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!

Hello Winter

Old Man Winter Classic

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