I did not see your request for tips for trout. I am not particularly experienced at the hiwassee, or with tailwater trout, but I can point out what I do know.
First off, and the most important thing you can do, is do ANYTHING you can to avoid spooking fish. Trout are very delicate fish that can spook easily and once spooked they do not bite for a while.
Ways to avoid spooking the fish are
* Wear natural clothing colors that are not out of place in the background(so dont wear hot pink, pure white etc)
* Target fish upstream when possible, so that the trout have a lesser chance of spotting you
* Avoid making noise, so walk and move quietly to avoid them hearing you or detecting you from the sound vibrations(talking should be ok, it is more of the vibrations and sound
you cause by noisy steps, crunching leaves, snapping twigs that you want to avoid)
The second most important thing you can do, is learn to spot locations trout will commonly lie. You could be making the most perfect casts with the most irresistible bait, but if you are fishing in a place without fish, you cannot catch them.
* Learn the different parts of the stream, namely pools, riffles, runs, and how those parts of the stream relate to fish location.
* Learn how fish location changes with a change in water level caused by generation by the powerhouse.
* Become more willing to move your location to where the fish are- there are many places to catch fish from the bank. However if you are willing to do a little hiking, or struggle through some brush, you can reach areas that receive less fishing pressure, and find fish more willing to bite.
* A large amount, probably the majority of trout in the river are either stocked fish, or holdover fish.
Thirdly we come to tips on catching them.
* Trout are more active when there is a active insect hatch, so learning and observing them may help.
* The Hiwassee is a tailwater river, so fish activity is HEAVILY influenced by how much water the powerhouse is generating.
* The best time to fish then, is when water levels are changing, namely when the water level starts off low, and then rises
* A schedule of the expected generation can be found here
https://www.tva.gov/Environment/Lake-Levels/Apalachia
* Currently during this winter season water generation is being done through spilling at the dam, miles upstream of the powerhouse while the powerhouse recieves repairs.
* Generally when the river is receiving water generation pulses, that is a good time to fish.
* Fishing in the morning is probably one of the most productive times, followed by the evening.
* Live bait when available and legal(which they are outside of the delayed harvest) is excellent for catching trout.
* Fake baits with bright colors and smells are also good. Bright oranges, pinks, and charteruese are quite successful.
* There are several methods for presenting baits.
* Suspending the bait under a strike indicator or bobber. Whenever possible try to let the bait drift naturally with the current. Also estimate the depth of the water, and about a
third to 1/2 of that depth in extra line to allow the bait to drift near the bottom.
* Carolina rig some bait. This method can work well and allow multiple lines out at once, however it can run a big risk of being snagged depending on where you present it.
* Also spinners such as panther martins, or rooster tails work well.
* Learn to watch the line VERY carefully for ANY unusual behavior. Trout can be delicate biters, and you will have a large amount of fish take your bait and spit it out before you even noticed. If you can learn to detect bites better, your catch rate will jump. Believe me, a few of the fish I have caught and eaten, had their stomachs STUFFED with artificial bait stolen from fisherman.
* Trout do not usually bite as aggressively as panfish or bass. They bite more delicately like a crappie might.
Final thoughts.
* If possible, avoid treble hooks unless you are dedicated to keeping what you catch. Trout are a more delicate fish, and treble hooks can cause serious commonly fatal damage.
* If doing catch and release, use barbless hooks, or pinch the barb of your hooks with pliers. Usually as long as you keep tension on the fish, you can reel them in just the same, and you would cause much less damage than would be caused by hooks with barbs, increasing the survival rate of that fish.
* Trout are a blast, and sometimes you might hook a fish that makes lots of beautiful jumps and leaps.
* Ask locals and people at reliance fly and tackle for tips. They will usually be more than willing to point you in the right direction.
* hiwassee.net is a great place for information and to ask for tips. Additionally there are people who fish the hiwassee regularly whom might be willing to hook up with you and show you the ropes of the hiwassee and trout fishing.
If you have any questions, just click on my name and send me a message. I would be more than willing to share what knowledge I do have.
