Post by Jay on Nov 12, 2008 21:30:25 GMT -5
Wanted to let you all know about the new trophy water in Cherokee. I went over on Sunday and fished the Tuckasegee, fish in a barrel, as usual. Caught 50 or so and called it a day. Went to the KOA and spent the night. Got all of my tribal permits on Monday, $20 a year and $7/ a day to fish the fly fishing only water.
All I can say is WOW! I know it is just big pellet fed hatchery fish but its sure as hell fun! The biggest fish I landed was a 22" palomino trout, these dudes won't last long, as their yellow color stands out like a sore thumb. You can spot these fish two pools away, and I'm sure the ospreys, and otters can too! They stocked all of the usual pools, bridges, pull offs and what not, with literally hundreds of fish. You can just stand over top of them and watch 20'' to 30'' (no hyperbole here) fish swim around 15' from you. Getting them to eat was a little different story. They have been hammered to death. It took a long down stream drift with 6x tippet and small, tail water nymphs to get them to eat. I was getting them to eat a size 18 red copper john and a # 16 prince. Landing them was another story. I landed plenty of 13"-15" fish. I hooked a number of fish above 25" that I had fun fighting for a while, but I knew, with 6x tippet, I stood a very small chance of putting my hand on one. I got taken to my backing twice! I will definitely try it again and try to go up a tippet size to land one of those hogs.
Brian you will be happy in noticing the fly in the mouth of the palomino trout is none other than a size 4 autumn splendor! On 6x tippet.( Because I did not feel like changing my leader ).
All I can say is WOW! I know it is just big pellet fed hatchery fish but its sure as hell fun! The biggest fish I landed was a 22" palomino trout, these dudes won't last long, as their yellow color stands out like a sore thumb. You can spot these fish two pools away, and I'm sure the ospreys, and otters can too! They stocked all of the usual pools, bridges, pull offs and what not, with literally hundreds of fish. You can just stand over top of them and watch 20'' to 30'' (no hyperbole here) fish swim around 15' from you. Getting them to eat was a little different story. They have been hammered to death. It took a long down stream drift with 6x tippet and small, tail water nymphs to get them to eat. I was getting them to eat a size 18 red copper john and a # 16 prince. Landing them was another story. I landed plenty of 13"-15" fish. I hooked a number of fish above 25" that I had fun fighting for a while, but I knew, with 6x tippet, I stood a very small chance of putting my hand on one. I got taken to my backing twice! I will definitely try it again and try to go up a tippet size to land one of those hogs.
Brian you will be happy in noticing the fly in the mouth of the palomino trout is none other than a size 4 autumn splendor! On 6x tippet.( Because I did not feel like changing my leader ).
