Fly Fishing Guide Shares Secrets, Stories And Good Food

BLUFF CITY, Tenn. – Mike Adams fits the prototype of a fishing guide.

The 61-year-old Johnson City resident has an easy-going nature, a clever sense of humor and a boat load of experience. In fact, the adventures began for Adams at age 2, when he snared a catfish on the Coosa River in Alabama.

“That was my first fish, and I’ve still got the picture,” Adams said. “I don’t remember exactly how big it was, but I can truthfully say that I’ve caught a fish that was longer than my leg.”

Adams has accumulated many fish stories since then. For the past years 12 years, he has ruled the tail waters and streams across Southwest Virginia, Northeast Tennessee and western North Carolina.

“Honestly, I started planning on being a guide when I was only 12,” Adams said. “I just feel in love with fly fishing, and I’ve loved it ever since.”

Fly fishermen of all ages listened and learned from Adams earlier this month during the South Holston Fly Fishing fest at River’s Way Outdoor Adventure Center. To Adams, the large turnout was another indication that fishermen will find a way to feed their fever, no matter how harsh the economic climate.

“The retail end of the outdoors business may be hurting a little, but my guide service has been unreal this year,” Adams said. “I’ve been going out on the water with folks five days a week.”

Adams has hosted clients from throughout the Southeast and beyond. The lure might be tasty trout, but the real fun is simply being in the serene hills and bountiful waters of the Mountain Empire.

“That’s my office,” Adams said, pointing to his boat. “I’ve had some pretty high impact people go out on trips with me, but really they are just regular folks wanting to get away from the pressures in life.”

Adams earned his right to work on the water. For three decades, he canvassed the country handling challenging technical duties with various communications companies.

“Yeah, I had a real job at one time,” Adams said. “I traveled to 24 states total, and did a little bit of everything.”

Adams lived five years in Wyoming and 13 years in Arizona before settling in Northeast Tennessee with his wife in 1997.
The guiding business has become competitive, but Adams knows all aspects of his secretive game.

“I’m the oldest guide around working full-time,” said Adams, who has been tying flies commercially since 1995. “The [guiding] business is competitive, but we’re kind of like bottom feeders. We just feed off of each other.”

In addition to South Holston and Watauga Lake, Adams offers float trips on Caney Fork River in Cumberland County, Tenn.

Ken Parham, 62, recently joined Adams on a successful two-day trip down the Caney, which is located in the Cookeville area. Parham and Adams released all the fish they caught.

“I bet we caught 75 fish the first day that were anywhere from 7-12 inches,” said Parham, who lives in Piney Flats, Tenn. “We caught a huge number of brown trout that were 15 inches and bigger the second day.”

The prized catch for Parham was a 19-inch rainbow trout weighing nearly three pounds.

“It took two hands just to hold that fish,” Parham said. “Boy, it was just great fishing down there.”

Like many outdoorsmen who crave a challenge that tests the mind and body, Parham made a gradual transition to the art of fly fishing.

“I used to bass fish and crappie fish, then I got turned on to fly fishing and I haven’t looked back. It’s just a great sport,” Parham said.

Parham said one of the best parts of his outing with Adams came at dinner time.

“We had ribeye steak,” Parham said. “Mike has the best food on the river, and he’s just a great guide. Mike has guided all over the country, and he certainly knows all these rivers around here.”

Adams claims a return rate of 85 percent with his customers.

“I get new clients, but a lot of them are introduced by people who have fished with me before,” Adams said. “And we still get people who hear about us from the Internet.”

No matter his fishing partner or the lake, Adams said he enjoys pursuing his passion.

“My dad started me out fishing when I was just a little bitty thing. Actually, I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t fishing,” Adams said.

And Adams has no plans to slow down in his busy role as host, guide and teacher.

“I ain’t dead yet,” Adams said.

agregory@bristolnews.com|(276) 645-2544

Who: Mike Adams

What: Fly Fishing Outfitter

Phone: (423) 538-0121 or (423) 741-4789

On The Net: www.adamsflyfishing.com

Notes: Adams is a member of the conservation group, Trout Unlimited.