Copyright 2009 James Marsh
Fly Fishing Gear for Laurel Fork Creek Tennessee
Laurel Fork Creek is a small stream that is easy to wade and fairly easy to fish. The wild
trout are mostly browns that average about eight to ten inches long. The browns can go
up to eighteen and larger. There are some brook trout in its upper headwaters. Rainbows
are stocked in its lower sections.
Fly Line:
If you fish the headwater streams for small brook trout, you probably enjoy using a light fly
line to catch them. Certainly you will be using small and most likely, dry flies for the brook
trout. We would say the ideal fly line size would be a 3 weight, floating fly line. There would
be nothing wrong with an even lighter or a 2 weight line. For most of the stream you would
probably want a 4 or 5 weight fly line for most of your dry fly fishing. If you fish heavy
nymphs and small streamers, I would say a 6 weight fly line would deliver most of those
flies better.
Fly Rod:
Assuming you would be fishing for both the larger brown trout and the brook trout in the
headwaters, then I would suggest at least a rod for each the line weight. The length of the
3 weight rod could be anywhere from six and a half feet up to eight in length We think a
slow to moderate action would be best for this one.
The four and/or five weight rods should be between eight and nine feet in length with a
medium action.
If you are fishing nymphs and small streamers, a six weight fly rod that is a little on the stiff
side would handle the nymphs and streamers fine. It should be eight and a half to nine foot
in length in a medium to a medium fast action.
Fly Reel:
The reel for the light line, the 3 weight, isn't important as long as it is light. The reel for the
4 and/or 5 weight lines should have decent drags. The reel for the 6 weight line should
also have a good drag, preferable a disc drag.
Leaders:
You should probably be using at least a seven and one half foot leader on Laurel Fork
Creek. Most of the time you would probably want to go up to nine feet. I would suggest
having them in sizes ranging from 2X for streamers, up to 7X for small midge imitations and
dry flies, in both the 7 and one half and 9 foot lengths.
Tippet:
Make sure you have plenty of extra tippet material in sizes ranging from 2X to 7X.
Waders:
Waders are not absolutely necessary for Laurel Fork Creek but we would recommend
them. You can wet wade the stream during the summer and you would not have to use
them at that time. You can reach most all of the water from the banks but tree limbs make
that difficult in most places.
Wading Boots:
Much of the bottom is either gravel, sand or rock. You would not want cleats. Felt soles are
the best. We are testing the new rubber soles out and have no comment about them at
this time.
Trout Flies:
We recommend our "Perfect Flies" over any of the generics. We have specific imitations of
everything that hatches on Laurel Fork Creek. If you haven't done so already, please give
them a try. You will be glad you did.
Laurel Fork Creek is a small stream that is easy to wade and fairly easy to fish. The wild
trout are mostly browns that average about eight to ten inches long. The browns can go
up to eighteen and larger. There are some brook trout in its upper headwaters. Rainbows
are stocked in its lower sections.
Fly Line:
If you fish the headwater streams for small brook trout, you probably enjoy using a light fly
line to catch them. Certainly you will be using small and most likely, dry flies for the brook
trout. We would say the ideal fly line size would be a 3 weight, floating fly line. There would
be nothing wrong with an even lighter or a 2 weight line. For most of the stream you would
probably want a 4 or 5 weight fly line for most of your dry fly fishing. If you fish heavy
nymphs and small streamers, I would say a 6 weight fly line would deliver most of those
flies better.
Fly Rod:
Assuming you would be fishing for both the larger brown trout and the brook trout in the
headwaters, then I would suggest at least a rod for each the line weight. The length of the
3 weight rod could be anywhere from six and a half feet up to eight in length We think a
slow to moderate action would be best for this one.
The four and/or five weight rods should be between eight and nine feet in length with a
medium action.
If you are fishing nymphs and small streamers, a six weight fly rod that is a little on the stiff
side would handle the nymphs and streamers fine. It should be eight and a half to nine foot
in length in a medium to a medium fast action.
Fly Reel:
The reel for the light line, the 3 weight, isn't important as long as it is light. The reel for the
4 and/or 5 weight lines should have decent drags. The reel for the 6 weight line should
also have a good drag, preferable a disc drag.
Leaders:
You should probably be using at least a seven and one half foot leader on Laurel Fork
Creek. Most of the time you would probably want to go up to nine feet. I would suggest
having them in sizes ranging from 2X for streamers, up to 7X for small midge imitations and
dry flies, in both the 7 and one half and 9 foot lengths.
Tippet:
Make sure you have plenty of extra tippet material in sizes ranging from 2X to 7X.
Waders:
Waders are not absolutely necessary for Laurel Fork Creek but we would recommend
them. You can wet wade the stream during the summer and you would not have to use
them at that time. You can reach most all of the water from the banks but tree limbs make
that difficult in most places.
Wading Boots:
Much of the bottom is either gravel, sand or rock. You would not want cleats. Felt soles are
the best. We are testing the new rubber soles out and have no comment about them at
this time.
Trout Flies:
We recommend our "Perfect Flies" over any of the generics. We have specific imitations of
everything that hatches on Laurel Fork Creek. If you haven't done so already, please give
them a try. You will be glad you did.
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Laurel Fork Creek Tennessee