~ Smoky Mountains On The Fly ~ April Hatch Report   Primary Hatch Blue Winged Olive #16-22 Hendrickson # 14-16 March Brown # 14 Dark Brown /Black Caddis #12-14 Blue Dun # 14-16 Red Quill # 12-14 Quill Gordon # 12-14       Suggested Terrestrials  Early season Hoppers #10-12 Lady Bug # 14-16 Yellow Jacket or Bee # 10 Ants black-brown and red # 16-18               Suggested Dry Fly's Para Adams #12-14 Gray Hackle #12-14 B.W.O Parachute #14-18 Elk Hair Caddis #12-16 Blue Dun #12-14 Quill Gordon #12-14  Yellow Palmer #12-14 Thunder Head #12-16             Suggested Streamers B.H. Black Woolly Bugger #8-12 B.H. Olive Woolly Bugger #8-12 Black Nose Dace #8-12 Muddler Minnow #6-8 Black Ghost #10-12 Grey Ghost #10-12 Black & White skunk #8-12 Yellow & Black Skunk #8-12 Black Girdle Bug # 8-12           Suggested Dry Attractors Royal Wulff #12-14 Royal Coachmen #12-14 Orange Palmer #12-14 Yellow Palmer #12-14 Elk & CDC #12-16 Pheasant Tail Emerger #14-18 Stimulator #12-16 Mint/Olive Stimulator #12-14      You just never know when one will strike!        Suggested Nymphs Prince Nymph #10-18 Secret Weapon #10-18 Zug Bug #10-18 Golden Stone #6-14 Hares Ear Tan/Olive #14-18 Tellico #10-14 Kauffman Stone #8-14 B.H. Pheasant Tail #10-20 Hellgrammite #8-10 Horse Hair Nymph #8-10 Z-wing Caddis #12-16 Stick Bait #10-16   "When you bait your hook with your heart, the fish always bite!" John Burroughs ~ Tips ~ Spring has arrived and some great hatches are on the way with Caddis ,Hendrickson's and March browns, being the predominant insect species you will encounter. There is a fair amount of terrestial activity taking place as well, you will notice small early season hoppers and yellow jackets floundering around the waters edge. So don't be afraid to give these a try as well. The least that can happen is you will catch some nice fish that might not otherwise be caught. This time of year is the start to some great dry fly fishing action, which happens to be the favorite method of most fly fishermen/women especially after a long winter of cabin fever. A good tactic to employ is the setup of a dropper-rig (check local regulations first). To setup a dropper-rig you should start with a large bouyant dry fly attached to the leader then tie a length of 5x or 6x tippet about 18 to 24 inches in length to the bend of the dry fly with a improved clinch knot, then at the end of the tippet you should tie on a small nymph to finnish the set up. With this setup you can cover more of the available water column and improve your chances of succes you will find you may catch most of the fish on the dropper fly. Watch for the dry fly to be pulled under and strike when it is. This will maximize an anglers success on the streams. Nymphs will be more productive in the mornings and evenings unless you get into the hatch. Hatch times move towards the mid day / later evening around 4 o'clock or so. Till next month, Slippery rocks, broken tippets, lost flies and big browns. Willie Cope These are suggested patterns for fly fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains area and should give the angler a good start to catching some fine mountain trout