Float trip from Buford dam to hatchery

[Khris Allen]

A friend and I did a float trip this weekend that was amazing. From the dam to the hatchery a stone fly hatch was coming off all day long. At times you could see 50 rises in less than a minute. And some of the browns were coming a foot out of the water in a gaint leap to get the fly before it broke through the waters film.

We tied on a #16 tan elk hairs caddis and had a ball. The trout had colors just popping off of them. What a beautiful fish. If you get a chance don't miss this hatch. I think the stones will becoming off for another few months. Get there about 10 am when the sun starts heating the water.

Tight lines
Khris Allen

[deltaflyer]

Glad to hear you had a good trip.... I fished yesterday afternoon from about 3 p.m. till dark up at Bowman's Island. The wind was whipping as that cold front began to move through. I think the oncoming cold front must have put the fish down because we caught a few but nothing like I've seen before at the dam. I have a question for those of you who fish a lot at the dam. I hadn't fished up there in a while but the water level seemed 5-6 inches higher than I remembered and the current was much swifter as well. Have the turbine improvements increased the low flow?

BTW my new Chota STL plus studded boots made wading up there so much easier... what a difference.

[motorbobb]

I fish the Hootch a lot and a stone fly out West, but have never fished a stone fly on the Hootch.

What color and size would the nymphs on the Hootch? All my western nymphs are huge -- size 4-10 double bead black or goldens.

Any advice would be appreciated. thx kc

[NickelCigar]

Don't know if it has anything to do with the new turbines but the level is up as you described, level was at normal levels after the replacements late last year though. Also saw lot's of top water feeding late Sat. when it was time to leave before the park closed.

[skibum]

The black stones were flying ( i mean dropping) below SB on Sunday..

[Khris Allen]

The stone flies were tan winged and a black body in size 16. My buddy had a tan bodied elk hair caddis that did better than my black bodied one. Everything was on top and not a single strike on nymphs.

By the way, I mightbe going to the Tellico this weekend and I need to know what to fish up there at this time of the year.

Khris

[knot trying]

It was raining stoneflies in the early afternoon. When the wind would stop, they would bomb the water laying eggs.

I guess this would qualify as a "spinner fall" but I don't know if they die after they lay their eggs like mayflies.

The small browns were rising to these very agressively but they were very selective. I caught only one on a dry fly - a size 16 elk hair caddis black.

Nice to see this kind of dry fly action in January! That's what I love about the South!

[BrandonT]

The stonefly action was hot futher down stream as well. Although there were a lot of smaller fish rising, I was able to trick a 17" and 14" brown that had full fins and beautiful red spots all over them.

Might have to go freeze my nuts off again next weekend ;)

[fishmonger]

...cold nuts for hot fishing. I'll take that any day. Sorry I missed you, I was out of town this weekend. Sounds like you hade a good trip.

FM

[willis5]

I'd be all about a float this weekend. I was in a tube this past weekend on a couple of local ponds chasing bass and bream. caught 5 bass and 2 bream. good day. really good day but I also froze my under-region.
-Billy