Pretentious Snobby Bastard Fly Fishing!

Sorry guys, no report here, but I promise to post one next week.  I'm looking to get out on MLK day, as I'm off work.  I'm having a hard time determining where to go.  FYI: I live in the SC upstate and usually fish Pisgah, but I've recently started exploring some SC streams. With all the rain lately, I imagine I'll need to find a smaller flow that's not blown out. I'm always partial to wild trout, but in our area, most of the wild fish are at higher/colder elevations.  This leaves me with stockers, which are typically in the larger flows, which are running high right now.  With all the rain, I'd prefer to fish some smaller flows and pursue some wild fish, but I'm concerned with the cold weather at higher elevations making them inactive. I was looking at maybe some of the smaller tribs of the D, but I don't know which are accessible with the shut down going on.  What do you guys suggest?

TLDR: Do I fish a higher elevation wild stream and risk sluggish fish, or do I fish lower elevation stocked stream and risk high water?

Go high. They won't be any more sluggish than the lower elevation wild fish.

Always get high, especially on holidays.

<-;:

The further you hike, the less likely you are to deal with crowds, but with cold weather it is unlikely there will be too many fishermen out & about.  I wouldn't worry about the shutdown having much effect on access. 

If it rains the weekend prior, (current forecast) smaller waters will clear sooner than the bigger ones.

Watch the water levels in the larger streams through the week and weekend and figure out as you get closer.

And color me green with jealousy.  It's not a holiday for us. 

Curtis Creek. Park at the gate and hike up 1/4 mile. You'll have the water to yourself and there should be plenty of wild fish. Find long slow pools and fish them thoroughly from tailout to head riffles and everywhere in between. Make long drifts through the middle and stay near the bottom. Set the hook at anything and everything. Takes will be subtle. If you aren't catching fish, it is likely more that you are getting bites without you ever knowing than it is that the fish aren't biting. If you feel like you are making a good drift through a prime section and aren't getting takes, set the hook at random and you might be surprised.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The streams here in E Tenn are really high ,but they are clearing and starting to fall. If it does not rain much more or snow a lot,these creeks will be very fishable by Next Monday. To cut your drive a little ,the Doe at Roan Mtn fishes good during the winter right in the town.  Also the tribs that flow into the Toe River near Elk Park,NC will fish well.

I think that the tailraces here will still be running Ape Shit like they are now. The Watauga in Elizabethton at Hunter Bridge is about 6 inches from being in the parking lot.

It is snowing here now ,but not expecting much of it

  JT

Quote from: The Dude on January 15, 2019, 10:50:44 AM
Curtis Creek. Park at the gate and hike up 1/4 mile. You'll have the water to yourself and there should be plenty of wild fish. Find long slow pools and fish them thoroughly from tailout to head riffles and everywhere in between. Make long drifts through the middle and stay near the bottom. Set the hook at anything and everything. Takes will be subtle. If you aren't catching fish, it is likely more that you are getting bites without you ever knowing than it is that the fish aren't biting. If you feel like you are making a good drift through a prime section and aren't getting takes, set the hook at random and you might be surprised.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just don't bring any alcohol with you.   :laugh:

Thanks for the suggestions fellas.  I've narrowed it down to a couple places, but I'm still not 100% decided.  It'll definitely be wild and at least relatively secluded. 

Quote from: The Dude on January 15, 2019, 10:50:44 AM
Curtis Creek. Park at the gate and hike up 1/4 mile. You'll have the water to yourself and there should be plenty of wild fish. Find long slow pools and fish them thoroughly from tailout to head riffles and everywhere in between. Make long drifts through the middle and stay near the bottom. Set the hook at anything and everything. Takes will be subtle. If you aren't catching fish, it is likely more that you are getting bites without you ever knowing than it is that the fish aren't biting. If you feel like you are making a good drift through a prime section and aren't getting takes, set the hook at random and you might be surprised.

I've fished the DH section of Curtis and spent an hour or so afterwards on Newberry (I should have spent most of my time there instead), but I've never fished the wild section of Curtis.  If I do, I'll have to title my TR "Curtis Creek Manifesto."

Quote from: benben reincarnated on January 15, 2019, 12:01:41 PM
Just don't bring any alcohol with you.   :laugh:

Speaking from experience?

If you're planning on fishing anywhere in the High Country area (Ashe, Avery, Watauga counties and surrounding), bundle up good. Temps are supposed to be coldest of the winter so far on Monday, Mon. night, Tuesday. Better dredge them pools slow and deep.

Yeah, conditions aren't looking ideal.  We have rain coming in Saturday, and the highs, depending on my final choice, will be in the low 30s to low 40s.  Oh well. I haven't been on a river since October, so it's going to happen regardless.  I'm getting cabin fever.

Quote from: Phil on January 16, 2019, 12:18:25 PM
If you're planning on fishing anywhere in the High Country area (Ashe, Avery, Watauga counties and surrounding), bundle up good. Temps are supposed to be coldest of the winter so far on Monday, Mon. night, Tuesday. Better dredge them pools slow and deep.

We had more snow than predicted and the creeks are back up and colder than dammit.  Sorry  !!! b';

  JT

Asheville was is in a deep freeze — little snow but damn windy


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm not holding out much hope for a successful day. I'll be happy if I can find one fish. On the bright side, I get to sleep in to give it a little time to warm up.

Quote from: The Dude on January 15, 2019, 10:50:44 AM
Curtis Creek. Park at the gate and hike up 1/4 mile. You'll have the water to yourself and there should be plenty of wild fish. Find long slow pools and fish them thoroughly from tailout to head riffles and everywhere in between. Make long drifts through the middle and stay near the bottom. Set the hook at anything and everything. Takes will be subtle. If you aren't catching fish, it is likely more that you are getting bites without you ever knowing than it is that the fish aren't biting. If you feel like you are making a good drift through a prime section and aren't getting takes, set the hook at random and you might be surprised.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If all else fails lay out a 50 - 60 foot cast from the back of the pools all the way to the head and strip set all the way back. This typically gets fish interested that otherwise might not be moving around too much. Often you will find they become so voracious that they become frenzied and attack with such vigor they will miss the fly with their mouths and your hook may get stuck in the side of the fish. If that happens you're doing something right so just continue doing it.

It's 8 degrees and windy at my house today (11:45 a.m.). I ain't stripping anything in this shit.  :o

Quote from: Aka on January 21, 2019, 10:35:34 AM

Quote from: The Dude on January 15, 2019, 10:50:44 AM
Curtis Creek. Park at the gate and hike up 1/4 mile. You'll have the water to yourself and there should be plenty of wild fish. Find long slow pools and fish them thoroughly from tailout to head riffles and everywhere in between. Make long drifts through the middle and stay near the bottom. Set the hook at anything and everything. Takes will be subtle. If you aren't catching fish, it is likely more that you are getting bites without you ever knowing than it is that the fish aren't biting. If you feel like you are making a good drift through a prime section and aren't getting takes, set the hook at random and you might be surprised.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If all else fails lay out a 50 - 60 foot cast from the back of the pools all the way to the head and strip set all the way back. This typically gets fish interested that otherwise might not be moving around too much. Often you will find they become so voracious that they become frenzied and attack with such vigor they will miss the fly with their mouths and your hook may get stuck in the side of the fish. If that happens you're doing something right so just continue doing it.

Sage advice from an old Alaskan King Salmon snagger.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote from: The Dude on January 21, 2019, 19:31:37 PM

Quote from: Aka on January 21, 2019, 10:35:34 AM

Quote from: The Dude on January 15, 2019, 10:50:44 AM
Curtis Creek. Park at the gate and hike up 1/4 mile. You'll have the water to yourself and there should be plenty of wild fish. Find long slow pools and fish them thoroughly from tailout to head riffles and everywhere in between. Make long drifts through the middle and stay near the bottom. Set the hook at anything and everything. Takes will be subtle. If you aren't catching fish, it is likely more that you are getting bites without you ever knowing than it is that the fish aren't biting. If you feel like you are making a good drift through a prime section and aren't getting takes, set the hook at random and you might be surprised.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If all else fails lay out a 50 - 60 foot cast from the back of the pools all the way to the head and strip set all the way back. This typically gets fish interested that otherwise might not be moving around too much. Often you will find they become so voracious that they become frenzied and attack with such vigor they will miss the fly with their mouths and your hook may get stuck in the side of the fish. If that happens you're doing something right so just continue doing it.

Sage advice from an old Alaskan King Salmon snagger.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow 'er down there hos. It wasn't just kings.

Quote from: Aka on January 22, 2019, 09:51:52 AM

Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow 'er down there hos. It wasn't just kings.

Shouldn't you be cracking the whip on those Sumatran seamstresses right now?  Get back to work.
https://intothewool.wordpress.com/2012/06/05/its-all-in-the-details/ (https://intothewool.wordpress.com/2012/06/05/its-all-in-the-details/)

At least ya got out and explored some! I maybe small streaming tomorrow


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 Better than me.  0:0