Tuck DH Report

[fishmonger]

I fished the Tuck DH this past Sat and Sun. It was pretty crowded on Sat, especially in two spots on the top end, but I was able to find plenty of elbow room with a little work. I fished most of the day Sat with an olive/grizzly WB and a caddis emerger dropper. I released about 30 fish each day, half Brookies and half Rainbows.

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/121820.JPG (http://www.myfishingpictures.com/?p=121820&c=500&z=1)

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/121821.JPG (http://www.myfishingpictures.com/?p=121821&c=500&z=1)

On Sat afternoon I went to an old favorite spot that gets little pressure. I spotted a big fish in a slot, and high sticked through there, and sure enough I saw its mouth open (no indicator on) so set the hook. No hook up, and spooked it by dragging my line across it, and it dashed into an adjacent hole. I cast downstream to let it rest, hoping it might come back to the same slot (being a prime lie), and on my second cast got hammered by another big fish. It took me into my backing, then flopped around and rolled over on the leader and pulled out the emerger. I did one of those “I just lost a doozie” primal groans, and figured that was my one shot at a biggie for the day. Not much later, the big Bow is back in the slot. I ran my fly back past it, and I’ll be dammed if it didn’t turn around and chase down my offering, GAME ON! It put up a great fight, and posed for a pic for me. I figure it was bout 22”, comparing it to my rod and whipping out a tape measure back at the house.

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/121822.JPG (http://www.myfishingpictures.com/?p=121822&c=500&z=1)

Not 5 casts later I cast into another deep hole, and moved another big fish. It inspected my fly and turned tail, and looked to be a bigger Brown. I couldn’t get it to bite, but it definitely kept my heart rate up for a while.

Sunday was much different, cool, and some very heavy rain. No worries, just time for some rain gear. I went to another low pressure spot, and had it totally to myself.

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/121859.JPG (http://www.myfishingpictures.com/?p=121859&c=500&z=1)

I was working my way downstream, and came to a very fishy looking rock ledge. It was textbook, cast upstream of the ledge, quick mend upstream, and let it sink and run along, and hopefully up under that ledge. On my third drift, zip goes my indicator, and I am tied into another big fish. I fought this one for a few minutes, basically to a standoff, every time I get some line, he takes it back. It never jumped, and was very stubborn, so I am thinking big Brown. Then a big head shake, and gone. ARGH! :yikes: I tell my self, it is better to have hooked and lost then to… well, you know the story. So I am thinking this run still looks good, maybe I can find another lunker. Not 20 feet downstream, I cast across and run my fly down along a big rock, and a torpedo comes shooting out of the shallows along the bank and smacks my fly, and then is gone. Man, how many heartbreakers can I handle today?:cry:

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/121823.JPG (http://www.myfishingpictures.com/?p=121823&c=500&z=1)

So, I finish this section, and decide to finish out the day back at my lucky spot from yesterday. The river is staining up, headed towards blown out, so I know I don’t won’t be fishing ‘til dark. I get back to the exact rock were I was standing yesterday, and try the same slot that held the big Bow, nobody home. I decide to bag the nymphs and go big ugly streamer. I throw out into the same hole where I moved Mr. Brown on Saturday, and sure enough, he follows my streamer out of his hole, then turns tail and disappears. I throw right back again, and BAM, fish on! It is indeed a big Brown, and I am dying to land this one. It takes me a while, and after much bulldogging by the fish and praying on my part, I get him to hand on the bank. While I am getting my camera out, a big flip, and he is gone, so no pic. He was a lot bigger than the Bow, so I figure it was a good 25” fish, and fat as a toad. I would be very surprised if that fish was stocked in the past 6 months, I think it was an old holdover fish. Man, what a treat, that is what I live for when it comes to fishing.:D

As a little dessert, I got a Smallmouth to boot just before I quit.

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/121824.JPG (http://www.myfishingpictures.com/?p=121824&c=500&z=1)

I guess that makes it a true Tuckaseegee Grand Slam, one of all 4 local gamefish species in one day.

Special thanks to my wife for letting me go stag to the mountains, so I could fish guilt-free. :cheers:

FM

[boezie]

Great report! congrats on both the bigh bow and brown! I still need to land something bigger than 18" in the US, and the Tuck is definitely on the list soon!

[chilicon]

Thanks, nice report. Got my adrenaline pumping! Is there a number to call to see if they are generating? That's a great stream to take a newbie, 'cos you can get out in it and not worry about the backcast!

[fishmonger]

Tuckaseegee River flow: 866-332-5253

Enjoy!!

FM

[Fire Walker]

Awesome report you dog::ke: BTW Do you wanne hit the "spot" this weekend? Sunday am?? Steve how bout it buddy?? Should fish awesome :D

[skibum]

I LOVE NCDH!!!!!:D

Ummmm Luke, is'nt Sunday Easter??? Dont you have something else you should be doin besides catching Snit's out of the Rainbow Ranch hole??:huh:

But I may end up on Lake Ski later in the day ;)

[fishmonger]

Lake Ski or Lake Bum? Bum has the bigger ones I hear, although Ski looks to have some better shoreline.

Maybe make it a Toonday afternoon?

FM

[wild_trout_hunter]

Nice report. I took my girlfriend to the Nantahala to learn how to fly fish on Monday/Tuesday. She took the biggest fish of the trip (a 14" bow). The Nanny DH is full of fish. We caught browns, rainbows and brook trout. Actually more browns and brooks than bows. Alot of numbers but no monsters like you caught on the Tuck. Does the Tuck DH typically hold larger fish than the Nanny?

[Aquadump]

I don’t know whether or not the Tuck typically holds larger fish than the Nanny, but I do know there are large fish in both. Check out some of the photos of those massive brookies from the Nanny on other posts.
In my experience, to catch those big ones in the Nanny you have to fish around the little ones. Try fishing a great big streamer.

[fishmonger]

Personally, I have not caught a real big fish out of the Nant, but I have seen a few. I believe that the Tuck holds more, because it is bigger and offers more habitat and food supply, and has some spots that get very little pressure which encourages some holdover fish.

I only caught 3 Browns out of 60 fish this past weekend, one being the big one. That surprised me, I have usually caught more of an equal mix in the past.

I have found that fishing for big fish is more like hunting, where I spend time stalking and looking specifically for prime lies, or trying to spot a big fish before it spots me. I also fish different (usually bigger) flies. If you can find one, it will often be there again later, assuming someone doesn't kill it. It also means that I will generally catch less fish. You gotta love it when "less" is a 30 fish day.

FM

[Rocketroy]

Tuckaseegee River flow: 866-332-5253

Enjoy!!

FM

FM, How accurate have the Tuck flow schedules been? From my calls to the recording, they are giving a high{@ Webster} @ 11:00 a.m.!....... then a receding time of approx. 6:00 p.m.! From your posts, it appears that you fish thru high water in the lower Tuck, nearer to Dillsboro!........ making it an all day event! Has that been your on-river experience? Good reporting! Thanks, Rocketroy

[fishmonger]

Roy,

I have to admit that I didn't call the release line, I just hit it on good faith. I did look at the USGS gauge Sat night, and it showed a pretty good pulse of water on Sat afternoon, which suprised me, but I never got hit by high water. I started above Webster at dawn, went downstream below Webster mid morning, and finished my day down by Dillsboro at 5:30, so I guess I left before it rose. Still, I don't believe that it was high at 11:00 at Webster on Sat or Sun.

Maybe this will help, but I just did not see this rise :confused:
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nc/nwis/uv/?site_no=03508050&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060

FM

[Fire Walker]

in the am but I am talking after noon. Lake ski sounds like a plan. Dahlberg Divers it is!:D

[kayakerguy]

Personally, I have not caught a real big fish out of the Nant, but I have seen a few. I believe that the Tuck holds more, because it is bigger and offers more habitat and food supply, and has some spots that get very little pressure which encourages some holdover fish.

I only caught 3 Browns out of 60 fish this past weekend, one being the big one. That surprised me, I have usually caught more of an equal mix in the past.

I have found that fishing for big fish is more like hunting, where I spend time stalking and looking specifically for prime lies, or trying to spot a big fish before it spots me. I also fish different (usually bigger) flies. If you can find one, it will often be there again later, assuming someone doesn't kill it. It also means that I will generally catch less fish. You gotta love it when "less" is a 30 fish day.

FM
Mark, Great report and beautiful fish. You didn't happen to land that 35lb brookie did ya? What a shame to lose the raffle because of no proof. ;) I feel for you.
Seriously that sounds like a great trip. We (the shop) just got a "new" boat for float trips and was wanting to head up there for some "scouting runs". Will you Guys be heading up there again soon?
Mark

[fishmonger]

I definately will be headed back, if you want to meet up, I would love to fish with you sometime. Let me know if you need a "dummy" to put in the boat, you know, just to make it more realistic. Perfect practice makes perfect :D

Mark

[skibum]

I think i'll be in NC next weekend (21-22nd) to de-winterize the cabin and all by myself.. Need some help figuring out which way the water flows?? ;)

Luke, I'll have to check with momma Easter Bunny on what plans she has in store for me on Sunday.. We also moved your canoe so you would'nt find it.. ;)

[Milesawayfrom]

Thanks for the report. I am glad to see you got into some great fish! My brother and I are going to try to hit the Tuck two weekends from now. He is a beginner who has only been out with a fly rod a couple times on smaller streams, so I wanted to get him out on a few larger, easier accessable water. Any suggestions on easy access points would be greatly appreciated! Just send me a PM is you can. Thanks in advance for any help.

Gabe

[fishmonger]

Miles,

There is great access at the top of the DH, nearest Sylva. River Road runs right along the river, and the wading is very easy. Take the road out of Sylva headed towards Cullowee, and take a right on River Road just before you cross the river (by the ice cream shop), and park anywhere in the next mile, and you will be set.

FM

[tennaseevol]

FM-
Everytime I think of that ice cream shop I get scared -
Jack the Dipper...:yikes:




:D -Brian