Eastern Tennessee Fishing Report and Photo Essay

This week this reporter finds himself at the River Overlook Bed and Breakfast in Knoxville, Tennessee this week (a fine establishment, heartily recommended), fly fishing the Clinch River for brown and rainbow trout and the French Broad River for smallmouth bass. Thus the Eastern Tennessee fishing report.

Car Magnet of the Week-

Made me think of Tammy Wilson.

Sunday and Monday we continued our exploration by fly rod of the Clinch River, fishing with self-professed river rat Shawn Madison. The fishing is fine (5x tippets, #16-20 flies) and far off, due to the low, slow, and clear water and pressured fish. They do see some fishermen here. The Tennessee state record brown trout (over 30 pounds) was caught here, but we did not latch on to anything like that. In three mornings of fishing our best fish was a 14 inch rainbow, and the rest were smaller. It was fishing more than catching. I just didn’t hit it right. That’s fishin!

Clinch River fisherman.

Clinch River fish. A beautiful fish.

Clinch River fisherman.

Shawn walking the boat, Susan riding.

Seen in a chocolate shop in Knoxville.

Left over from the Knoxville World’s Fair.

Tuesday we went to the Knoxville Museum of Art and the East Tennessee history museum, both small but with excellent exhibits. We also went to the Art Market Gallery on Gay Street, which had fabulous things for sale. They were all still there when we left.

Seen in an alley in Knoxville.

Wednesday found us equipped with helmet, PFD, and paddle, floating down the Pigeon River on a guided raft trip with the Nantahala Outdoor Center. It’s a fine whitewater run but it was easily the most people I’ve ever seen on a river, battalions of rafts. I can vouch for the coldness of the water!

Rubber hatch on the Pigeon River.

The NOC runs a well-oiled operation. You can’t go wrong choosing them to guide or outfit any of your adventures in this part of the world.

What to choose, what to choose…
He knew exactly what to choose.

Speaking of not going wrong, Thursday morning found me in a Hyde drift boat on the French Broad River, being rowed by Capt. Josh Pfeiffer, Frontier Anglers. The target was smallmouth bass on fly. Yes, we caught some. There were lots of little ones, two missed strikes from good ones, and three very solid fish. I also got a mooneye on a popper. It looks like an American shad but the eye is about three times larger. It was a new species for me. Altogether an awesome day- Pfeiffer is superb.

Fat smallie on a blockhead.

A stowaway on the drift boat.

A fat smallie on a Clawdad.

Little River, Tennessee.

Friday Sue and I went hiking in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, up the Little River Trail. I photographed the river as we went, complaining about the sunshine (!) becuase of the contrast it caused. It was a magnificent day.

A little creek in Tennessee.

We’ve been having a blast this week and intend to continue!

A huge thank you to both Shawn Madison and Josh Pfeiffer!

And that is the Eastern Tennessee fishing report!

Life is great and I love my work!

Life is short- Go Fishing!

John Kumiski
www.spottedtail.com
http://www.spottedtail.com/blog
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All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2017. All rights are reserved.