Texas Parks and Wildlife 2012-2013 Trout Stocking Schedule is posted!

Get your gear ready, and tie some flies my friends! Texas Parks and Wildlife has posted their stocking schedule for Rainbow Trout! Below, you can find the locations,number of trout they expect to stock,and the dates they will be stocking. Here also is a direct link to the TPW webpage  

With over 270,000 Rainbows being stocked this winter Texans can look forward to having a blast catching some beautiful Rainbows without having to travel out of state  to do it! I will be hitting the locations around DFW as they are stocked and posting reports here. So, check back often.Of course the spot that REALLY gets my blood pumping is the Possum Kingdom tailrace with 9,000 Rainbows expected to be stocked there this winter!

I hope you're as excited as I am!

Tight lines!

Shawn 

Stocking Location	City	Total	Dates	Hatchery
Ablon Park Pond [Directions]	Garland	2,860	Jan 3 2013, Feb 21 2013	TFFC
American Legion Park Pond [Directions]	Missouri City	2,000	Jan 3 2013	ETFH
Arena Park Pond [Directions]	Marshall	2,000	Dec 19 2012, Feb 17 2013	TFFC
Ascarate [Directions]	El Paso	6,000	Dec 12 2012, Jan 9 2013, Feb 26 2013	AEW
Bandera City Park Lake [Directions]	Bandera	1,000	Dec 9 2012	AEW
Bane Park Lake [Directions]	Houston	2,000	Jan 20 2013	ETFH
Bates Allen Park 2 [Directions]	Rosenberg	875	Dec 11 2012, Jan 9 2013	ETFH
Beal Park Lake	Midland	1,150	Jan 18 2012	PK
Bear Creek Park [Directions]	Keller	3,100	Jan 20 2013, Feb 24 2013	PK
Bethany Park Pond C [Directions]	Allen	1,700	Dec 4 2012	TFFC
Blanco State Park #4 [Directions]	Blanco	4,000	Dec 7 2012, Dec 28 2012, Jan 18 2013, Feb 15 2013	AEW
Blue Hole Park Lake [Directions]	Georgetown	1,250	Jan 11 2013	AEW
Blue Ridge Park Pond [Directions]	Missouri City	500	Jan 9 2013	ETFH
Bob Sandlin State Park [Directions]	Mt. Pleasant	2,700	Dec 20 2012, Jan 27 2013, Feb 22 2013	TFFC
Brackenridge Park [Directions]	San Antonio	1,850	Jan 8 2013, Feb 13 2013	AEW
Breshears Lake	Levelland	750	Dec 5 2012	PK
Buena Vista Park Lake * [Directions]	Waco	1,896	Nov 30 2012 and continuing every two weeks until March	AEW
Buescher State Park [Directions]	Smithville	2,000	Dec 21 2012, Jan 22 2013	AEW
Bullfrog Pond * [Directions]	Austin	896	Nov 30 2012 and continuing every two weeks until March	AEW
Burke-Crenshaw Lake [Directions]	Pasadena	500	Jan 17 2013	ETFH
Burroughs Park [Directions]	Conroe	2,000	Jan 20 2013	ETFH
C. J. Kelly Park Pond	Midland	1,150	Dec 11 2012, Jan 9 2013	PK
Canyon Southeast Park Lake [Directions]	Canyon	1,350	Dec 6 2012	PK
Canyon Tailrace [Directions]	New Braunfels	20,997	Dec 7 2012, Dec 14 2012, Dec 21 2012, Dec 28 2012, Jan 4 2013, Jan 11 2013, Jan 18 2013, Jan 25 2013	AEW
Carl Barton Jr. Park Pond [Directions]	Conroe	2,000	Jan 10 2013	ETFH
Caudle	Hale Center	1,350	Dec 5 2012	PK
Cedar Hill State Park Perch Pond [Directions]	Cedar Hill	1,200	Jan 8 2013	TFFC
Centennial Park Lake [Directions]	Friendswood	500	Feb 7 2013	ETFH
Central Park Pond #1 * [Directions]	College Station	1,792	Nov 30 2012 and continuing every two weeks until March	AEW
Claiborne West Park [Directions]	Beaumont	1,000	Jan 9 2013, Feb 7 2013	ETFH
Cleburne-Hulen Park [Directions]	Cleburne	1,800	Dec 12 2012, Jan 17 2013	AEW
Comanche Trails Park	Odessa	6,000	Dec 18 2012, Jan 15 2013, Feb 10 2013	PK
Comanche Trails [Directions]	Big Spring	5,000	Dec 11 2012, Jan 17 2013, Feb 6 2013	PK
Community Park Pond [Directions]	Prosper	3,550	Feb 10 2013	TFFC
Copperas Cove City [Directions]	Copperas Cove	1,400	Feb 24 2013	AEW
Crane County Pond	Crane	750	Jan 8 2013	PK
Dimmit City Lake	Dimmit	500	Jan 14 2013	PK
Doornbos Park	Nederland	500	Feb 17 2013	ETFH
Eisenhower Park Pond [Directions]	Houston	2,000	Jan 4 2013	ETFH
Elder Lake [Directions]	Kilgore	3,000	Dec 20 2012	TFFC
Eldridge Park Pond [Directions]	Sugar Land	500	Jan 30 2013	ETFH
Elm Creek Buffalo Wallow [Directions]	Abilene	476	Dec 12 2012	PK
Faulkner Park Lake [Directions]	Tyler	2,130	Dec 13 2012	TFFC
First Capitol Park Pond [Directions]	West Columbia	500	Dec 20 2012	ETFH
Fort Boggy State Park [Directions]	Centerville	1,000	Jan 22 2013	ETFH
Fort Richardson State Park [Directions]	Jacksboro	2,930	Dec 4 2012, Dec 16 2012, Jan 13 2013, Feb 17 2013	PK
Frisco Commons Pond [Directions]	Frisco	3,150	Feb 10 2013	TFFC
Garner State Park (Frio River) [Directions]	Leakey	2,200	Jan 2 2013, Jan 23 2013	AEW
Glen Rose Town Lake [Directions]	Glen Rose	2,000	Dec 5 2012, Jan 3 2013	PK
Greenbriar Park * [Directions]	Fort Worth	1,896	Nov 29 2012 and continuing every two weeks until March	TFFC
Guadalupe River			See Canyon Tailrace
Harlingen Sports Complex [Directions]	Harlingen	1,000	Jan 31 2013	AEW
Heritage Park Lake [Directions]	Mt. Pleasant	1,000	Dec 19 2012	TFFC
Herman Brown Park Pond	Houston	500	Feb 6 2013	ETFH
Hubbard City #2	Hubbard	500	Dec 20 2012	TFFC
Hurst Chisholm Park * [Directions]	Hurst	1,896	Nov 29 2012 and continuing every two weeks until March	TFFC
Jasper City Park Pond [Directions]	Jasper	1,800	Jan 21 2013	ETFH
Javalina Draw [Directions]	San Angelo	800	Dec 3 2012, Feb 7 2013	PK
Johnson Branch 2 [Directions]	Sanger	1,000	Dec 16 2012	TFFC
Keneteso Pond [Directions]	Gainesville	3,250	Jan 13 2013	TFFC
Kennedale City Park [Directions]	Kennedale	1,700	Jan 16 2013	TFFC
Kidd Springs Park [Directions]	Dallas	3,500	Jan 29 2013	TFFC
Kitty Hollow Lake [Directions]	Missouri City	875	Jan 9 2013	ETFH
L.B.J. State Park	Fredericksburg	533	Dec 14 2012	AEW
LNVA Barrier Pond [Directions]	Beaumont	4,000	Dec 18 2012, Jan 16 2013	ETFH
Lake Corpus Christi [Directions]	Mathis	1,375	Jan 27 2013	AEW
Lakeside Park * [Directions]	Duncanville	1,896	Nov 29 2012 and continuing every two weeks until March	TFFC
Lakeside Park Pond	Nacogdoches	769	Jan 21 2013	ETFH
Lamesa 9th Street Park Lake [Directions]	Lamesa	4,500	Dec 4 2012, Feb 6 2013	PK
Landmark Inn State Historic Site [Directions]	Castroville	1,000	Jan 27 2013	AEW
Lewisville Tailrace (Elm Fork Trinity River) [Directions]	Lewisville	4,106	Dec 14 2012, Jan 11 2013, Mar 1 2013	TFFC
Live Oak City [Directions]	San Antonio	400	Dec 8 2012	AEW
Llano River (Grenwelge Park)	Llano	800	Jan 15 2013	AEW
Lobo Lake	Levelland	750	Dec 5 2012	PK
Lost Maples State Park - Lower [Directions]	Vanderpool	300	Jan 15 2013	AEW
Louise Hays Park [Directions]	Kerrville	2,200	Dec 11 2012, Jan 23 2013	AEW
Magnolia Ridge Pond	Woodville	1,800	Dec 12 2012	ETFH
Mary Jo Peckham Park * [Directions]	Houston	3,160	Nov 30 2012 and continuing every two weeks until March	ETFH
Medical Center South * [Directions]	Amarillo	4,424	Nov 29 2012 and continuing every two weeks until March	PK
Meridian State Park [Directions]	Meridian	2,000	Jan 9 2013	AEW
Mesquite City Lake * [Directions]	Mesquite	3,160	Nov 29 2012 and continuing every two weeks until March	TFFC
Mike Lewis Park [Directions]	Grand Prairie	3,300	Feb 7 2013, Mar 3 2013	PK
Miller Park Pond	Temple	900	Dec 12 2012	AEW
Miller's Pond * [Directions]	San Antonio	3,792	Nov 30 2012 and continuing every two weeks until March	AEW
Mission Tejas State Park	Crockett	500	Dec 20 2012	ETFH
Monahans Perch Pond [Directions]	Monahans	1,500	Dec 5 2012, Jan 8 2013	PK
Nelson Park	Abilene	1,500	Dec 12 2012	PK
New Horseshoe [Directions]	Rosenberg	2,000	Jan 8 2013	ETFH
Nolan Creek [Directions]	Belton	2,000	Jan 4 2013, Feb 16 2013	AEW
Northwest Park Pond [Directions]	Irving	1,500	Jan 2 2013, Feb 3 2013	TFFC
Oakes Street * [Directions]	San Angelo	2,656	Nov 29 2012 and continuing every two weeks until March	PK
Pair-a-Trees Pond [Directions]	Wills Point	500	Feb 24 2013	TFFC
Palmetto State Park [Directions]	Luling	574	Jan 13 2013	AEW
Pampa City [Directions]	Pampa City	2,066	Dec 6 2012, Feb 21 2013	PK
Pena Colorado	Marathon	500	Dec 19 2012	PK
Penick Park Pond	White Oak	1,000	Dec 20 2012, Jan 23 2013	TFFC
Pittsburg City Lake [Directions]	Pittsburg	2,000	Dec 20 2012, Feb 24 2013	TFFC
Plum Lake [Directions]	Wichita Falls	795	Mar 3 2013	PK
Possum Kingdom Tailrace [Directions]	Graford	9,000	Dec 6 2012, Dec 20 2012, Jan 3 2013, Jan 23 2013, Feb 13 2013	PK
Resoft Park Lake [Directions]	Alvin	500	Dec 6 2012	AEW
Richards Park - Upper [Directions]	Brady	1,084	Dec 19 2012	PK
Rita Blanca Kids Fishing Pond [Directions]	Dalhart	3,160	Dec 11 2012, Feb 12 2013	PK
River Park (Clear Fork Trinity River) [Directions]	Fort Worth	2,700	Jan 3 2013	PK
Rose Park [Directions]	Mansfield	1,200	Dec 5 2012	PK
San Gabriel Park [Directions]	Georgetown	1,250	Dec 8 2012	AEW
Seabourne Creek Park	Rosenberg	1,200	Feb 24 2013	ETFH
Sheldon State Park Children's #1	Houston	1,000	Jan 8 2013	ETFH
South Lakes Park Pond * [Directions]	Denton	2,400	Nov 29 2012 and continuing every two weeks until March	TFFC
South Llano River State Park [Directions]	Junction	1,878	Dec 11 2012, Jan 30 2013	AEW
South Weeks * [Directions]	Wichita Falls	896	Nov 29 2012 and continuing every two weeks until March	PK
Southside Lions Park * [Directions]	San Antonio	4,744	Nov 30 2012 and continuing every two weeks until March	AEW
Spring Lake Park [Directions]	Texarkana	4,150	Dec 19 2012, Jan 24 2013	TFFC
Springfield [Directions]	Mexia	1,000	Jan 27 2013	AEW
Sulphur Springs City Park [Directions]	Sulphur Springs	1,500	Feb 3 2013	TFFC
TFFC Casting Pond (Lake Zebco 2) [Directions]	Athens	5,000	Nov 30 2012	TFFC
Teague Park [Directions]	Longview	2,500	Feb 10 2013	TFFC
Theo (Caprock Canyon) [Directions]	Amarillo	2,000	Dec 17 2012, Feb 5 2013	PK
Tom Bass I * [Directions]	Houston	896	Nov 30 2012 and continuing every two weeks until March	ETFH
Tom Bass III [Directions]	Houston	1,778	Jan 3 2013	ETFH
Towne Lake [Directions]	McKinney	4,020	Feb 24 2013	TFFC
Trinity Park (Clear Fork Trinity River) [Directions]	Fort Worth	2,700	Jan 2 2013	PK
Two - Acre Lake [Directions]	Canton	2,852	Feb 10 2013	TFFC
Tyler Nature Center [Directions]	Tyler	2,000	Call for Special Event dates and times (1-903-566-1615)	TFFC
Tyler State Park [Directions]	Tyler	4,000	Dec 6 2012, Feb 6 2013	TFFC
Utopia Park Lake [Directions]	Utopia	750	Feb 12 2013	AEW
WM Brook Park	Lampasas	500	Dec 2 2012	AEW
Waldron Park	Corpus Christi	500	Jan 22 2013	AEW
Waterloo Park Pond [Directions]	Denison	6,800	Dec 14 2012, Jan 6 2013, Jan 20 2013, Feb 10 2013	TFFC
West Guth Park	Corpus Christi	500	Jan 23 2013	AEW
Woldert Park Pond [Directions]	Tyler	1,500	Dec 13 2012	TFFC
Wyatt Pond [Directions]	Mineola	750	Feb 3 2013	TFFC
Total to be Stocked		272,433

Why I fly fish

Henry Winkler said it best when he said,  "The River is like a washing machine for my brain."   

That sums up why I fly fish in a nutshell. I started fly fishing in 1999. However, I didn't really get heavily into it until 2001-2002. I was going through a nasty divorce at the time with the mother of my two kids. She played all of the dirty tricks that heartless, immature women play in this situation.  She kept the kids from me when it was my time to visit them. She told the kids that I was a bad man, and that  "Daddy didn't love them anymore." You name it, she did it. So, I was constantly in court trying to fight for my visitation rights and to stay in their lives.

The only time that it wasn't on my mind 24/7  eating me alive. Was when I was on the water with my line tight. So, when it wasn't my weekend. I'd go fly fishing. When it was supposed to be my weekend and I couldn't get them for visitation. I'd especially go fly fishing. Needless to say, I kept the road hot between my home in Plano,TX and the Lower Mountain Fork River in Oklahoma.

I've tried to explain to many people the peace that fly fishing gives me. The just complete inner and outer calm that comes over me. It's hard to convey in words. I will say that if I hadn't discovered it right before such a difficult time in my life. I truly don't know if I would have made it though that awful period with my sanity intact. 

I've never felt closer to nature or God then when I'm in the river. No church experience has ever come close. Just being waist deep in the river. Feeling the power of the water moving against me. Having a fish hooked up, feeling it's strength as it fights to free itself. These are the things that I've tried and failed to explain to people when they ask me the question,"so why do you fly fish?"  Some still just can't understand that those Rainbows and Browns were and still are the only therapists I need.  

It was during one of my frequent trips to the Lower Mountain River during that difficult time. That I was just struck by a sudden and strong feeling that everything was going to be alright. I was fishing pretty far down into Zone 2 of the river watching two Crane fight over a smallish trout one had caught. When a light rain began to fall. It was there standing waist deep in the water. Watching that light rain pepper the surface of the water. When I knew that everything regarding my kids would be ok.

I'm happy to report that everything did in fact work itself out. To some degree at least. My son actually lives with myself and my new wife. Who is nothing short of an angel from heaven. He is 13 now. A straight "A's" honors student, and a three sport athlete. Baseball,football, and basketball. I say that things worked out to some degree, because my and my daughters relationship was forever damaged by my ex-wife's attempts at brainwashing and alienation from me. I see her now at least, but visits are spotty. I chalk some of that up to the fact she's a 15 year old too.

So, when stress at work gets to be too much. Or, I just need a "therapy session" I grab a fly rod and head to the water. Anyway..........that's "why I fly fish", and why I named this blog "Cast Your Cares Away", because that's literally what I feel like I do.


Tight Lines!

Shawn                 

Are you a fly fishing minimalist, or a full blown gear geek who has to have every piece of gear imaginable?

My first fly fishing trip for trout was in the summer of 1999. I went up to the Little Red River in Arkansas, and spent three long days fishing and caught one 12 inch brown trout. To say it was a learning experience is an understatement. Much to my chagrin the one twenty minute casting class that I had taken at Bass Pro Shops, and practicing a few times in the grass. Did not make me an effective enough caster to catch very many trout. I also learned that while it's a good idea to invest in quality gear(I didn't). It's more about the angler themselves than what brand of rod they're using.


So, there I was at the public access area behind the dam on the Little Red. With my beginners "Hobbs Creek" fly rod and reel kit from Bass Pro with the neon orange fly line. My hip boot waders, a box of the wrong flies,too large of a leader tied on, and a ton of cheap vest tools and zingers all over my very cheap vest. The world record brown trout at the time had been caught on the Little Red by Rip Collins. It was a 40 pounder caught in 1992, and I was going to break Rip's record!    

First cast--the fly might have gone the length of my rod.
Second cast--well that's not far enough, let's false cast a few times and go!.....zoink....in a tree behind me.   
Third cast--Ok, concentrate now, oh wow! Pretty good! Not at all where I was aiming but ok.
Fourth cast--Knocked off my own hat.

So, as you can imagine after doing this for a while and having to take thirty minutes to untangle the worst mess ever. I decided that maybe I should move downriver and try to find someplace no one could see me. Instead I decided it would be a good idea to watch some of the other fly fisherman close by. 

There were two in my viewing range. The first was a guy probably in his mid thirties that was decked out in a lot of very,very nice and expensive looking gear. The second was an older gentleman wet wading without waders and not even a vest. Since I thought that the first guy MUST know what he's doing to have all of that awesome gear. I focused in on him. He wasn't casting at the moment so I approached him and introduced myself. His first words to me after hello were to ask me what kind of rod I was using. I sheepishly showed him my Hobbs Creek, and he proudly brandished his Sage. 

He had on a water resistant felt fedora hat. The most expensive vest Orvis sold at the time (I only knew that because I had drooled over it in their catalog). Simms Guide series waders,fingerless gloves(did I mention it was July?),tons of zingers on his vest. Both straight and curved hemostats,knot tying tool,leader straightener,two clippers, and one zinger was stretched in his right hand which was in the water. When I asked him what he was doing he pulled his hand up from beneath the surface of the river and told me it was a thermometer. He then educated me on the fact that if the water temp is too high, trout become sluggish and won't feed. He went on to say that must be why he wasn't catching anything. Did I mention we were about 500 yards from the dam, and the water was cold as hell?  

Anyway, I thought how lucky I was to have found such an expert fly fisherman to learn from! He went on "teaching" me about fly fishing. Although his teaching revolved more around what I NEEDED to buy than any useful fishing tips. I thanked this nice gentleman for his time and went back to thrashing the river myself.  

I watched him for the remainder of the day, and saw him again and again during my trip at different parts of the river. During all of this time I never saw him catch a single trout. So, I thought, "wow if an expert like him is getting skunked then I don't feel so bad!"     

On the final day of my trip I took to the water again. I still hadn't caught a single trout at that point.I mean it was bad. I had at least gone to the local Orvis dealer there in Heber Springs and bought some beadhead sowbugs which are the go to fly on the Little Red. The nice gentleman that helped me at the Orvis shop took pity on me, and actually took me out to the parking lot for a free casting lesson. He showed me how to stop knocking my own hat off, and how to cast further than I could piss. He was a super nice guy, he even sat down and showed me how to tie the beadhead sowbug. I wish I could remember his name. I also wish that I had listened to him on hiring him as guide. I would have accelerated my fly fishing education tremendously, and would have probably caught more than one trout.  

I went back to public access area behind the dam again on that final day. There standing in the water again was the older gentleman that I had seen on the first day. Still with no waders on and no vest. He was catching trout after trout! I was amazed! I watched him for some time, and then he headed out of the water close to where  I was. I approached him and started asking him how he was catching all those trout. He simply said,"Olive Wooly Bugger." I then told him that he could cast really well, an asked how he learned. He answered, "I taught myself, just trial and error." I then asked about his rod. He told me it was a "Wal-Mart special"  A beginner's fly rod and reel kit in a box that he had bought at his local Wal-Mart. He then told me the story about how he had left it on top of his truck the week before and had ran over it, breaking the top piece. No sweat, he just went to the Wal-Mart there in Heber Springs and found another cheap rod that the piece fit his. Then it was back to fishing.

I thanked him, and he was on his way. I walked down onto the water and stood there for a while just thinking. I realized in that moment that gear. What kind or how much, has very little to do with being a good fly fisherman. It takes time,and practice to perfect a good cast. It takes time and study to learn how to present flies properly.  I also learned that for whatever reason. Having the right attitude about fishing will help you catch more fish. I can't explain it, but it's a fact.

I went on that afternoon, and FINALLY caught that ONE trout. No, not on an Olive Wooly Bugger. It was on one of those bead head sowbugs, but I was just glad to finally land one. 

I hope you enjoyed reading,

Tight Lines!

Shawn                               

The Common Sense Guide to Finding and Fishing With a Guide Part 2

I titled this the "common sense guide", but you would be surprised at how many people don't know, or do know and just don't practice the things I write about here. 

Part 2

Advice and proper etiquette while with your guide

 

Ok, so you've followed all the steps in part 1 and booked a trip with the guide of your choice. Now you might have some questions, especially if this is your first guided trip. Or, maybe you've fished with a lot of guides and have been committing some serious etiquette blunders without even knowing it.  Either way, read on, and I will give you some tips that should help you have the best trip possible. As well as making sure the guide enjoys the day with you as well.

Be on Time!

Your guide will have worked out beforehand where they want you to meet them the morning of your trip. Maybe it's spot where they launch their drift boat. It might be the fly shop, or a parking lot. Wherever it is, be on time! Remember, your guide is a professional. Respect the guides time just like you want your time to be respected. You're paying a lot of money for this, so why be late? People do it all the time, and I just don't get it. 

Your guide has probably either pre-fished the water they're going to take you on Or, has been on it with other clients the day before. So, he or she has a plan about where they're going to start you out. How much time to spend fishing each hole at what time of day. As well as back up spots if the fish just aren't biting in those locations. If you're late you may throw their whole plan for the day out of whack. Or they might not get you to all the spots that they wanted to take you to. Either way it might result in less fish caught for you.   

Keep in mind that your guide wants you to catch a crapload of fish just as badly as you do. They need you to tell your friends about the awesome guide you went with and caught 55 Rainbow Trout and 18 Browns. That's how they make their living. By positive word of mouth advertising. If you do something that causes you to catch less fish. Chances are you'll forget to mention that part when telling your friends about your trip.   

Being on time means on time. Not super early either. Your guide might have something they need to do on their drift boat before you arrive. They might need to run into the store that you're meeting in front of to grab something for your shore lunch. If so, then it's going to make them feel uncomfortable if you show up 45 minutes early, and are waiting on them. 

"I've fished here and there and caught this and that" 

Your guide has heard more fish stories, and has probably forgotten more about fly fishing than you'll ever know. So, don't try to impress them by making yourself out to be the second coming of Lefty Kreh. 

Listen to what your guide is telling you

If your guide tells you to cast to a certain spot....do it! Even if you can't see the fish that they see. Your guide has trained, experienced eyes, and will see fish where you can't a lot of the time. A perfect example of why this is important is fly fishing for Bonefish. Bonefish are often called "ghost fish" because they blend in so well with their surroundings. It's pretty much impossible to even see, much less catch Bonefish on a fly without an experienced guide to locate them for you, and telling you exactly where to cast the fly.Unless you have plenty of experience doing it yourself.    

Your guide may tell you not to wade through a certain spot in a trout stream. Probably because there's a spawning bed there. Please heed advice like this. More baby trout mean more big trout for your fellow fly fisherman to catch later on. Or, they might just know that there's a big drop off that you're about to step into and fill your waders up.

If your guide tells you to strike.... do it! Even if you don't think the fish took your fly. Remember they want you to catch fish as badly as you do, and their trained eyes will see a take that you miss. 

If you're taking your first drift boat trip. Be sure to listen to your guide! When more than one fly fisherman is casting from a drift boat it's important to cast perpendicular to the boat. With the anglers paying close attention to when and where the other is casting.If not, you're going to spend the day tangling your lines together, but at least you'll provide a lot of entertainment to the other boats that may drift past you. Your guide will give instructions during your trip to help you avoid this.       

Be Teachable

One of the best things about spending the day with a guide in my opinion. Is the chance to get expert instruction.  A lot of guys have the attitude of "I just want to be shown where the fish are, I already know how to do the rest." That's the wrong mindset to have. I've learned a lot of things from every guide I've fished with. So, make sure to listen when you're guide wants to teach you something. Pay attention if they give you a demonstration on how to present a certain fly. If you just glaze over, or act like you know it all. Then your guide might think "well it's a waste of time to try to teach this guy anything", and it might keep them from bringing up something later that might really interest you and help you.  

If you're new to fly fishing hiring a guide is one of the smartest things you can do. For the instruction alone! It will greatly ease the learning curve on casting, knot tying, learning to the read the water, how to fish the different types of flies properly......and so on.

Every fly fisherman needs someone that knows what they're doing to look at their casting every now and then in my opinion.You can develop bad mechanics over time without even realizing it. A good knowledgeable guide is the perfect person to do that. Just like Major League hitters have a hitting coach there to let them know when they start to make mistakes or have bad mechanics with their swing. Don't let your ego get in the way of fishing better. 

Ok trip's over, do I tip the guide?

I always tip. I tip anyone that provides any kind of personal service, and I consider guiding to be a personal service. How much is up to you. If you feel that you received excellent service, then tip accordingly. 

If the service wasn't so good......well I'll leave that up to you. I tip anyway, because I believe in pay it forward. Plus, you never know maybe this guy or girl is just having a bad day. Maybe they just lost a loved one or found out their teenage daughter is pregnant. Who knows? Don't confuse a bad day's catch with poor service though. Sometimes fish just don't bite. Even in the best spots. So, don't punish your guide for it. 

Hope you enjoyed reading,

Tight lines!

Shawn

       

               

        

Float Trip,Watauga River,TN 8-16-12

I had the pleasure of fishing with Ollie Smith of Blue Ridge Anglers on this trip. This was a very emotional trip for me. Ollie was my father in laws favorite fishing guide and also very close friend. This trip was Christmas gift to me from my father in law two Christmas's ago and I was of course supposed to go on the trip with him. Sadly, he passed away in November of last year. So, I instead went on the trip with his friend King of 48 years as that was as close to going fishing with my dad in law as I could get.

I'm the big guy on the left,Ollie center, and King right.

                                                                                      

Guide

Ollie Smith-Blue Ridge Anglers

Ollie is an amazing guide! Very professional, and has a wealth of knowledge about the area's  entomology,trout locations,feeding habits, and what flies worked and what wouldn't.  He handled his Hyde low profile drift boat like a pro always positioning us for the perfect cast, and he knows the Watauga like the back of his hand. Mid-day he served up a great shore lunch of homemade fried chicken,various chips,pimento cheese, and a ton of other items. He just kept pulling and pulling food out of the compartments in that boat. Which was good,because King and I can eat!  

Ollie offers half day and full day trips on some of North Carolina and Tennessee's most scenic rivers. He tailors each trip to meet his clients' desires and skill levels. Blue Ridge Anglers also offers cabins for rent at The Watauga River Lodge located right on the bank of the Watauga. You can see rates and pictures by clicking on the hyperlink to The Lodge above. 

I've never gone fishing with a guide and not learned a lot, and Ollie was no exception. He knows more about trout behavior and feeding habits than anyone I have ever encountered. Although I've fly fished for years, Ollie noticed some bad mechanics that I had let creep into my casting. He helped me correct them, and I was casting better right away. I think that is one of the most valuable things about fishing with a good guide that people often don't think about. Just like Major League hitters have a hitting coach there to let them know when they start to make mistakes or have bad mechanics with their swing. I think it's a good idea to have someone who really knows a lot about casting to look at your cast every now and then. Don't let your ego get in the way of fishing better.

     

 How did we do?

We put the drift boat in at 8:30 in the morning and took it out a little after 4 in the afternoon. The trout weren't biting that well. Due to it being late in the summer and they have been fished hard for months. However, we still had a great time. We started out stripping size 14 olive and white bead head Wooly Buggers from the bank and started getting takes right away. Later Ollie switched us to a Stimulator size 12 with a Quasimodo bead head pheasant tail #22 dropper that we caught several more on. We also saw some  action on a pink Salmon egg pattern. Altogether caught around 30 Rainbows like this guy here.

Which wasn't a great day on the Watauga. Ollie said a good day earlier in the season is around 60-70 trout. King pissed me off by catching the biggest of the lot!

   

If you've never seen a trout's stomach pumped. Here are a few pictures of Ollie doing it below. Didn't help us much, as whatever this little guy had eaten was already too digested to figure out what it was. 

My one that got away story is on video below. I was high sticking a San Juan worm in fast moving water and hooked a HUGE slob brown. I played him for five minutes before King started filming this video. I made the mistake of thinking he was through fighting just as he went on another run and broke the tippet. I wasn't giving him my full attention and that big brown made me pay! He lulled me to sleep, and yes I'm still kicking myself! You can hear Ollie coaching me on the video.

It was great day still. I plan on taking another trip with Ollie next year much earlier in the year like around May, and have one of those 70 trout days! 

Hope you enjoyed reading!

Tight Lines!

Shawn