carp. Big carp about 30" with grey backs and rusty belly's.
I thought about casting flies to to them, but with 5wt line and 6x tippet, I knew it wouldn't be much of a fight, and I didn't want to waist flies on carp.

I did notice the big browns were feeding behind the carp. As the carp were sucking the bottom they must have been kicking up nymphs for the browns.
I watched them for about 20 minutes, and the browns stayed right with the carp, about 6 feet behind them and followed them up stream.

All in all, it was a great day! lots of fish and lots of new and interesting water.
With the waters so low around western NC, I don't have much choice but to fish tail waters, and the soho is one of the best.

Here are some pics of the day.
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.

troutphisher

Here is another picture of a brown. This brown was very colorful and I notice a blue streak down the side of this fish. Maybe it was the result of the morning light , but I have never see this before. The color blue was very vivid, from the cheek plates down 2/3 of the body.

This was one of the prettiest fish I have caught in a long time.
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.

brownhunter

Excellent report, TP! Those pics are great and give some relief to not being able to fish around here because of the low, warm water.
"Why, he wondered, did rich people call it sushi while poor people called it bait?"   -- Same Kind of Different as Me

flatlander

Good report. Did you throw any terrestrials?

troutphisher

Yes, I threw a beetle near the bank and had some browns rise for it, but They were keying in on bwo emergers, and some sulfurs. The big hatch during the day was bwo, size 18 and with the Sulphur's popping off later in the evening.
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.

Trout Chaser

A most excellent report as always. 0--0  I look forward to your reports as I haven't as much time as I would like to wet a line.

TC

supaflyGSR

Nice report!  There seems to be a very healthy deer population around that river.  Back in spring we had a group of about 4 deer cross downriver of us.  Very cool experience.  Can't wait to get back over that way and fish. 0--0

pelcrk

nice report and great pics.thanks.Like TC , I haven't been able to get out much lately. your report and pics makes taking the pill less bitter.
Steve
It's all good drifts