To all the Southeastern anglers out there: Here is a brief early fall update for you. We are in the midst of what I call the “Best of Both Worlds.” The guides are finishing up our Cumberland River trips for the season soon, and we have already begun our fall season on the Hiwassee River in Reliance, Tennessee.

What a season we have had in Burkesville, Kentucky, on the Cumberland River! With only a few exceptions, the weather there has cooperated and given us the perfect flow for the summer. Always remember, for tailwater fly fishing, that the weather and hatches may be important considerations, but river flows and being in the right place at the right time to take advantage of those flows are most important. Our guides know how to do that.

If you are a serious fly fisherman in the Southeast, you should make this pilgrimage to fish with us next season. It is the highest-quality trout fishing available to us without getting on an airplane. I was reminded by a regular client yesterday that the Cumberland River is the “best-kept secret in the trout world.” Tic and Garner have really taken the experience up a notch, too.

The good news keeps on going. We have opened up fall operations on the Hiwassee River a couple of weeks earlier than in the last few years. A combination of factors has made this happen.

First, we had a slightly dry midsummer. The dry spell in June and July prompted TVA to reduce late-afternoon flows on the river. This conserved our cold water in the reservoir and spread it out through August and September, when we have previously been getting warmer conditions on the tailwater.

Secondly, this increases holdover and helps fish respond sooner in October, when the ambient temperatures start to cool things down for the season. That has also happened. The nighttime temperatures in both Murphy and Reliance have been several degrees cooler for a few weeks now, and it makes a difference.

The Hiwassee River is one of just a few trout tailwaters in the Southeast with a delayed-harvest season. The DH is on schedule this year and started on October 1. This is the beginning of our favorite time of year on the Hiwassee. Most of the recreational boaters are gone, and the river once again belongs to the drift boats and fly fishermen.

As always, call me at 770-655-9210 or shoot me an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and let's go fishing.