S7, Ep 14: The Streamer Playbook: Tips and Tactics for Targeting Big Trout in East Tennessee with Ellis Ward

Marvin Cash
00:00:00

Hey folks, it's Marvin Cash, the host of the Articulate Fly. We're back with another East Tennessee fishing report with Ellis Ward.

Ellis, how are you doing?

Ellis Ward
00:00:13

Pretty good, Marv. How are you?

Marvin Cash
00:00:14

As always? I'm just trying to stay out of trouble. And you've got to be super stoked that it's going to basically rain all this week.

Ellis Ward
00:00:21

Yeah, I am and I have a number of trips with like minded individuals. So. Kid in a candy store.

Marvin Cash
00:00:34

Yeah. And I think it's going to be probably not a lot of blue winged action, but probably some really great streamer fishing. Right?

Ellis Ward
00:00:41

Yeah. I'm already being picky about which rabbit hole I'm going to decide to dive down.

I'll stay away from the drive wise right now because haven't been seen as many as. Look at me already going down it. Haven't been seen as many as I, I would have been expecting to on a few different days on both rivers.

But streamer fishing's been awesome and you know, kind of the same deal we were talking about last time, which is you have these really tough bite windows and I do realize it just said it's been awesome.

You have these tough bite windows that open up and close somewhat definitively but when you're, when you're in them, when you're seeing fish, it's somewhat rare that they're rolling or that you're getting flashes or that you're seeing, you know, rolling or flashing and definitely eats from fish under. And this isn't a, you know, guide's estimate. This is just, it's, it's a, it's a strange time of year.

You're, you're not seeing this from fish under 16 and we're regularly getting shots in the 20 to you know, I, I start to hesitate a little bit saying 24. The, the two foot mark because it's as much as you'll hear that thrown around especially on the, the tail waters. It's a two foot trout.

It's just, it's a big animal but it's, it's. Every trip is we're getting an opportunity at it and, and we're not.

I don't use that word opportunity as in, you know, you saw it and it was following.

It's, they're crushing the fly and one of the reasons that it's hard to, to boat those fish and one of the reasons why it's so special to do it is especially on a streamer, it's, it's so visual and you'll see them roll out on it, shark it for a second. You gotta keep it together, which is, is hard to do. And, and even after that happens and you do everything right. I haven't said this in a while.

They don't have teeth like muskie or pike. They don't flare their gills like bass do. They open their mouth and run into stuff and then eat it.

So what that translates to is a very hard and bony mouth and not an eat that. You know, you, you watch a, a tarpon or a largemouth or, or you know, most other fish just, oh, it's gone.

And then you set the hook because their mouth is closed, they run into it sideways and you need to time your strip set and you have to strip set. There's no rod lift.

So all, all of that means that it's a, it's a really low percentage game even when you get the opportunity and you know, it's, it's, it's cool to see.

I've had a handful of trips that we've landed nice fish and you know, this is, it's the payoff of sticking to my guns and, and having the right people find me and finding the right people and you know, the word of mouth process and all that. Not fighting the SEO battle just to get trips with, with anyone looking to, to fish using the river names here.

So it's, it's guys that, you know, we're getting these shots and we're not, we don't end up with the fish in the boat. We don't end up with the grip and grin and I just got goosebumps. I'm talking with the guys that night.

You know, we're texting over the course of the next week and they got the next trip booked and because you, you climb the ladder and as a recent client said, you hit every rung on it and just work your way out there and, and start seeing the, the pay dirt for the work that you put in and you, you'll stumble into a big fish every now and again.

And it happens with all fishing that sometimes you just, you get a nice one and it gets in the net and maybe it was before you, you hit all those rungs, but most of the time with streamer fishing, it's you, you got to work your way up there and, and even when you get there, it's, you still have to do everything right. So yeah, I'm excited for this week and we, we have a whole mess of rain so that's gonna tweak some musky plans that I did have.

But again, the, you know, great part of this time of year is going out fishing for brown trout. Some of these days it's, it's a lot of work without a whole lot of feedback. And then when you do get it, it's a big fish eating hard.

So it's not a bad second place.

Marvin Cash
00:06:31

There you go.

And got a question for you from Steven Spigler and he wanted to know when you're going to get into the design game so folks can start buying Ellis Ward rides and lines.

Ellis Ward
00:06:43

Sure. Well, Stephen, I think that the first thing I'm going to, to dive into with design is going to be apparel. So rain jackets primarily.

And stepping down from that, probably some sort of waterproof glove and I don't know, maybe like hand warmers, water bottles, barf bags, things that anglers can take out on, on a boat if they need them. But, but somewhat more seriously, I, I think about this question a lot.

And Marv, you and I were talking before press and record about a number of things and it's just, you know, which rabbit hole do I want to go down? And most days between family and tying and bucktail and fishing and guiding, I'm hard pressed to get five or six hours of sleep.

So, you know, all that said, I, I don't deal well with complacency. So I think there is a, an avenue in the progression of my career that will certainly touch gear design.

And having gone through the lines and the rods and actually now seriously, the apparel, there are a lot of specific things to. You call it streamer fishing, but muskie fishing.

A lot of the demands are the same for, for rods and lines that, that I think, you know, guys like the Wolf Rod company have, I mean, the, the Dave has just hit the nail on the head with, with some of the rods, you know, the 11 and 12 weight in particular, but just these, these really intricate things that unless you're going out and sure, this line can cast well and retrieve well and all that for, for dozens of days a year. What about hundreds of days per year? And same with the rods. It's, you know, what's, what's the performance like over this, that and the other.

And what does it do in a drift boat versus waiting? And yeah, so I, I, I haven't taken steps there. It's, it's something that when I do, like everything else, it'll be full tilt.

And I don't anticipate that happening in the next, you know, year or two. But patience is the name of the game.

So until then, I'm accumulating a massive amount of data and experience using different stuff and you know, hope working with a company or companies in the future, you know, I, I can benefit them and, and anglers who, who deal with a lot of this, I'm not going to say frustration, but there's, there's not a perfect answer for every situation and it'll be, it'll be fun to help that, help get towards that in the future.

Marvin Cash
00:10:24

Yeah. And in all fairness, you know, you, your love affair with Borax hasn't run its course yet.

Ellis Ward
00:10:31

No, it hasn't. And look, man, since day one, I'm 100% serious about this. I was blocked by La Z Boy on Instagram.

I think they thought I was trolling them or spamming them. I was tagging them so frequently with the hopes of doing some sort of co branded opportunity which it still cracks me up.

But yeah, I mean a partnership with Borax or having Tapatio or Cholula like a, like nascar. I'm talking about getting decals on the boat, buddy.

Marvin Cash
00:11:11

You know, there you go. Well, you know folks, we, we love questions on the articulate fly. You can email them to me or DM me on social media, whatever is easiest for you.

And if we use your question, I will send you some articulate fly swag and you're drawing for some cool stuff from Ellis at the end of the season.

And you know, Ellis following up on that, you want to let folks know, you know, it's early February and depending on where you are, you may be able to fish, but you may have a better time. Time flies. You want to let folks know kind of the status of Bucktail and all that kind of good stuff.

Ellis Ward
00:11:42

Yeah. So Bucktail is available@elliswardflies.com I'm going to be doing a bit of a, you know, batch, batch two. Really.

There's some up there now, but I'm, I'm going to close it down over the next few days and then we'll reopen it.

And best way to, to stay in touch there is to sign up for the email newsletter on my website@ellisward flies.com just to repeat that for tripping, for trip booking information or just general questions about trips, fishing, etc. Best way to reach out is my Cell phone at 513-543-0019 and you can stay in touch as well on Instagram s wordguides.

Marvin Cash
00:12:36

There you go. And just a reminder folks, join our community that we host on Patreon.

You got two opportunities One's a discount on Bucktail with Ellis, and the other is a guide credit with Ellis.

And also too, while we're in the public service announcement business, remember folks, that the butcher shop first episode here is going to probably drop in a couple weeks. It's a new predator fly only podcast we're putting together. You can find it anywhere that you find your podcast.

I would subscribe now so you don't miss the early episodes. But the first three guests out of the gate are going to be Blaine Chocolate, Tommy lynch, and Russ Madden. So super excited for that, dude.

Ellis Ward
00:13:14

I'm excited. I'm excited you've gotten to talk to all these guys, too. You know, I'm not gonna drool over. Be a fanboy too much, but these, these guys are.

They're good people. And I. I know now firsthand a little bit of a fraction of what it took to sort of bring some of this stuff into the public domain.

And it's even cooler that you're. You're bringing it further.

Marvin Cash
00:13:46

Yeah, I'm excited and you know, just kind of building on that, folks, you know, I was at Bob in the Hood last weekend, and, you know, if you like what Alice and I talk about, if you're into the streamer game, you know, I know the dates are going to be January 31st and February 1st of 2026. An amazing. The Schultz outfitter guys do a great job. But I mean, if you're into this, it is literally like going to Woodstock.

So I would pencil that into your calendar, maybe make plan for 2026.

Ellis Ward
00:14:14

It's in mine.

Marvin Cash
00:14:16

Yeah, there you go. Well, listen, folks, you know, if it's warm where you are and you can fish, get out there and catch a few, you know, otherwise, tie a few flies.

Or if you've got a fly fishing show near you, go check it out. Tight lines, everybody. Tight lines, Ellis.

Ellis Ward
00:14:29

Appreciate it, Marv.