Posted on May 11 2023
With the water levels still limiting wading opportunities, we rented a drift boat (Mark has a drift boat he uses when the TVA is generating power on his home river the South Holston). We did the Barking Dog to Balls Eddy float but rowed straight down to Hale Eddy skipping the water we fished Tuesday. We were ahead of both the 600 csf release increase and the other drift boats all day.
The bugs - There was a mix of caddis on the water all day long but the Hendricksons and pseudos distained the bright sunshine and were no shows until the sun went behind the hills. The evening combination of duns and spinners was what the fish were waiting for and they fed like hogs at the trough when the bugs finally came.
The fishing - Lets just say you earned every fish. The warm water and bright sun made the fishing difficult. The fish knew a big dinner was being served and decided to skip lunch. We looked for bank sippers on the shaded side of the river, got out of the boat and waded riffs where the water level permitted but by five o'clock had found very few fish willing to eat out flies. I don't know if the release water caught up to us (there was still a wet line on the rocks in the lower game lands which would indicate not) but around 5:00 a few fish started to rise and we at least had fish to throw at. From seven on with the sun behind the hills, spinners dancing above the water, duns hatching and fish feeding it was dry-fly fishing at its best. We didn't mind being the last drift boat in the que at the Balls Eddy take out.
Would appreciate hearing from anyone who fished up river in the release water. Did the colder water put the bugs back on schedule and did the fish feed?
By the way that means I must have rowed past the legend himself at some point and didn’t even know it! I was the guy fishing solo my dad got Covid the day before!
I floated deposit to Balls yesterday. Started early at 10 not sure what time the release started but surprisingly had Hendricksons and spinners in deposit from 10-1 and landed many nice fish. Then it stopped and the afternoon was very frustrating below Hale Eddy. Targets but impossible fish. I broke 2 off and didnt see anyone land a fish on boat or land. Unfortunately did not stick around as late as you and missed the late action. Good day overall sun and some wind kept it from being much better.