history of southern trout fishing Craig is a treasure of fly-fishingfor-trout knowledge on the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. While he prefers to keep his fly pattern selection ultra simple, he has several recommendations he knows will consistently produce trout in these waters at certain times of the year. One favorite are the well-known Thunderhead and the Chocolate Thunderhead, which in his opinion differ little from a Adams Wulff. The latter is particularly effective during May and June. Another fly pattern recommended by Craig is the Elk Wing Hopper, a high riding imitation of the grasshoppers common to the region and relished by trout and bass in these streams. The secret to making a highly deadly Elk Wing Hopper is dressing its flanks with a speckled feather from a bronzecolored, domestic turkey. Extremely rare, such matched speckled feathers are his most prized fly tying material. The Orange Palmer is another fly pattern Craig recommends anglers carry when visiting the streams of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A highly efficient imitation of the orange-colored caddis flies common to these waters, the Orange Palmer is a simplistic pattern that Craig says came about around 25 years ago. He is not certain, but he strongly believes the Orange Palmer pattern originated in the hollows of Haywood County. Craig also likes the Tellico Nymph for mimicking emerging caddis pupa, but believes nothing tops the old fashion Stickbait Nymph for this chore. He ties his from a special latex material he has located that perfectly matches the dingy, yellowishwhite color of these highly sought after trout foods. Being a longtime angler, Craig is quick to point out that nothing ever whipped onto
a hook by fly tier can ever hope to produce as well as the real thing: soft, pulpy stickbait The Green Inchworm is another pattern highly recommended by Craig. These, along with a Sourwood Worm fly he created at the request of his son, Kevin, are deadly for taking trout during the late spring and summer months. When asked about the older patterns found used over the years in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Craig was quick to point that while the Yallarhammar may be one of the oldest patterns here, its trout catching magic is overrated. “A lot of the local fly fishermen swear by the Yallarhammar, but I can name a dozen fly patterns that will out-produce this old timey pattern. In fact, the best way to catch trout on a Yallarhammar is to put stickbait on it!�
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