Ole' Yeller Flies

The sap has certainly risen quickly this spring as tress boast full coats of brightly colored green leaves overshadowing many of the colorful wild flowers alongside streams bursting with tantalizing gin clear water begging you to test your skills. Spring has sprung in a big way yielding some wonderful fishing conditions mixed in with that weekly rain system that is keeping our streams at pretty consistent flows and temperatures.

These conditions have brought on the Yellow Sallies and Yellow Mayflies which for a dry fly anglers is better than a horse with 65-1 odds winning the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby after the winning horse is disqualified. In short it's a great time to be throwing dries! Yesterday while guiding a full day trip the Yellow Sallies and Yellow Mayflies were abundant. I watched a Yellow Dun drying its wings as it reached the end of a long pool as a young trout honed in on its target. Needless to say, the Dun was done if you catch my drift.

I suggest that you get out your fly boxes and check that stock of dries. The guides here at Tuckaseegee Fly Shop recommend that you have a good selection of Yellow Sallies. Patterns such a Yellow Corn Fed Caddis, Yellow Stimulator, Yellow Caddis, and Yellow Sallies are our go to patterns. Vary the sizes based on pattern style and stream conditions. Don't forget about the Jim Charlie or James Connor's Smoky Mountain Mayfly as these are top producers. Yellow Palmers are favorites of many Haywood County locals fishing streams inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Make sure that you match the leader to the size of fly that you are throwing. We suggest that with a size 12 dry that you use a 4x and tippet. This will not spook the trout, trust me I have done this my entire life and I have probable caught more wild trout on 3x and 4x than anything else. Leader length is something that you should pay close attention to. In my opinion most anglers fall short on leader length often opting for a short leader versus a leader in the 12' range. Let common sense prevail here, if you are fishing a tiny stream with a 6' rod then a 12' leader would not be the right choice. Most people think that a stream like Deep Creek is a small stream but actually it is a good size stream with very open casting lanes. Several of these styles of streams blanket our region and offer excellent fishing.

Take advantage of the spring hatches that are currently taking place. Soon we will be heading into terrestrail season and that's a whole topic of it's own. Stop in and see us before you hit the water. Fin and Oscar the shop dogs would love to chat with you!