South Holston --Mid June '13

[dhaynes]

My wife and I are heading down to South Holston in mid-June for a short trip...We plan to wade fish Monday afternoon, float trip on Tuesday, and wade on Wednesday. I've read earlier posts on the SOHO and have a general idea about the river, but we are wondering if anyone can help with some specifics.

1. I understand TVA is currently moving a lot of water down SOHO. Is that likely to still be the case in mid-June? How might this affect wading the river?

2. I've seen a lot of generalities about what flys do well on the SOHO, but which are likely to be good choices for Mid-June?

3. For wading, are there particular access points we should look for? We won't have a lot of time so scouting such a long fishery might be a problem?

4. Are there good restaurants in the area you would recommend? (For my wife, this might be the most critical question!!!!)

Thanks and any other tips would be appreciated.

 

[billyspey]

My wife and I are heading down to South Holston in mid-June for a short trip...We plan to wade fish Monday afternoon, float trip on Tuesday, and wade on Wednesday. I've read earlier posts on the SOHO and have a general idea about the river, but we are wondering if anyone can help with some specifics.

1. I understand TVA is currently moving a lot of water down SOHO. Is that likely to still be the case in mid-June? How might this affect wading the river?

2. I've seen a lot of generalities about what flys do well on the SOHO, but which are likely to be good choices for Mid-June?

3. For wading, are there particular access points we should look for? We won't have a lot of time so scouting such a long fishery might be a problem?



4. Are there good restaurants in the area you would recommend? (For my wife, this might be the most critical question!!!!)

Thanks and any other tips would be appreciated.[/QUOTE



Check with the guys at South Holston river Fly Shop right on the river they are a member here. In the area good shopping and restaurants and motels with in 30 minutes of the river. Lots of good guides in the area on high water and wade fishing
on low water . For hatch charts check South Holston Fly Shop web site.

 

[jimp]

I'm new to FF'g, so can't help with the majority of your questions about the SOHO, but I did grow up in the Johnson City area but have been gone from the area since high school. I still have family in the area, so visit there but not near enough.

A couple of the forum sponsors have shops in the area, see if they can help on the fishing part of your trip. TVA moves water around like people change socks and underwear. LOL. It will depend on recent rain volumes more than anything else, so the local shops can help on that as well.

The Peerless in Johnson City is a good place to eat, especially steaks if that is on the taste buds. A bit $$ but good food. There is a seafood place on the river in Kingsport TN near/past the Eastman facility called The Riverfront Seafood Co., on Neatherland Inn Rd, good place for seafood. those are two places that my family goes to on a regular basis when we visit, never had a bad meal there. GL and enjoy the beauty of E TN.

 

[flytie09]

1. I understand TVA is currently moving a lot of water down SOHO. Is that likely to still be the case in mid-June? How might this affect wading the river?

This is a crapshoot. If things calm down with rain and runoff, which it usually does, wade fishing should be ok. Flows typically back off in June. Check streamflows here - TVA: South Holston

2. I've seen a lot of generalities about what flys do well on the SOHO, but which are likely to be good choices for Mid-June?

nymphs - black, brown, white, green, red zebra midges size 20-24s, size 14-18 pheasant tails, size 14-18 yellow split case (this is killer and imitates an emerging sulfur - see tying instruction here -> Drake Magazine Online), crane fly nymph, size 18-20 scuds (i don't use these much)

Stay away from bead heads. The fish are finicky and will hit nymphs without beads more. Not to say they won't work. Also... you kinda don't need them on low water. More snags. You're targeting fish in less than 2-4 ft of water with minimal flow speeds. ie - lts a lot of slack water. That's why it's extra tricky.

emergers - size 14-18 sulfurs in loop wing cdc, rs2s, klinkhammers, parachutes, soft hackles are old school but will work great (theres a million of different styles out there and they'll all work. Have a wide variety, these fish have seen them all and will get lock jaw if they see it too many times drifting over head).

dry flies - size 12 - 16 cdc comparadun sulfurs, black fly/midges (depending on where you fish these could be the secret weapon), there'll be some straggler BWOs too to play with size 16-20.

terrestrials - hoppers, ants, beatles can be just starting to show up. Toss some around in the grassy bank areas.

There's caddis/sedges but I don't use them much.

Streamers - Throw some meat for the hogs. Muddlers, clousers, sculpins, etc.

Try this hatch chart. It's pretty accurate and this guy prides himself on his technical knowledge (the link shows the Housatonic, but it's the SOHO):

Hatch Chart for Fly Fishing the Housatonic River in Connecticut

The only gel type floatant that can be used on CDC is Tiemco Dry Magic. It is a gel silicone based floatant that is manufactured in Japan and it will not clump CDC. The carrier gel seems to just evaporate. Apply Frogs Fanny after applying the Dry Magic. Floats CDC flies like a cork. The only pain is constant reapplication.

Long light leaders are a must for dries. Shorter leaders are ok for nymph rigs. Bring tungsten putty a lil dab will do the trick. Bring 4x-7x tippet. 7x is a must for dry fly action. Again, they're persnickity lil buggers.....

Now you'll say, "DO I need CDC flies, ?" and I'll say this... If you want to fish, no.... If you want to catch fish, yes! Don't argue with the teacher!

3. For wading, are there particular access points we should look for? We won't have a lot of time so scouting such a long fishery might be a problem?

http://flyfishingreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/South-Holston-River-Map.png

This gives them all to you. Start at Weir and work your way down. If you like crowds, fish up high.... If you want some solitude, fish down low. Plan on fishing with others around including spin fishermen. Go see guys at the South Holston River Fly Shop - right up the road seconds from Weir Dam. They'll steer you right.

4. Are there good restaurants in the area you would recommend? (For my wife, this might be the most critical question!!!!)

If your wife is picky..... Eeeeehhhh .... Bring burgers/dogs to throw on the grill at Wier Dam picnic area. Unless she loves gas station food.

 

[dhaynes]

What a great and complete response... thank you very, very much...Looking forward to our trip

 

[jeep.ster]

I'll second a picnic at the dam. There's also place on top.

I would go for a blue circle, too.

 

[fisher_of_men]

So how was the trip? I just joined this forum but have been fishing the Soho for years. It was so much better 8 years ago....the first time for me. Far fewer people. I was there last Oct and it was stupid....people everywhere. It used to be less well known and then Brad Pitt bought land out there and all of a sudden the whole world knew. There are big fish there but they all have PhDs and even if you hook one, are really hard to land on 6-7x tippett. I hear night fishing with streamers is the way to go, but I haven't tried that yet. My buddies and I always say that this is the year we will try that, and then after it gets dark we are too far into the single malt.

 

[dhaynes]

So how was the trip? .

We didn't fare so well on the trip.... ended up getting in late on Monday just in time to get highwater but we did fish in the evening by the weir... You're right.. a lot fishers on the river? Tuesday was to be a float trip. We woke up -- we stayed at Holston Lodge -- to a steady rain. Met our guide at SOHO Fly shop and we mutually agreed to postpone until Wednesday because the weather looked ominous. Sure enough about 11:00 am all hell broke loose. Reports said up to 3 inches of rain got dumped in the watershed. So instead of fishing we found a great barbecue place and enjoyed lunch. We did get some time on the water late evening. We did encounter an incredibly thoughtless spin fisher. He waded in behind us and stood in my wife's casting lane while he threw a big green worm with a bobber right beside her. He returned later and waded in only about 15 feet from me and did the same. If looks could kill, my wife's eyeballing him would have caused an immediate coronary...

On Wednesday the TVA moved water all day. We did float but the fishing was not good. Lots of boats and no one reporting catching many fish. We did land a number of fish including some beautifully colored and fat rainbows but we called in a day in early afternoon. We had drifted so fast that we hit the takeout point way early. Our guide said he would charge for half day rather than whole day and he refused our offer of a tip claiming the fishing sucked and he felt bad taking it! The water stayed unwadeable the rest of the day so we bought some nice steaks for the grill and enjoyed a nice dinner...

So while the fishing wasn't great, the rest of the trip was pretty good if you
discount the long drive. Can't say enough good things about the Lodge or the guys at SOHO fly shop and our guide was great. Not sure we would plan a trip back any time soon. It is a long drive for us and we have great, and as as yet unfished by us streams in PA and they are a lot closer!

 

[fisher_of_men]

Sorry to hear it didn't go so well. There are a ton of fish in that river, and you can still have good days there despite the crowds.

Have you ever fished the little Juniata in PA? If so, any recommendations on where to stay or any other rivers or creeks to fish? Thinking about trying to take a trip up there...

 

[dhaynes]

Haven't fished in that area for a long while... A friend guides on Spruce Creek and he recently recommended contacting Spruce Creek Outfitters for info.... THere are numerous streams in the area...