It has been a busy week here at Hookers Fly Shop and Guide Service. We have had trips to various streams along the WNC Fly Fishing Trail as well as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Nantahala River. Yesterday morning, I had the pleasure of guiding friend and repeat client Rick C. and son from Ocala, FL. Rick and his family visit our area every year and we 
have guided several trips for them over the last five or six years. Rick landed some nice wild browns and wild rainbows and his son Jacob landed a few small rainbows and hooked into a 10-11 inch brown and a 12-13 inch rainbow. Hot flies of the morning were #16 Green Palmers, #16 Yellow Sally, #12 Yellow Stimulators, #14 Quasimodo Pheasant Tail for dropper and a #16 Catamount Nymph dropper. Water temp. started out at 60 degrees. The hatch during the early to late morning was small midges and a few small caddis.
Yesterday afternoon, I guided beginner Tom C. from Lancaster, OH. After an hour of casting instruction we hit the stream and had immediate success. Tom put several decent wild rainbows in the net and also had several quick releases. Tom was fishing a dry fly dropper with a #14 Royal Humpy with a #16 Catamount Nymph. Every fish was taken on the Catamount Nymph. By the afternoon hours the water had only warmed up to 63 degrees. The late evening hatch included a few #10-12 Isonychia and some smaller yellow caddis.
If you are interested in booking a trip with us please email or call. We are currently booking wade trips for trout and wade or float trips for smallmouth bass. We are also booking up fast for October so secure your trip now. The delayed harvest streams will be stocked again the first week of October so if you want to enjoy some of the best fishing opportunities of the year book now. We guide the delayed harvest sections of the Tuckasegee (wade or float), the West Fork of the Pigeon (wade only) and the Upper Nantahala River (wade only).
Catamount Nymph Recipe:
Hook – #14-18 TMC 2499
Tread – Red 8/0
Tail – Pheasant Tail Fibers
Body – Purple Holo Tinsel
Thorax – Wapsi Rainbow Scud Dub or Hareline UV Ice Dub Brown
Head – Tungsten or Brass Nickel Bead
If you are interested in ordering this or any other flies we provide free shipping to all US address if you buy 12 or more.