John conits 9/1/23 John conits 9/1/23

Transition Month

Pisgah National Forest, nestled in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. While famous for its rugged hiking trails and breathtaking vistas, the forest also offers a unique and rewarding fly fishing experience, particularly during the enchanting fall season. The combination of vibrant foliage, cool temperatures, and abundant trout make Pisgah National Forest an angler's paradise. This essay explores the joys and challenges of fly fishing in Pisgah National Forest during the autumn months.

As summer fades and autumn sweeps across the forest, Pisgah National Forest transforms into a vivid tapestry of red, orange, and gold. The changing foliage reflects in the serene mountain streams, creating a picturesque backdrop for fly fishing. The crisp, cool air invigorates the senses, while the soothing sound of flowing water adds a sense of tranquility to the entire experience. Immersed in nature's splendor, anglers can cast their lines against a backdrop that is as breathtaking as it is calming.

Pisgah National Forest is home to an abundant population of wild trout, with the these Rivers being one of the most renowned spots for fly fishing. Fall brings a flurry of activity as trout prepare for winter. They become more active and eager to feed, making this season ideal for anglers seeking to test their skills. Whether you are an experienced angler or a novice, the forest's diverse streams and rivers provide ample opportunities to hook Brook, Brown, and Rainbow trout.

Fall fly fishing in Pisgah National Forest presents a unique opportunity to connect with nature and challenge oneself as an angler. The forest's resplendent autumn colors, combined with its thriving trout populations, create an unforgettable experience. Whether you seek solitude, adventure, or an escape from the bustle of everyday life, Pisgah National Forest offers a serene sanctuary where the art of fly fishing can be celebrated and cherished.

The transition these fish go into can fluctuate depending on species. Brown trout will begin there push to feed, and prepare for the annual spawn, as well as the Native Book trout. Rainbows will feed heavily till late winter, and begin to dominate feeding lies till the predatory fish decide otherwise. Over the course of the next few months we will see Caddis hatches, midges, and the blue wing olive be the entrees for these fish. We had plenty of anglers this year night fishing hot water so well have to see if that effects anything this year. For all the guys who night fished the Davidson while it was warm I hope it was worth it. Your fish pics have dates on them, and I recommend you go and look at the temperature of water you caught your trophies.(USGS has them recorded) Some folks will understand this, and some won’t.

Small Mouth Fishing might be winding down, but we still have a solid month as long as temperatures don’t plummet drastically. We had our best season yet on smallies, as far as getting anglers to try something new. I’d say mostly everyone who tried it this year was shocked by how fun these trips were. If your guide constantly tells you to try something, I recommend you give it a shot. Were in this to give you a good time, and wouldn’t have it any other way. Surface action this year was pretty good in my opinion, but most days these fish wanted it on the bottom. Well continue to float for them till we feel like its not worth it. The Summer sun is starting to lower, as will the Small Mouth Bass.

Tail waters remain stable with TVA giving us more water which is keeping most of the river cool for the most part. The Blue Ridge Guide Association has a lot to do with this. They’ve fought for water and conservation which is just great to see. I recommend joining, or going to a meeting to see what is in store for East Tennessee’s future. Really good to see anglers coming together to help fisheries and not control them. The Soho will see many midges and blue wing olives in the coming months, and we’ll be there with you to enjoy it.

Fall is just around the corner folks! Dont miss out on this magical time of year. So many species to fish for, along with a beautiful background. Im very grateful to everyone who continues to push us to do better as we get busier. By far our busiest Spring and Summer we’ve had, and I owe it to everyone who shows up. Seriously cannot thank y’all enough. We are in the process of a new venture for HEFF, and Ill be keeping everyone updated when I can spill the beans. Slow growth has been our motto since day one, and remains true to this day.

Thanks to our guides and clients!

John conits 6/21/23 John conits 6/21/23

Summer Is Here!!!

Hey Everyone,

I apologize for being inconsistent this year on the blog. Just know I try to keep up with this stuff, but have failed miserably the last few months. Im sure you all have missed my awesome grammar, and spelling these past few months. Ill give a little recap of our Spring Then get on with the new transition period we are entering.

This year was exciting as always. Hatches were very early by a month, but that didn’t change much for the fish. We also had some incredible Striper fishing as well as the pre spawn Small Mouth Bass. Trout fishing was probably the best year I have seen to date. I say that in the most truthful way possible. There are talks of fisheries not being as good as they once were in Pisgah National Forest. All I can say is “book with us if you believe that”. Lazy angling will get lazy results please remember that. We believe in teaching people how to approach fish, cast, fight and land them. Once these things are taught the angler will become more successful on the water they are fishing. To say we have added a few new fisheries yearly to offer more to our guests is an understatement. We have truly enjoyed showing everyone different types of fishing for different times of the year.

The South East has so much more to offer when it comes to species, for fly and conventional fishing.

This Summer is going to be pretty good in my opinion. We had a very dry Spring which up until this week had our rivers running low, but now it’s raining a lot, which should make fishing great for weeks to come. We need rain, and to have a day off is ok in my book as long as the fish enjoy it.

Pisgah Forest wade trips will be half days for the most part due to our region constantly having to battle warmer water temps in the afternoon. We will run full days if the water temps are safe for the Wild Trout.We don’t guide anything higher than 65 degrees just due to not wanting to harm the fish long term. We are hooking them in the face for fun, but we're not trying to kill them. The Davidson River has seen water temps in the almost 70 degree range as well as the French Broad River. Please remember Summer just began today. Im guessing we could see low 70s this year, and thankfully there is a gage to prove that. The trout will survive, but we have to be mindful. This is a sign to start early, and leave early. Fishing in the morning is great! The beetle fishing this year has been amazing as well as our famous Inch Worm hatch. Caddis are still around, and probably will be around in the early morning hours of light. Book soon as these trips fill up fast this time of year.

Small Mouth Bass Fishing is in full effect! With 6 rivers to fish for these bad boys, we have plenty of water, and time to get you out here to enjoy the Summer Festivities. These fish are our staff favorite just due to the places we fish them, and the fight they give the angler. We float for these fish, and are happy to get you on them from now until the Fall. Top water bite will remain strong with the fly, and finesses fishing with conventional gear is always an option for anglers not wanting to cast all day. We have plenty of ice, water, food and sun block in our boats. Just bring yourself, and well take care of the rest!

Striper fishing is something we don’t talk about much. Just know they are around, and we enjoy chasing after them.We look forward to having y’all out to feel the power these fish have on a fly rod.

The Tailwaters continue to produce great hatches for dry fly fishing, as well as nymphing. Sulfers have been great in the evenings, and will continue for the next couple months. Beetle fishing here remains strong as well. Both rivers have begun to run water for these fish from the dams which was much needed. This water is cold, and the fish absolutely love it.

Summer is all about the terrestrials. Grass hoppers. Cicadas, beetles, inchworms, damselflies, dragonflies are all part of the South East Food Plate for most of the fish we fish for. High Sun days can get tough, but it's all about how you approach the fish. Our water will get low as we get deeper into the Summer, but approach will be key as it always is a Hare's Ear Fly Fishing.

We are on record for our busiest year yet, and all I can say is thank you guys! I never wanted this company to grow fast, and we have continued slow growth from day 1. Our Guides work hard for clients, and that will remain till we are gone. Also, stop by Dodson Fishing Company in Travelers Rest for any, and all gear. They have a great staff that know the game, and continue to grow there inventory weekly.

John conits 2/22/23 John conits 2/22/23

Hatches

Hey Everyone,

I hope y’all are doing well this week, and enjoying this awesome weather we are experiencing. I was able to get out a few days myself this week, and it felt just like Spring. I think I’ve claimed that every season is my favorite in the past, but Spring truly has all the goods for everyone.

What makes Spring so good? You have great weather, great fishing, great morning coffee, great light, and lots of bugs in the water moving. A lot of people are stoked to get out and enjoy the outdoors. Guys like us are excited to find the “hatches.”

The hatches in Pisgah are one of those things, that when it starts, it starts! You have to be on the water to find these things, and when you do, you will know.

The Blue quills have arrived along with the blue wings and stone flies. If you aren’t on the water, you are missing out right now. It’s literally Spring!(yes I believe it will get cold again, but kinda hard to believe with all the warm weather) The Gordon’s are close, and can be here any day now. The Gordon is the bug we all want to see for sure, but every hatch has its own special little thing about them.

These hatches are definitely temperature related as they always are, and once the bugs start crawling and hatching they won’t stop. We’ve definitely seen the fish move to a bigger bug in the last couple weeks. Positioning in the fast water mid day seems to be the theme. Casting to rising fish hands down is some of the most fun and visual fishing you can do. These bugs are skating across the surface, so dead drifting isn’t always necessary. Change up the drift before you change your bug. The fish are slowly letting their guards down to get out of Winter mode, and put on the weight these bigger bugs bring. Remember , these fish are Wild. They truly depend on these bugs every year. A stocked trout will eat them, but be honest, it’ll eat a mop floating on the surface like the food they were raised on.#purinatroutchow

There is nothing like showing up to a river in the morning. Then seeing those sail boat wings coming down a riffle getting smashed by hungry Wild Trout. When fishing these patterns it’s important to know that the wing profile is key. Colors and body profile matter no doubt, but make sure they can see that wing.

It’s almost like the forest comes to life. The birds are chirping,(my favorite part) as well as wild flowers beginning to bloom. The vibe is real when you feel the sun on your back, and you have a few moments through your day like “man this is awesome out here.” I hear this a from lot from people, and I know why. Because it is! Why not get out there looking for willing fish to eat your fly on a bright Spring Day?

East Tennessee has been fishing well the past few months with some great blue wing olive hatches. Streamer fishing, as well as nymphing still remains king. Caddis have entered the realm as well, providing us with some new bug fishing opportunities. Before you know it we’ll be fishing Small Mouth along with all the warm weather. Just remember it is still February and everything I’ve just wrote can be taken away by Mother Nature. If there is one thing to know about Spring is that it’s going to be great regardless.

We are excited to have y’all, and look forward to fishing with everyone this year! If you haven’t got on our calendar go ahead and hit the book now page! Thank you for dealing with my poor grammar and opinions on fly fishing.

John conits 1/9/23 John conits 1/9/23

Happy New Year

Hey Everyone,

I hope you are all doing well, enjoying time with family and friends(and fish as well). 2022 was such an awesome year with y’all. I can’t thank y’all enough for supporting our business this past year. We had another record year, and couldn’t have done it without you guys/gals , or our guides.

Ron, Jeff and Mike have been the foundation of this company, and I don’t credit them enough for the jobs they do. They busted their asses on, and off the water daily. Our goal has always been the same. That’s giving our clients an experience that they won’t forget, and can learn from. Am I exaggerating the past few sentences? Not one bit. Everyone who fishes with us knows this, and I can confidently say we do our best. We thank you for giving us the opportunity to do what we love to do, and provide for our families while we do it. 2023 is here, and we hope to see everyone again.

What’s happening on the water?

The Fall has come, and gone. Winter has made its way into Appalachians, that much we do know. Warm ups will continue randomly through out our season, and I encourage you take advantage of those days. These can be some of the most quiet and best days of fishing. Some days are brutal, but we can definitely make the best of them with some strategic planning like hot Ramen Noodles with Folgers.

Winter fishing at the end of a day is a slow game. A game that if played well, the angler can honesty have a great day. Blue Wing Olives and midges are the bugs that should be in all anglers box this time of year. Caddis as well as Winter Stones are also great bugs to switch to on your warmer days. Follow the Sun throughout the day, you’ll be in your most comfy form as well as the fish.

Fish have to eat throughout the Winter. Whether it’s a musky, small mouth bass, striper or a trout, they will eat! When you approach the situation be aware of conditions, and variables. Wind can be the worst enemy for your Vaseline required lips. Rain can really cool your core temp down, so make sure we aren’t on the water at first light on the cold days. Metabolism is a big deal this time of year for these critters. It slows way down for them with the colder water temps, but if you can capitalize on the feeding windows you’ll be rewarded. Ninja mode must still be activated this time of year as any other time of the year as well. So please, don’t forget to be a ninja!

The fish tend to like deeper water this time of year in our freestones, which will make finding the fish a little easier than any other time of year. The slower you fish, the more you’ll catch. Try not to stomp around covering water unless your streamer fishing the bigger water events we’ll get in between. Avoid any clean gravel in tail outs because they are the future fish of that system.

The tail waters continue to produce great fish and numbers. I know many of you have seen me out there quite a bit this year, but for good reason. It’s just another part of what makes fly fishing in the South East a destination in my book.

The South East is very underrated and has all types of water for us to fish. We want you to enjoy and view it as we do! It’s not a place where passports are needed, but we can show our clients some beautiful scenery as well as fishing. I have a big plan to show everyone once its set in stone for the future of our company, and the surrounding PUBLIC WATER in our region.

Thank y’all again for booking with us, and all of your support. Let’s get you on the calendar for 2023! Don’t wait till it’s too late, get your dates in today! Or book last minute last minute we don’t care. It’s all about getting you out on the water when you can.

Tight Lines from the crew at Hare's Ear Fly Fishing

John conits 9/4/22 John conits 9/4/22

Season 3

Hey Everyone,

I hope y’all are doing well as we begin to end our Summer season. My apologies to those who read the blog, and have not seen one in a couple months. We’ve had a pretty busy Summer, plus a new child brings all types of time management skills into play.

The Summer weather this year was hot early on, followed by more hot, and no rain. This has resulted in early start times in the morning on our freestones. Fishing stayed pretty good for what we were dealt with on the Wild Trout Streams. Are beetle fishing this year was pretty damn good in the mornings, as well as the ant bite. Higher elevation rivers were the ticket to success this Summer. Bow and Arrow casts were at an all time high!

The tail waters have been cold enough to guide full days, and have received plenty of water this year. Bugs are plentiful with most fish eating somewhat small, but not tiny. Some great days were had on this system, with many more to come in the next couple months. These places brought out finesse in anglers and helps a ton in the long term game of trout fishing as a whole.

Bass fishing on the other hand has been almost perfect with low flows and clear water. If trout fishing is bad, bass fishing is usually good. Kind of a love hate situation, but things happen. Some years are wet some are not. Although it is finally raining today with more to come this week. We spent a couple days off this week getting to make long casts, with big bugs to surface eating bass.

The moment we’ve all been waiting for has begun knocking on Summer’s door. Fall wants to arrive, and will sooner than later if I had to guess. I’ve always said Fall is Christmas for Anglers. What is Fall fishing all about?

Fall is all about the change. High sun days will become lower, warm water begins to chill, leaves begin to glow. The fish begin to feed for preparation of cold weather on the horizon. The weather change jump starts migrations of fish such as the brown trout, followed by the rainbows. Bug life begins to show again as the rivers become cool, and days become shorter. Being on the River in the Fall is something everyone should experience at least once a year. The scenery alone is worth the wade!

Caddis will be seen in big numbers, followed by the midge hatches. Fish will continue to feed on these, with the occasional hatch of blue wing olives becoming stronger through out the winter. Fall insects can be tough to dial in, but once you get it figured out it can be magical.

Every Fall the Wild Brown Trout begin to push into livable spots in the river to feed until they meet the lady/man of there dreams. These fish will push on a weekly, and continue to do so until they spawn. Targeting them at this time is fun and challenging. The Rainbows are the prowl for prime feeding lies. They’ll compete all season to put on the weight needed for the Winter.

Stocked water will receive there stockings in NC starting in October, and SC in November. Delayed Harvest is a good time for anglers to catch these. Just show up, throw a fly in the water. Boom! Fish of a lifetime!

Musky fishing will be firing up as well. We offer these trips until March. Floating for the fish of 10,000 casts. These trips are fun, and if your lucky to put it in the right spot you’ll have a shot a toothy freshwater Dino.

Don’t wait till last minute to book your prime dates, but if you do, I’ll give you hell about it, and try to make it happen. I appreciate everyone who continues to support us in our 3rd year of business(almost 4th). I’m grateful we get to guide for fish that are Wild and clients who continue to trust us. I’ll have a more in depth blog next month about what’s to come, and changes we are making. Thanks again for even reading my horrible grammar and late blogs!

John

John conits 5/8/22 John conits 5/8/22

The Month Dreams Come True

Hey Everyone,

I hope y'all are doing well and making time to get on the water every once in a while. Hard to believe we are already in the month of May 2022, but that’s a good thing. I want to say thanks to everyone as well for trusting us to take you on your fishing adventures this year as we continue to grow! I always say this, but can not thank you guys enough.

May is your dream month as far as angling goes in all shapes and forms. Birds are having a field day, as well as all the wildlife in our rivers. Saw my first Green Heron the other day which was quite the sight for me. I’ve always thought spring and early summer is some of the best fishing, and have not found a reason to ever change that thought. Even with the high winds we have experienced this year, we’ve still had some great days on the water as well as tough ones. That’s fishing at the end of the day and making the best out of your time on the water is all we can do.

Whats Happening?

We have all types of bugs coming off right now on our Trout Streams. This is a common theme in the Spring/late Summer. Life in the river flourishes as well as our surroundings. You have to get out here and take it all in at the end of the day. The cold has officially left the building.

As far as bug life is concerned we have quite a few in the mix that stand out more than others. Trout will key in on these bugs throughout the day, but will continue to make that change as we get later into the summer.

Yellow Sallies continue to dominate our freestones throughout most of the day. These bugs really get the trout moving and competing for the food source. Yellow bugs are in and you better have them in your box for a couple months.

Sulphers have been absolutely epic in our freestones, and on the tailwaters in Tennessee. Being at the right place at the right time is key for these hatches in our area. The fish tend take a break mid day from feeding heavily till late evening. Soon as the sun goes, the bugs come and its crucial to be in your spot armed with lots of dries, and frogs fanny of course . We’ve ran a few trips this year centered on this hatch which leaves us walking out of the woods in complete darkness.

Big stones are on the menu this year after taking a leave for a couple years, but so far this year we’ve have a great Stone Fly bite. When fish key in on them, those bobbers will be going down at high speed and you need to be ready to SET! They will begin to show as it gets warmer as well as the terrestrials in our area. Terrestrial season is upon us any day now with 80 degree weather sweeping the mountains on a normal basis.

Caddis and Cahills continue to show with out any sight of leaving us which means small soft hackles being swung into the riffles will continue to pick up fish throughout the day. If you don’t have a soft hackle on do yourself a favor and tie one on.

Let’s not forget about our drakes that may or may not make an appearance this year on a few of our freestones in the area. These are those “ghosts” we talk about every year, but the few that see them usually keep it to themselves till its over with. Some of the best Spinner falls in Pisgah can be formed by this hatch. We’ve seen a few, but not enough to say they are here.

Trout fishing will continue to be great as long as we receive our afternoon rain showers through the Spring. Right now the water is clear and the sight fishing is fun. The visual game is a tough game to play some days, but reading that fish with your drift makes it a little more intense, but rewarding when the plan comes togther.

Bass fishing has been good and continues to get better as the warm weather becomes a regular part of our program. So book your dates soon! Float fishing for Small jaws is a fun way to give the trout a break and focus on warm water Wild Fish. They pull hard and don’t give up easy.

Let’s remember that we haven’t received a lot of rain this year yet, and if we continue to fish we need to start taking temps of our wild trout waters to ensure they aren’t stressed. We want them to reproduce for us in years to come. Stocked trout fishing has been good as of recent, with people even calling the trout wild cause they look so good. Just remember that the differences between these fish isn’t looks or location. It’s the behavior and placement in the river they reside.

We are ready for the second part of the season and have lots of water to offer our clients. Whether it be wading small to large Trout streams, floating for Trout, floating for Bass, Musky or Striper. Pick your poison, and we will work hard to make sure you have a great day. Let’s get you on the books this year!

I want to also thank my guides that bust there butts off to put smiles on faces not for a paycheck, but because it’s what they truly love to do! Hare's Ear is grateful to have y’all and happy to net your next fish!

Getting the drift right

John conits 4/10/22 John conits 4/10/22

The Joys Of Spring Time

Hey Everyone,

I Hope your all doing well! I have been looking forward to these weeks for what seems like ages. We finally welcomed our little Man Thomas into the world last week on Thursday. We are excited for his arrival and even more excited about giving our daughter a baby brother. I want to say thank you for all the support we have received from the fishing world. It was a few tough weeks pulling off the water not knowing if my wife was going to have a message for me that our boy was here, but luckily I was able to be there when he arrived.

Lets get down to business. I think its safe to say that Spring has sprung. For the past month all of our angling consisted of high winds, and inconsistent temperatures. Being in the right place at the right time has been the ticket for success. Our Quill Gordons have left the building for the most part, but we have plenty of players waiting to sub in the game this month. Make sure to have a wide variety of Midges and Caddis because they aren’t going anywhere.

Hendrickson hatches have arrived and are here to stay for a few more weeks. The bugs are big , and play a big role in the trout’s diet to beef themselves up. Fishing this hatch has led to great afternoon dry fly fishing. It’s defiantly NATURES way of “FEEDING THE FISH.” Keep an eye out for the these bugs while on the water, and make sure you present them with a drag free drift with a couple twitches mixed in every once and a while.

March Browns are here as well. These bugs are the BIG BUGS for out freestones, and when fish key in on them it will be obvious to the angler. All the insects in our water tend to come off with temperature rises, but this bug isn’t one of those. When they decide to hatch, they hatch! We’ve been seeing them on the coldest and warmest days this past month, and will continue to show themselves for a few more weeks as well. If your not nymphing with a bigger bug this time of year I would suggest you do so. A bigger bug is what’s hanging around, even on the most pressured of water.

Yesterday was hilarious. We had high WINDS again…. Then we had snow! Then we had sleet. Then We had sunshine. Then we had boat loads of more Wind! We also had Wild Fish absolutely gorging giant mayflies for about 4 hours straight.Yep, you don’t know if you don’t go! This is saying that probes itself time after time.

Spring is a game we play and gamble with on all types of conditions. Whether it be holding the boat still enough to make a cast, or throwing tons of weight on nymph rigs because our dry flies won’t cast out with having a 10 weight rod on hand. Dealing with the elements is something we have to deal with when fishing the best time of year. I think its safe to say the weather is about to take a turn for the better, and yesterday proved that.

With more to come as far as bugs in the next few months, I can not thank y’all enough! I keep saying year 3 is our most important year, but y'all continue to prove to me that I’ve made the right choice with our company. I am grateful to my guides and clients who support the company, and assure me of decisions I’m constantly having to make are the right ones. Hare’s Ear Fly Fishing isn’t some company started by some Greenville guy, but more about a Greenville guy who is passionate about showing anglers why we should take a day to Fly Fish. We are genuine and honest anglers who take pride in guiding our clients and meeting there fishing needs.

Lets get you and your loved ones out here because you don’t know if you don’t Go!

John conits 2/28/22 John conits 2/28/22

Mayfly Magic

Good Morning,

I hope all of you are doing well!

March has finally arrived and we couldn’t be more excited. While this is coming to you on a cold and rainy winter day, Spring has finally decided to start showing itself. Water temps have begun to rise and now we are seeing a growing number of bugs. This is the time of year we are anxiously awaiting those hatches we’ve been dreaming about all winter. Although the winter has been mild, cold fronts will continue until finally losing its grasp to Spring!

One sure thing is that early season hatches are right on time and Hares Ear Fly Fishing is excited to be on the water enjoying these signs that Spring is on the way. I look forward to seeing everyone the next few months to enjoy all the great fishing our Spring season has to offer.

Mayflies are probably the driving force when it comes to recent trout activity. Now, I’m not a certified “BUGOLOGIST”, but I am a nerd for fly fishing. One thing the angler is constantly doing is searching for what is going on in the watershed they fish.

The bugs of our area tend to emerge with consistency and dependability. They are more consistent than the weather forecast and having a guide that knows when, where, and how can make all the difference in your day on the water.

Most years the hatches can vary up to two weeks one way or the other depending on weather and water conditions, but we know what is hidden and crawling under the gravel waiting to bust out!

March is a time where being prepared with the right fly selection matters most or you could be missing out on an epic bite and not even know.

Listen to the birds along the banks of the river. They will let you know what’s happening, or about to happen. Feeding time!

What bugs are we looking for? Well, most days begin with midge and caddis hatches. As the water warms with the rising sun you will hear the birds chattering, see bugs flying and next what we all love; The rise of a wild trout!

The Almighty Mayfly emerges as the water warms up the riffles where these clingers are ready to hatch. The Blue Quill, Quill Gordon and March Brown are the bugs that get these fish in a full blown feeding frenzy. Fish tend to compete for food in the runs, as we try to cast our flies to these fish exploding the surface. Violent splashes are what gets the juices flowing on the water. Having the right bug at the right time, and most importantly in the right place is all you need. Spring fishing is by far some of the best dry fly fishing we have in the region. Mayflies tend to attract all walks of life as well as beefing up the stomachs on those WILD FISH. These are high protein bugs that range in sizes 10-16. After eating small bugs all winter these fish tend to let there guard down as the bigger bugs come off.

Make sure you have the right patterns in your box when the time comes so you can reap all the rewards of what Springtime trout fishing in North Carolina has to offer. There couldn’t be a better time to learn about Wild Fish than spring. Or you could go fish mop flies in big holes with a bobber. Whatever you like to do just make sure its for your enjoyment!

This is Hares Ear Flyfishing’s third year in business and by far our most important. I can not thank our patrons enough for all the support during these early times. We had a dream of guiding public water for Wild Fish 3 years ago, and somehow we have made it this far. It’s all because of you, which keeps us pushing forward in our pursuit to be the best we can. We don’t hold hands and clap for anyone. All we do is our best when we are on the water to be successful in catching fish, but more importantly enjoying our time on the water with you.

John conits 1/23/22 John conits 1/23/22

Old Man Winter Classic

Happy New Year to all of you from us at H.E.F.F. I hope everyone is off to a good start, and got to enjoy our mini blizzard for a few days. We received quite a bit of snow and ice this past week. Fishing up until then has been pretty good in my opinion as well as the bug life. Even during the event, the fishing remained pretty damn good in a shocking way. Water temps have dropped down big time since we began to see snow melt on top of the mountains. This will cause fish to feed heavily during those peak hours of sunlight that warms the water during the day (Sometimes it’s 2 hours or just 20 minutes). Early mornings will be slow for a bit, but should get better as the snow disappears. We have been seeing constant midge hatches, caddis, winter stones and blue wing olives. I’ll admit, I was a little worried about our Olives after the flood in September, but they haven’t missed a beat which shouldn’t surprise us. While guiding last week I got to witness one of the biggest stone fly hatches I’ve seen in Pisgah National Forest. They were everywhere including inside our clothes and glasses. Fish were rising to them in the fast water as well as the banks. Pretty cool to see fish change over to a bug I don’t see them eat often. Usually its the midges, caddis and olives on most days, but definitely have seen them choose the stones a few more days than normal. Slow motion is the name of the game still. Which is proving itself day after day unless your fishing the hatchery stretch of the Davidson. One thing to consider right now while angling is depth and structure. These are the 2 main ingredients, and will remain as key target areas till the Spring weather arrives. Covering water is cool no doubt, but these fish can be found in the same type of water day after day till temps rise again. They don’t want to use up all of there energy because we know, as well as the fish, what weather can be like on our freestones in February. We’ll have some very cold days ahead followed by warm ups that will hint us with feels of Spring. Our Winter has been quite mild for the most part, but I won’t say much more just in case. We can control the drift but not the weather. Winter has been a great time for me to spend with my girls, and do a little fishing. We’ve got another child on the way that’s going to save me from being the only guy in the house as well. He will be here around the same time our season starts and we looking forward to it. Fishing with my buddies has been pretty good as of late as we’ve gotten to hold a few Musky and stellar Trout. One thing we are always doing when not guiding is dialing in watersheds trying to improve our approach and tactics. If your fishing the same setups year after year let me be the guy to tell you “try more”. Experimenting on the water is the best way to learn and dial in your craft. I tell people all the time “never be a lazy angler/guide”. This will develop bad habits and create a closed mind when it comes to fishing. Lazy anglers can still catchem that’s for sure, but for me its about adding more tools to the arsenal for multiple situations. I’ll never forget my first guide trip. I had 2 guys on private water for a half day at my old place of work. I was cocky and thought it wouldn’t be a big deal to go guide this trout infested water with 2 new guys. So many things went wrong as far as how I approached the fish. I was confident on Wild Public Water with 6X and had my guys throwing into a pool with those small flies I was used to fish on the main. We lost 9 fish the first hour and half all do to break offs on light tippet, and cheap rods I didn’t fish with myself that dropped fish near the net. For the next 4 hours I got my ass kicked without another bite, and I took the big L every guide hates taking. I felt defeated and contemplated quitting my gig after the first day at work. I remember calling my buddy and telling him about the day. I told him I had them in all the right holes, but the fish just weren't there anymore. He laughed for a minute because he knew where I was in my life. He told me '‘you should have just taken a few more steps up”. My mind was blown because I was used to one style of angling back then which was sight fishing. Back then I never fished a run blind, but I was being a lazy angler and thought it was the fishes fault the whole time during that trip. I then began guiding clients with rods I actually fish and believe in, changing the way I approach fish, trying new tactics and TIPPET, and took more steps up. Somedays it’s not about the tools, but the humble confident mindset we have to put ourselves in. Now, that was a long time ago and I can say lots of things have changed for me, but there will always be more to learn. I hope this makes sense to some of you, but I know some people are just pros out here living there best life with all the answers on Instagram. Just know that everything isn’t always as it seems. Teaching ourselves to keep an open mind is the best advice I can give anyone. The learning process in this sport is what keeps the better anglers better. We make plenty of mistakes to reap the rewards in the future, but when we think we have it figured out that’s when Ole Man Winter lets us know who is boss.

Lets get you on the books for this Spring and learn something. Thanks to everyone who reads my horrible grammar and keeps us going! Tight Lines

John

Mrs. Gonzalez reaping the reward of hard work and time on the water.

John conits 11/30/21 John conits 11/30/21

Hello Winter

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving last week! I want to thank everyone for all the support this year as we begin to wind down into our slower season. I am blown away by all the support we’ve had this year, and record numbers for us. We are grateful to all of you. The fly fishing world isn’t just about fishing the longer I am in it, but even more about relationships and community.

Now for the regular scheduled program. Fall has come and gone just as fast. We got to experience peak leaves for a few more days than the past couple years which resulted in some beautiful days on the water. Rain hasn’t really been around for what seems like months leaving anglers with gin clear water and picky fish to attend to, but this is why we love fly fishing here at HEFF. If fly fishing was easy it would be boring, and honestly I wouldn’t do it. Constantly making changes to our approach, rigging, flies, lines, rods. So much changes through out the learning process which makes us see that the puzzle is bigger than it appears. On a side note the fish do need current to stay happy and safe from people and predators, and for the guys who like to butt hook fish for Instagram pics, I hope your vision deteriorates sooner than later. Winter is an absolute favorite of mine as far as fishing goes. Its a long game with short bite windows. These windows consist of a few bugs present in the system such as midges, winter stones and the Almighty Blue Wing Olive. Winter stones begin showing up early morning on river banks followed by the the tiniest midges, then you get your rising fish when the BWO comes off. These windows can last 15 minutes, but can also last all day depending on conditions and watershed for the day. NC and Tennessee offer year round dry fly fishing as long as your in the right places at the right time. Being a slow moving angler is the the best approach you can have this time of year if your fishing for WILD FISH(fish not dumped in a river for you to easily catch). They are very spooky due to the weird light conditions and low water. So full blown ninja mode should be activated. Winter is an absolute treat for anglers who don’t mind the cold, and I encourage people that want to learn long casting and technical drifts to book a trip now. Late start times are what we usually focus on after our 10th cup of coffee. Float trips will last around 6 to 7 hours depending on which river we float. Floating for trout and musky are the 2 we focus on in the winter. Nymphing is going to be a go to this time of year with small bugs as well as streamers for browns after they are done spawning. For the next few months its crucial to avoid any clean gravel areas so we can have a future generation of Wild Fish. The spawn has lasted quite a while this year with more and more clean spots showing up, but another couple weeks are freestones will be pretty much done spawning with a few here and there. Just be mindful on where your wading. Small bugs will continue till February when we see our blue quills. Lets get you out this Winter or on the books this Spring. Thanks for reading!

Woody doing what he does best on a WILD one

John conits 10/9/21 John conits 10/9/21

Change

Hey everyone! I hope everyone is having a great start to the Fall Sesaon. The leaves have begun their descend, and with that comes change in the watersheds as well. Summer fishing was fun, but the CHANGE is almost always right on time. Change is a good and bad no matter how or what we are looking at. Pisgah has changed as of late due to Fred, and huge water brought some new landscape to our rivers in the area. We are basically guiding brand new rivers in the area, and enjoying the hunt for these elusive creatures. I’ll say it again fly fishing and Fall equals Christmas Morning. Iv’e always said this, but something about the temps, colorful landscape and migration we get to witness on our rivers. Not only does the river begin to change as far as where fish go, but bugs are changing as well. We are almost out of the terrestrial bite, and we will begin to see smaller and smaller bugs as we get deeper into the season. Right now its lights out as far as the bite goes most days, but constant bug change is key right now as we see this transition. If your not changing or making adjustments you could be missing out on 1-2 hour bite windows that are showing up mid-day. We are seeing Caddis as usual, but even a few BWO’s around certain times of the day, as well as lots and lots of midges. Midge fishing is tough, but knowing when and where to fish them is key in being successful at the moment. We aren’t fishing to FARM FISH so make sure you got all the bells and whistles with you when on the water. I would say matching the hatch this time of year can be the hardest thing to do, but once you get it figured out things can get really good. Wild Fish aren’t stupid at the end of the day no matter how much controversy comes behind those talks. So, don’t be scared to think outside the box when fishing or just give us a call, and we will point you in the right direction. All the Wild Fish we are catching ae in great shape, and continue to add girth preparing for what’s coming in the winter. The Browns are fat right now, and the streamer bite we saw as of recent was PRRRREEEEETTTTTYYYYYY GOOD. One thing to remember is that Wild Brown Trout will begin spawning in the next month, so remember to always keep a look out for their Redds. Targeting spawning trout is unethical, and will result in horrible river karma long term(or for life). For the next few weeks we will be on the hunt for the biggies, and these fish are moving up and down the watersheds right now, but lets not forget about the girthy Wild Bows. These fish are fired up glowing red due to temperature change, and will continue to follow behind the browns in most watersheds. Any angler putting the actual work in will have a chance at holding one of these nonexistent fish. All it takes is time on the water, and a good drift. Lots of giant stocked trout being landed daily in NC, but most of us know the gratitude we have when holding a real one, it’s as good as it gets. Fall really isn’t the best time to land big fish(Spring is in my experience), but more about the experience we are having on the water with friends and loved ones. The leaves are literally glowing as the sun rises over the mountains resulting in the ultimate setting to be just spending a day in the water, and the fish biting is just a perk if we are being honest with oursleves. Picture yourself riding up the bright colored mountain high ways with a hot coffee or tea in your mug. Then picture yourself driving into that mountain, throwing the car in park, pulling up your hoodie, stepping into a cold mountain stream, and then coming tight to that fish we dreamed about seeing and holding. Nothing, and I mean nothing beats those days.(remember my grammar is nonexistent so judge with a soft heart)

Even though Small Mouth Bass season is coming to a close we are still floating the tail-waters in East Tennessee. Sulphers are still around as well Blue Wing Olives. All this been said Ive got three words for you “GET OUT HERE”. I want to thank everyone for continuing to support us. If you would have ask me 5 years ago about running a guide service for Wild Fish I probably would have laughed at you, but you guys/gals keep this fire going, and can’t thank y’all enough. Make sure you get out at least once to enjoy what this season has to offer.

John conits 8/25/21 John conits 8/25/21

Tis The Season

What’s up everyone! I hope everyone is having a great Summer Season. I know its hot but, we are halfway through it with cooler temps on the horizon. We are looking forward to the next season as we begin to make the transition into early Fall. We probably have 3 weeks of warmer weather in front of us, but after that the cool nights will begin to show up just in time for some of the best fishing of the year. Something about Fall and Fly Fishing in the same sentence just compliment each other. I would say my favorite time to hit the river is all the time, but Fall is like the “Magic Sesaon.” So many options, as far as what to do angling wise. In the Pisgah Watersheds, we have all creeks flowing with a completely new look due to the flooding from Hurricane Fred. Wild Fish continue to prosper as we knew they would because that’s what they do! Now as far as DH Waters are concerned, we aren’t sure yet if they will be a thing with all that happened to the hatchery, but if I had to guess they will probably still have a DH this year in some shape or form. Bass fishing could be on hold till probably next year due to all that has happened, but windows of opportunity are still around just give me a call. Bassing and rain just don’t mix well in our region, but we have a few rivers we are still floating. East Tennessee continues to produce for the angler wanting to float for trout, and will only get better as we near the color change of leaves. Why is Fall such a great time? Well, first off we begin to see water temps drop to a safe and healthy number to fish from then till next Summer. Fish begin to fight and eat harder than they have the past couple months which is a win win, for any angler learning the sport. We will see the push of Big Wild Browns in the next couple months as hurricanes and rain fill up are watersheds(fingers crossed). These fish are already aware of what is to come which will get them moving up stream feasting and bulking up for the spawn. For the anglers wanting to trophy hunt that WILD FISH of a lifetime now is your chance to do so. The Wild Rainbows will begin to operate carelessly as the cooler weather sets in. They will begin by stealing feeding positions off other fish to gorge bugs like there’s no tomorrow. Rainbow trout fishing is over looked in the Fall, but this is when you’ll see them in prime condition. Which in result bends that rod over like a mini tuna. I was fishing with an angler who is somewhat new to the game not long ago. He was fishing with a buddy and I on a fun stretch of water that requires a good drift. As we worked our way upstream, we began picking apart the river one seam at a time. He worked the rod with big mends and feeding line as his drift flowed through the riffle. After working on perfecting a drift in a different manner than he is used to. “Got Em” he said, and this fish pulled drag down stream like 26 inch stocked dog food fed brown trout that people are still calling trophies. He looks at us and said these “Wild Fish Fight Hard Man.” As he gets the fish turned our way here comes a nice 12 inch Wild rainbow 4 ft out of the water. This guy kept fishing his heart out, and by the end of the day I looked back at the riffle behind me seeing that guy net fish after fish. You get in this weird zone sometimes when your fishing, and it usually consist of what I call “GO GET IT MODE.” It’s the angler, the mountain, the river and the fish. Nothing at all matters other than those things. It’s a weird because your mind just goes blank and, your fishing better than you ever have in these moments and don’t even realize it. Don’t get me wrong this isn’t normal lol. Somedays its opposite, but every once in a while we just into that “zone.” This guy was in that mode, and what a joy it was to see. I looked at my good buddy and said “ he’s ruined isn’t he?” (remember i’m not a writer Im just a guy who likes to fish with little education. So keep the grammar and spelling comments to yourself Ha!) For the person wanting to learn about this sport now is the time to hit the book now button. Fall invites any, and everyone to come enjoy the colored up mountains and Wild Fish. It’s just the perfect setting to take it all in and experience what Fly Fishing is all about.Beginner to avid we want to get you on the water. Book with us soon to reserve a spot for the Fall. Tight lines everyone!

First time angler fooling a real one. Also, a if your into YouTube give Hugeflyfisherman a follow, and watch the wild or stocked video he posted recently. I don’t know the guy, but his video is SPOT ON!

John conits 7/21/21 John conits 7/21/21

July Options and Tactics

I’m a day late and a dollar short on this blog. I hope everyone is doing well this Summer, and looking forward to seeing everyone soon. Let’s get down to business. It’s starting to blaze out here in and around the Pisgah, Greenville and East Tennesee. The temps this past week are really starting to show what is come for the next month and a half. Sun-block and water is a must when angling during months like July and August. The water is low, and fish are spooky right now. Approach is everything when it comes to catching these critters. Slowly fish because these things can hear everything, and see you regardless of how stealthy we have approached the hole. We’ve been having success from 6-10 am on our Freestones. The morning bite has been good, but if your fishing in high sun for WILD TROUT check your thermometers. Some people don’t know that mid day fishing warm water is unethical, but lets not act like we don’t either. The terrestrial bite on the freestones is at its peak in my opinion right now. Beetles, Ants, Inch Worms is the name of the game. These need to be finessed towards the banks in a sloppy manner. Fishing terrestrials is a big bite game. Whatever eats it will hammer it like there’s no tomorrow, and heavier tippet is necessary right now with a quick release if possible. We shouldn’t take pictures of every fish we catch to prove to ourselves and the gram that we can catch them. Catch and Release fishing is what we do, but this time of year fish can die due to lack of oxygen and build up of lactic acid due to stress. I had a client hook and land a rainbow in a reasonable amount of time(30 seconds) early morning with “safe” water temps. Well, that 14inch bow died soon as we released it. It wasn’t a photo fish and never came out of the water, but shit happens and we just need to realize we are playing with a fine line when trout fishing in the heat. Brook trout fishing is a great alternative this time of year due to the higher elevation they reside. Covering water is the best advice I can give anyone, because once you spook a hole its done this time of year. Don’t torcher yourself for another 30 minutes because that same hole will be there tomorrow. Let’s remember the water is low and warm, and we should be barley handling WILD FISH when it gets like this. Photography is cool and all, but a few seconds for a photo and roll on. We have all Fall and Winter to fish harder and longer days. The Tail Waters have been prime for sight fishing Brown Trout. The flows are low and the fish are spooky, but its a fun game we enjoy to play with them. Quite a few dawgs hit the net this past month, and some lost. Midges with the occasional Sulpher hatch have fish munching during certain times of the day. This water continues to stay cooler even on the hottest of days. If hunting fish is something you want to do. Click the Book Now Button. Bassing is and has been in full swing, and will continue to do so for a while. The days are hot, the water bottles are cold, the sunscreen is thick, and the fish are fired up. We haven’t had a consistent top water bite, but we are getting a few takers here and there. Streamer fishing for them has been the most consistent, but this will all change in the near future. Besides a couple months ago we were fishing poppers to bass during the Brood X. Fall will be here before we know it so lets gets you on the schedule to come chase these Wild Things. Hare’s Ear Fly Fishing is becoming exactly what I’ve wanted it to be since we started.I am forever grateful to my regulars, and ones to come eventually. Wild Trout has been a term I am hearing more and more as of recent, and I think is a great thing for people to come together on in the future to protect them as a whole. A few years ago I feel half of the South East couldn’t tell a difference between the two, but now some people have become aware of the special fish we love to chase. Chasing Wilds is a tough game most of the time, but the learning and knowledge gained every time on the water is irreplaceable.Working for it is how we learn as anglers, but some people just want to catch. Time on the water is what really catches fish. Caching is awesome when its easy, but learning to catch when its hard is the ticket in my opinion. Just know once Wild Fish become a thing of the past so will Hare’s Ear Fly Fishing.

John conits 6/8/21 John conits 6/8/21

June Vibes

I find it hard to believe we are half way through 2021 already. I want to thank everyone for a great Spring Season we’ve had this year. May was quite amazing, and quite possibly the funnest month I've ever had. I feel like I say this every month, but it’s all fun at the end of the day. Sulpher hatches were decent with a few explosive ones in the mix. Lots of cream ones this year. The Drake hatches were incredible on a few bodies of water we guide. To witness the Ghosts of Pisgah coming off is just as great as catching fish in my opinion. It’s amazing seeing WILD FISH eat bugs like stocked trout eating pellets from the hand of their land lord. Make sure you book next year to witness some of this stuff. Sometimes its nice for a change of pace. We also got to fish Cicadas in certain parts of the Appalachian region. This resulted in driving many miles, looking, listening, and dumping the boat in unfamiliar water in multiple states. Followed by a great friend landing the biggest Brown Trout I’ve ever seen in person hit the net. Lots of first time anglers were introduced to the world of fly fishing, and we hope to continue to do so. So all in all, May was pretty damn cool. June is a love and hate type of month for us as anglers. June offers a variety of bugs on the menu such as Sulphers, Sallies, Midges and Terrestrials. Whats important is to know how and when to fish these bugs. Beetle season is here ,and is a great time to get out here and bang banks with a foam bug. Most water is warming up in our region, and we are off the water when it hits 65 degrees. Yesterday(6/07/2021) at 2 O’clock, we temped a big freestone at 68 degrees. Luckily this week will bring showers to extend the life of fishing. If you truly care about a fishery, I recommend temping your water and leaving when the time is right. Some people don’t know what warm water does to these fish, but some do, and still fish it for the GRAM pics. Trout aren’t as sensitive in my opinion as a whole, but when the water warms up you’ll start seeing dead fish. This is something I stand firm on because I was once that guy still fishing in the heat of the day(in low water) to future spawners. I’m sure I killed a few unknowingly at the time, but I just didn’t care or was I educated on water temps and fish at the time. So lets weigh out the options we have and make the right decision when it comes to the summer heat that’s approaching. Stocked trout are a great option here because they don’t reproduce, and aren’t as durable as WILD FISH. Higher Elevation streams are another option as long as the water is there, but as of recent our water table is low and slow. Till we get more water and cooler air we will continue to run half days that start early and end early. Surprisingly the bite has been pretty damn good with the low flows. Ninja like moves are being made to catch them. All in all I like low flows for sight fishing, but its not what’s best for the trout. Float trips are running, and I encourage you to learn fishing out of a boat anyways. It’s a lot different than wading a stream, but you will also cover miles of water and scenery. Sight fishing Big Brown Trout out the boat or Small Mouth Fishing is another option for anglers to take advantage of this Summer. The days are long, and the work is hard, but the rewards are worth it. Come on out!

John conits 5/4/21 John conits 5/4/21

A May Day

I’ve been slacking and apologize for not getting a blog out in April. I hope all of you are doing well, and looking forward to hearing from y’all soon. May is officially here!!! Now is the time to break out all the bugs because not only are the fish feeding heavily everyday, but they have a lot to choose from. The Hendrickson hatch is pretty much over, but we may see a few this week before we kick off into the late Spring, and early Summer bugs. We had some great hatches in April, and I was stoked to see a few first timers take advantage of the Hendricksons this year. Watching a first timer hook and land a fish on the surface is pretty bad ass. It takes practice and lots of F-ups, but when it happens its pretty epic. One thing I’m always saying is “F-ups are a good thing.” If you don’t mess up you can't learn. Now we are in the days of the YELLOW BUGS!!! Yellow Bugs and Pisgah go hand in hand. Ask any long-time angler about a yellow bug and see what he/she will say. These bugs are the ones trout absolutely begin to gorge on. So make sure you have something yellow or orange in your box! Also, don’t forget your caddis because they are everywhere, all the time, it seems like. A buddy of mine said a while ago “in a couple years, are rivers will be dominated by Caddis” and he was right. With the warming of water, and the massive amounts of silt it makes sense. Sulphers are here to stay for a while so make sure you take advantage of fishing a hatch with us in the coming weeks. These are a Brown Trout favorite. Every year it produces a few solid ones during this hatch. The wind is beginning to blow good, so start keeping ants and beetles with you at all times. These should get most anglers a few WILD FISH in the net. Also, the stocked trout are probably eating something, but its probably shaped liked Meow Mix. Some type of brown or black bead with a little dubbing should do. Is that enough bugs for you yet? Believe me when I say its just getting cranked up with more bugs on the way. If you knew me years ago and are reading this blog right now, you are probably laughing heavily. I myself never thought I would be excited about BUGS!!! No better time than now to get out there and experience it all. The fish are definitely moving into the riffles. If your fishing deep holes and not having any luck, take yourself a few steps up stream and throw it in that spot. Fish migration is in full effect. As the water and weather get warmer, the fish will begin to look for the most oxygen. Found one today I caught over the winter about 3 miles away from his last known location. It's pretty crazy over the years catching one fish in one spot then in another at s different time of the year. The Sucker Fish have been pushing up stream heavily in big numbers this year also which leads to some fun hook ups!!! As you see these fish come into big holes you will see trout begin to push on. I don’t know why its just my opinion. Suckers are aggressive and don’t really care about trout, but trout aren’t fans of them in my experience. Unless you see a Leroy hanging with them which happens quite a bit. Beginners are in for a treat as far as temps and the overall bite goes. Avid anglers have a chance at fishing the dry fly for most of the day. We aren’t here to catch 100 fish a day just remember that. While it can be fun to catch stockers all day, we find satisfaction in targeting Wild Fish that likely nobody has ever touched before. If that appeals to you, then we’re the outfit you’re looking for. It teaches you to do it the right way. I don’t knock people who do it. Some of my best guide buddies fish stockers. They are also great guides that have mastered the art in any scenario they are put in. If you want to learn how to present a bug and cover water, or just experience a day of adventure. Now is the time to get you on the water. Thanks again for all the support of clients and friends. This year has really been going well do to you all. I can not thank you enough!!!

John conits 3/20/21 John conits 3/20/21

March Madness

March has finally arrived even though Im a little late on this blog. I hope everyone is doing well. We are looking forward to getting on the water with you all this season. Higher temperatures have the “Spring Bug” process in full swing, and everyday has been different as far as hatches go. My buddy and I were talking about it today on how you can show up to the river, and end up fishing 5 different hatches in a single day. Some days we are throwing size 20 bugs, and some days we are throwing size 10. Spring is definitely here, but we have to keep are focus on what’s actually happening on the river at this moment as we make the transition into a stable weather pattern. Rains are beginning to move in, which is what we need in Western North Carolina for the trout fishing, and for the summer drought that we could see from past experiences. Fishing is getting real good, and should begin to get better and better as weeks go by. Public water has been busy, but we have plenty of tricks up our sleeves to get you away from crowds if it’s not your thing. We as anglers hot-spotting on social media need to realize that this will effect fishing in a negative way long term, but we will still be out there to make your experience genuine and rewarding. On another note it’s great to see more people getting active in the fishing world as a whole, but we cannot abuse the resources by bragging about when and where we caught are fish. This is a long-term sport that wouldn’t be lasting if everyone takes shortcuts to find water. My favorite excuse is “everyone knows about it already.” Thats fine and dandy, but make sure you are out there everyday when those crowds show up! Part of the fly fishing journey is exploring, and taking a gamble on what looks to be “fishy water.” The adventure part is one of the BEST parts this sport has to offer. Your truly missing out when you don’t go exploring new water. My buddies Ken and Ryan told me a few years ago while on our annual bass trip to explore new water. I understood what they were saying, but didn’t understand what it really meant. Im glad I’ve had the privilege of getting out and learning a lot of the “new water” Western North Carolina has to offer. Hope this makes sense, and if not well I’ll see you out there. Lets get down to business! Drifting bugs is the name of the game right now. The drift has to be perfect under and above the water. The fish are wild so we will work with you on everything we need to do to improve a drift. Drifting bugs is just a saying to some, but in March you better bring your A-game. The drift hands down, is the most important part when when it comes to throwing the fly. The fish are still in slower water, and till they move into riffles, we as anglers have to put 100% into the drift. As the days get warmer we will begin seeing fish push up and down the watersheds to find there Spring homes. Dry fly fishing is getting good at moments, but the hatches may only last a hour or so depending on where and when. It’s important to have a wide variety of bugs during the “March Madness” because you may be the first one to witness the transition into another type of bug for the Spring. We are seeing lots and lots of midges, caddis, mayflies, and stoneflies. Each bug may fish better in certain parts of the river, or certain types of water. March is a great month for really studying and learning about trout behavior from sun up to sun down. If we play close attention throughout the days we will see the transition and migration of fish moving back into there comfort zones. Once you hear the birds chirping all day just know your right where you are supposed to be. The Rainbow Trout spawn is just about over, but we need to be aware of clean gravel so that those eggs will hatch into future fly eating machines. Big bellies on fish means one thing. Its March, and its time to get you on the water. We are grateful to all of you who have supported the company and continue to do so. April is almost completely booked, and we cannot be more thankful to all of you wanting to learn to fly fish on public water. On another note, we have finally added a google reviews page online, and if we have taken you on a trip in the past we would love to get a review from you. Also, if you haven’t noticed we have a new logo that we are super excited about. We may offer shirts and hats online this year, but give me some time to sort all that out. I can barley type type as it is, yet alone setting up an online store. Thanks everyone for reading. Looking forward to another great Spring in Pisgah National Forest.

John conits 2/12/21 John conits 2/12/21

Almost Time

I hope everyone is doing well! This February has been one of the best cold months I’ve seen in a while. The temps have been cold, but warm enough to receive a few hints that Spring is near. Blue Wing Olives ,as well as Early Brown Stones are still pouring off with the right conditions, and the fish are cooperating for the most part. The Blue Quills have shown themselves a few times also, which has resulted in waking up the anglers and fish. Spring is near which in my opinion is the best time of year for all anglers new and skilled. The eats are getting aggressive, but we still have a couple weeks till it really begins to ramp up. March is booked up almost, and I thank you all who have continued to support the company. It’s really nice to see people wanting to learn more about Wild Trout and Public Lands than I have seen in the past. People are finally starting to get it. March is going to be great as long as our water stays somewhat stable, and we will begin the Quill Season. Every trip from now until June will consist of targeting our fish with some type of mayfly. The fish will gorge on these bugs for months to come, and I can assure you everyday will be an adventure on our freestones here in Pisgah National Forest. Fish will begin moving again as temps warm up, and you need to be here when they do. Nymphing will produce numbers of fish, but the dry fly fishing is what it’s all about. There is a lot to see around every bend in the river this time of year due to the change of scenery and bugs, as we get closer to warmers temps. Spring weather can be chilly in the mornings, but warm in the afternoons. It’s Important to have different layers with you due to some days changing 30 degrees from morning to afternoons. The Rainbow Trout are starting to spawn also, so we should begin to keep an eye out for spawning areas and leave them alone. This could go on for a while due to warm weeks followed by cold weeks. Plenty of fish to be had this time of year, and lets just say Im pumped up!! Big Browns have been moving also getting back to normal for the guys/gals wanting to go hunt them. Spring produces some of the biggest fish of the year in my opinion as they let there guard down at certain times of day, during certain hatches. We as anglers in the next few moths also need to start picking up trash as the rivers get busier, and the crowds get larger. More people equals more trash. My buddies pick-up was full of trash the other day he’s been picking up during his guide trips reminding me I need to do better. Its all fun and games when we are fishing, but ya’ll have heard me talk about river karma in the past and it is real. It’s easier said then done, but a few pieces of trash by all the anglers goes a long way if we can just do our part. Getting flies out of trees is a big thing also if you can because the birds will begin to come out soon, and we don’t need a bunch of dead birds hanging from trees because we are too lazy to grab our rig if possible. All in all February is a month to reflect on past springs and what we need to do this year to be successful as far as bugs and watersheds. Tie those flies and be ready for all the hatches heading our way, or just give us a call to help guide you into the season .Because we have lots of hungry trout, and beautiful places to see as SPRING slowly approaches.

John conits 1/14/21 John conits 1/14/21

Olives and Greys

Happy New Year to all of you. Winter has finally arrived, and with that so have the new tactics. Winter fishing all begins with layering being the number one priority. If you're one of those that have to get to the river early then you know how cold it is around 8 or 9am. These hours can be brutal to most, and for good reason. Put on the heavy jackets and stay ankle deep till the sun begins to rise. For some reason I haven’t grown out of this even though I tell people to get to the water around noon. I tend to show up early when it’s freezing and fish aren’t active, but I really like the “Grey” colors on a Pisgah morning. Something about it being so quiet all you can hear is the river. Its almost kind of spooky, but when I think of Pisgah National Forest, I think of the shaded rivers that don’t see much light, and tall dead Hemlocks. Never mind all the poetic stuff, let’s get down to the fishing. The Sun is your friend in the winter, and knowing where it will be at what time is what makes good days great days. The angler will begin to see midges as the light hits the pool just right, and soon to follow will be the “Olives”. Blue Wing Olives are probably the most liked bug in the winter time in the forest, and for good reason. They range from size 16-78ish especially in Western North Carolina. Olive hatches are one those things that can be flat out good, or slow and irritating. The best dry fly fisherman on the river can struggle during olive hatches, but that’s what makes it so fun at the same time. For example, you could have two fish rising in a spot for Blue Wings. One being a 8 inch brown, and a 18 inch brown. Both are rising eating the same bugs, but one might be harder to catch. These are wild fish by the way, not sure what stockers look at a BWO as. Sometimes that 8 inch fish is harder to catch during an Olive hatch, but this is why we show up to the river. It’s all one big game between you and your fish. My buddy Brandon and I were fishing one Winter day a few years ago. Let me just say we had already caught enough fish to go home and enjoy our afternoons, but there was this one fish in the tail out rising to Blue Wings. Brandon lined up with the fish and continued to drift as he did with all the other ones he caught. This was a different fish. It had a little more pep in his step. You would think by the way he was rising it would eat the first drift. NOPE!!!! After 10 or 15 drifts I told Brandon forget about it man look at all the fish ahead of us rising. Brandon said “yea, but I want to catch this fish”. I watched him for 45 minutes making “perfect” drifts with different bugs. At the time, I didn’t understand why he was doing what he was doing. There comes a point where the angler is trying to perfect his/her craft, and this was a perfect example. I could see what he was thinking by every cast he made. The cast, the time of the mend, the slack, and the patience during every drift. He continued to change it ever so slightly cast after cast. This was in a peak hatch also, the bugs were poring off for us in this particular hole. Brandon threw a drift to the fish again, he mends, feeds slack then BOOM!! The fish finally sips it so perfect. Brandon sets the hook on a beautiful 17 inch Brown Trout, and breaks him off after 2 seconds of head shakes. I feel like I lost the fish and look at Brandon with disbelief. I tell him “ that sucks man”. He responds, “ I don’t care. Im just glad I got it right”. I get it now what Brandon was doing that day. He had perfected the drift with that fish. It’s all a game, but at the end of the day we want to get better as we play. If you can brave the cold, deal with numb toes, and perfect your drift. You might just enjoy it and catch a few fish.

John conits 12/14/20 John conits 12/14/20

Spawning Fish

It’s December folks!!! The bite we have experienced in the past weeks has been amazing. The hunt for Wild Fish has been great as far as numbers and size. The leaves are gone, and the fish are pairing up with one another about to get their “groove” on. Spawning trout are what make more Wild Fish. We should respect this time, but also educate others on properly wading in the river this time of year. If viewing the fish, we need to remain hidden, and let them do it in peace. We have good gravel and water in the rivers this year, but there are two things detrimental to the spawn. One is stocked fish trying to mate with the Wild ones, and the other is fishing to fish on the redds.

Don’t cast to spawners!!! The same people who show up to fish redds in the Fall are the same people fishing low hot water in the summer. We need to come together and educate anglers on these ethics, and let them know are freestone streams can’t handle this instagram worthy behavior. It seems the Davidson River in particular seems to be the place people show up during spawn. I get it trust me but, you won’t see me walking around looking for another picture for my social media account. These fish eat year round, why not go get them before or after spawn? It’s amazing what big fish do to people, but I can tell you first hand if you get caught doing something dirty, the karma Mother Nature brings is real.

On the other hand Blue Wing Olives are on the menu with lots of black stones showing up. Dry fly fishing is on fire as well as nymphing, but all in all fishing is just flat out good. Some big number days have showed up as if it was Spring in Pisgah. The bite can be really hit and miss this time of year, but so far it’s been good.

Book yourself a trip, catch a few on top, catch a few on nymphs and hide in the bushes to watch nature create the future. Watch that big brown undulating under the wimpled shallow surface in the tail of the pool, and think not of the low hanging fruit in front of you, but rather the harvest that is to come.

A little restraint now can be an investment that delivers a great return next year.

John conits 11/20/20 John conits 11/20/20

Time To Slow It Down

The drive into Pisgah National Forest is beginning to look dark and grey. The bright colors of Fall in North Carolina are no more. Time to take it down a notch in the trout world. Browns are going to start spawning any day now, which means its time to target the hungry bows on Blue Wing Olives, midges and Small Stones. We have had a great long Fall, but its officially time to slow it down. Slowing down is what makes Fly Fishing in North Carolina so good in my opinion. I always tell my clients “the slower you fish the better you’ll fish.” Numbers and size isn’t what’s important at the end of the day. The perfect winter day consist of a dry fly rod and warm clothes, and lots and lots of coffee. As we roll into the hole we begin to see blue wings dancing their way down stream. You’ll notice all the fish rising at once. This alone is worth the trip even with out a fly pole. Watching fish rise in a dark quiet hole will give you even more chills than the cold water numbing your toes. If you look around it may just be us laughing at each other, arguing on what type of Blue Wing pattern they want. These are the fun times on the river, and always seem to be a little more peaceful than all the other seasons in Pisgah. We enjoy winter more than any other season just because to me, it’s what makes this sport “cool”. The water is gin-clear, and fish will be eager to eat when temps begin to rise for the day. No need for 100 fish days. Why catch a 100 fish? Is one not enough? We can beat the dog piss out of a river, or we can go work a rising pod, and get the same results. Technique is what’s important in the winter, and if we continue to work on our drifts we will be successful. Remember to slow down and enjoy the peace and quiet. We need to also keep in mind that the spawn will end eventually, but the Redds will sill be around. Stay away from clean gravel while wading because those are your future blue wing risers in those rocks. Just remember, it is not ok to cast to spawning trout. Pisgah National Forest is a special place, and we need to keep it that way by caring and sharing our knowledge as anglers. Days usually start later in the morning and end early. We recommend always having an extra pair of clothes just in case someone takes as spill. Coffee should be topped off before we head to the river, and flies should be dressed and ready for the next bite. One thing 2020 hasn’t completely taken from us is angling. Give us a call, and get out there and enjoy the PUBLIC WATER with us as we Slow It Down.