When I made it to my destination, I found even more redds than the previous trips. However, this time there were no browns to be found. No fish at all were even around the redds, but a couple of them looked very fresh. I don't know if it was the increase in flows the past couple days or maybe the sudden drop in water temperature, but something apparently made the fish quickly leave their beds.
There were lots of midging trout around, but I could not find anything they wanted. So, I just went to my old faithful rig, a deep drifted #20 bhpt and #20 zebra midge. The fishing was slow for the first couple hours, and then about 1:30 it heated up. I started getting hits and hooking up regularly. All fish brought to hand were in the slot, but no large fish on this trip.
Nice Little Clinch Bow
I am going to restock my midge supply in the coming weeks in preparation for the onset of midge season. I know what you are thinking, midges work all year on the clinch. True, but during the spring, summer, and fall there is also a nice mixture of some mayflies and scuds in there. During the winter, my experience is that the fish's diet switches to a much greater percentage of midges.
David Knapp over at The Trout Zone has beaten me to the punch on a series dedicated to midges. However, I may still throw up a couple of my favorite patterns that compliment David's selections.
The Midge Box Looking Bare
Until next time, I wish everybody out there a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Tight Lines and God Bless
4 comments:
Nice bow, I almost forgot what catching a trout, feels like anymore.
Thinking about heading over to the Caney Fork, Hiwassee, or even the Nantahala myself sometime around Christmas. I've got to catch up on tying those midges, time has just not allowed lately.
TarHeel,
I am planning a trip to the SoHo the Monday after Christmas and another trip that week probably out to the Caney (if they stop generating). Both the Clinch and Caney will be blown out for a while while TVA tries to draw the lakes down from all the rains we had.
SoHO will be full, only because of
TVA's crazy generation schedule, but you should get into some decent fishing. SoFoHo (south fork of the Holston) might be worth trying...water's at 538 cfs with the average at 453, so a little above, but not terrible. With the water being so high, the fish won't be as spooky. Good luck Travis, hope there are some BWO's hatching for ya. THFF
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