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Tennessee

The Road to the Smokies: Leaving Home

April 29, 2007, by Tom Chandler 9 comments

Working largely day and night, I managed to get my projects written and shipped, threw a bunch of gear — which may or may not have been the right stuff — into a couple duffles, and headed out of town.

It’s pretty apparent I’ve forgotten some vital piece of gear, but waiting for that “special” moment when you discover exactly what has become a hallmark of my trips.

To my credit, I didn’t stagger out of the house without pants — a definite possibility given my recent brain death.

Now I’m in Chico, tomorrow I’ll be in Sacramento, then Dallas, then Knoxville. Basically, close enough to the Smokies to smell ‘em. By Tuesday, I’ll be fishing.

Given my love of commercial air travel, I’m sure I’ll have something painful to report by this time tomorrow. As they say in the airline world, please stand by.

Finally, my brother and I just finished a Google Earth flyover of my backpacking trip up Hazel Creek. The trail looks good, the climbing looks gentle, and the creek. A beaut.

And though Google Earth isn’t actually refined enough to let you spot fish in the water, reality’s never been much of a barrier for a fisherman.

You just know those bend pools hold fish, and you’re reasonably sure they’ll move a long ways for the chance to nail a Beetle Bug.

Google Earth doesn’t actually show that either, but you just know it.

See you at the Terminal Security Station, Tom Chandler.

[tags]fly fishing, fishing, flying, tennessee[/tags]

Fly Fishing Tennessee: My Smoky Mountains Trip Buildup Begins

April 13, 2007, by Tom Chandler 17 comments

It’s human nature to complicate even the simplest of activities – to the point that I’ve got a closet full of fly rods, several trunks of fly tying materials, and a gordian assemblage of other stuff.

Eventually you realize collecting all the extra gear is helping the fly fishing industry a lot more than it is your fishing, and you stop, or even backpedal a little bit.

The last few years have seen a considerable winnowing of the gear I fish, and this year I created a considerably narrowed list of fly fishing gear to drag along to Tennessee.


And you wonder why I go there to fish?

Waders, boots, a couple 5wt fiberglass rods, two reels, camera, one box of flies, fly fishing odds and ends, and some hats, clothes, socks (plus the stuff you bring to function in a civilized society, like shoes and a laptop).

That’s a wholly manageable pile of gear – and a big decrease in pre-trip stresses — but naturally, I couldn’t leave well enough alone.

Backpacking for Fun and Gear

This year I’m taking a four-day backpacking trip into a remote section of the park, so in addition to my recently narrowed fly fishing catastrophe, I’m suddenly dragging along a tent, stove, sleeping bag, pad – all the backcountry goodies.

Where I had one oversize duffle bag, now I’ve got two, and given the Law of Complexity (doubling your gear squares your chances of forgetting something), I’m now 4x more likely to leave something important on my desk.

That’s no big deal when you’re fly fishing with friends and drive by a fly shop every day on the way to the river.

But when you’re miles out into the backcountry, “forgetting something” takes on a whole new level of meaning (as in you don’t eat).

Naturally, I’m confident I’ll be all right, which is to say I’m probably doomed – I just don’t know it yet.

A Frenzy of Flies

In an attempt to demonstrate my mastery over Tennessee’s trout, I’m trying to limit myself to a single fly box, and if I was fishing only in the park, that might be a wholly attainable goal.

Ian Rutter and Rich Margiotta both suggested only an idiot would show up without a box of Adams dries, but some of us are more stubborn than others, and I plan to give the Parachute Beetle Bug (red and yellow dubbed bodies) a workout.

There will also be a yellow caddis pattern (the yellow sallies are all over the upper reaches of the river), and a trimmer #16 Sulphur pattern in case I hit the hatch.

At Rich’s suggestion I’ll bring along a few Sulphur spinners, and maybe even some “coffin flies” (essentially a Green Drake spinner) and yes, I’ll have some nymph patterns on hand in case conditions turn ugly.

In truth, the fish in most of the park aren’t highly selective, but there are always times when you’ll do better with one fly than another.

Those are the times when you look at the single fly box in your hand and pray that you’ve got something close – maybe the odd fly you stuck in and then forgot.

It doesn’t speak well to my skills as a fly fisher, but my fly selection is usually driven by fear as much as confidence, then tempered by a healthy dose of laziness.

In other words, I’ll never tie as many flies as I’m afraid I’ll need, but I’ll probably never need as many flies as I don’t tie. Or something like that.

More to Come

I’ll be writing more about Tennessee – I’ll even tell you why I go there to fish every spring instead of flying someplace more exotic. Until then, see you at the fly tying table, Tom Chandler.

[tags]fly fishing, tennessee, gsmnp, smoky mountains[/tags]

Will Ian Rutter Remember the Little People Once He’s Famous?

January 7, 2007, by Tom Chandler 3 comments

Ian Rutter gets top billing at the Atlanta show

The Flyfishmagazine blog posted this tidbit about the Atlanta fly fishing festival, which features none other than the Underground’s Vice President of Slaw Dog Consumption – Ian Rutter.

The list of attending experts and guides includes Lefty Kreh( all around fly fishing legend), Theo Copeland (of Appalachian Angler), Kevin Howell (of Davidson River Outfitters) and Ian and Charity Rutter (of R&R Fly Fishing Guide Service) just to name a few.

It’s interesting (and hardly surprising) that Ian & Charity would get near-top billing for the show.

Ian’s literally written the book on fly fishing in the Smokies (and Southeast Tennessee), and their guide service is growing so quickly you’d better start dialing now if you want to fish with them next spring.

Still, we’re concerned.

How long before Ian & Charity are spotted at New York’s trendiest celebrity haunts?

How long until their phone is answered by a headset-wearing, nasally voiced “personal assistant” who promises you that Ian’s people will get back to you when hell freezes over?

The Underground’s watching. And sending our congratulations to the Rutters, who are clearly headed for fly fishing’s “A” list (whatever that is).

Say “Hi” to Paris Hilton for us.

[tags]fly fishing, atlanta fly fishing festival, guide, ian rutter[/tags]

Rutter Bags Big Brook Trout (Underground Officially Jealous)

December 5, 2006, by Tom Chandler No comments yet

Ian Rutter sorted out his computer problems enough to post another fishing report, this one jammed with several fishing trips to places I have yet to fish in Tennessee.

Brook Trout caught by Ian RutterIn a clear attempt to taunt the Underground – a known connoisseur of big brook trout – Rutter actually described catching a big Brookie in excruciating detail, and included a picture.

It’s OK. I’m big enough to handle the taunt, and I got back at him by stealing the picture and posting a smaller version here. That’ll show him.

Still, an interesting read about a part of the country sorely underrated for its trout fishing.

[tags]ian rutter, tennessee, fly fishing, brook trout[/tags]

The Backcountry Blog

November 14, 2006, by Tom Chandler 3 comments

The new – but blogalicious – Backcountry blog has posted an article about a sign I’ve seen several times – one stationed right outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Townsend.

I’ve lived on the Upper Sacramento River long enough that I don’t actually *see* most of the signs anymore, though my prime fishing places are as familiar to me as my own face in the mirror (and a lot prettier).

The relief that washes over me when I see the Smokies sign should be obvious to my regular readers; I’ve endured two plane flights to get there, a reality which doesn’t wash lightly over me.

And the fishing’s about to begin…

[tags]smokies, GSMNP, great smoky mountains national park, fly fishing[/tags]

Tennessee Blogging

October 31, 2006, by Tom Chandler 4 comments

To say that Southeast Tennessee has captured my attention is an understatement. It’s pretty in a lusher, greener, less edgy way than the Upper Sacramento River and surroundings (whose raw, hard-edged appeal is impossible to top).

Backcountry Blog

If I had to live somewhere besides here, the Smokies would be right near the top due to the year-round fishing and intimate nature of the fisheries.

That’s why I was happy to find another new Tennessee blog by a Trout Underground reader. Titled A Backcountry Blog, the author is a hiker and new fly fisher, and also an addict of the Phillips 66 gas station slaw dog (where the Trout Underground experienced its first TN slaw dog).

This, of course, means he’s OK in our book.

[tags]GSMNP, Smokies, backcountry, slaw dog[/tags]

Ian Rutter dissects summer fishing

August 17, 2006, by Tom Chandler 1 comment

Let’s face it: summer fly fishing isn’t typically the wide-open “quality fly fishing experience” that we enjoy in the spring. My recent experience suggests good fishing exists, but there’s a lot less of it, so you really need to pick your spots.

You might assume that’s what we’re here for, but sadly (for our readers), we’re a jealous bunch, given to burying our secret fishing spots like Wally the Wonderdog buries bones (though we actually remember where we left them).

Ian Rutter, however, is willing to spill it all, and hoping for a little good karma by association, I’m willing to let him.

Options

Click the graphic above to read Ian’s just-posted article on summer fishing. It’s targeted largely at those fishing in the Southeast, but there’s good information there regardless of where you fish. And dammit — it’s free!

[tags]Ian Rutter, Smoky mountains, fly fishing[/tags]

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