The cold water discharges from the dam create a habitat for brown trout that the NCWRC stocks every year. Catawba River Tailrace: I now do float trips to fish this great brown trou The Pisgah National Forest surrounds Asheville and lies in 14 surrounding North Carolina counties. After the spawn is over the water temperatures start to warm and the fish start chasing baitfish. In the spring these lakes warm up faster than the deep man made lakes in the piedmont and mountain region so the prespawn bite on these lakes occur here before any other lake in the state. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 6 h 15 min to complete. There were lots of laughs and good times had on the lake. The fishing is great from the time we put on to the end and there is always potential to catch a trophy brown trout. Always be willing to might slight changes especially when it comes to getting your flies down in the water column. If you like brown trout you will love the Catawba! Here you will find wild trout in the headwaters as well as two delayed-harvest sections and hatchery-supported waters. This is where we will hike into a backcountry creek and dry fly fish all day for rising trout. This time of the year is an excellent time to catch your personal best river smallmouth before they start to spawn. This stretch has long, deep holes that hold good populations of bass in the summertime moving upstream from the lake looking for those cooler river temperatures. You cant beat that in late August. The lake is home to many different fish species but the largemouth bass is most sought after. We welcome beginners and seasoned anglers. Normally a half of inch of rain in an isolated area is going to cause the creeks and rivers to present high water conditions. Thats fishing though! If float fishing isnt your thing then we got some excellent wade fishing opportunities chasing stocked and wild trout. I also want to thank him for the clients he allows me to fish with because its a cool experience getting to show people the fisheries I have grown up on and fished my whole life. To champion a project in your community Fly fishing the upper Catawba River in North Carolina. We had a great day fishing a one unit release. We were fortunate to hit this local creek after a cold front came through and cooled the water down to a desired level. Consider visiting during the week to avoid weekenders if youre coming from out of town. These fish are less pressured and more willing to eat during this time. You wont be able to put-in or takeout there so just a heads up. Challenge: In order to catch these fish you must get good presentations with drag free drifts. With over 15 miles of trout water and very little public access float fishing is your best bet. The temperature reading on my truck this morning said it was 57 degrees outside. These fish thrive in cold mountain creeks that can only be reached by foot. Right after that first pop will tell you a lot. God has given us the passion for fly fishing, and if we can use that as an outlet to become a friend to fatherless children then that is a beautiful thing. What a wonderful summer it has been! Bigger isnt always better. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 22 inch brown trout caught by Jim Muse. Its hard to beat catching smallmouth on top water bugs. Book your trip today! Thanks for reading our report. We offer different kayak types and river tubes to use on the scenic & historic Catawba River, South Fork River, or one of the area lakes! Smallmouth start chasing during this time and there is no better time to throw moving baits. We catch some of the bigger, smarter fish that survive the influx of people during the wintertime. Chartreuse on the sunny days and black on the overcast days. This was an innovative approach to a complex challenge, and our team, including the project Owner and HDR Engineering, has done an outstanding job of navigating the engineering, construction, environmental, and regulatory variables with this project, said Scott Shipley, S2O Design president and former kayak Olympian. Below we will go through what each of these methods mean. Weve had a lot of fun catching prespawn smallmouth, but their is nothing better than the post spawn smallmouth fishing in May. . The bigger bugs such as caddis, cahills, hendricksons, quill gordons, stoneflies, and sulphurs begin to make their arrival in the spring so there are plenty of insects for the trout to eat. Use heavier tippet: The potential to catch a big fish is always a possibility in high water so its a good idea to bump up in tippet size to give you that extra assurance to land the big one. As part of the recent Catawba River Agreement and FERC re-licensing of the Catawba River for hydropower, a multi-million-dollar effort was launched to return water to the river for new recreational opportunities and to restore aquatic life and lowland habitat downstream of the dam. Fish over 10 pounds have been caught in Jordan Reservoir. Ive got a feeling rainbow trout streamer patterns are going to catch some big fish over the next few years down there. Catawba River Tailrace Kayak Fishing - YouTube 0:00 / 4:25 Catawba River Tailrace Kayak Fishing 635 views Mar 13, 2017 3 Dislike Share Save Fishing RN 1 subscriber Catawba River. You want to look for moving water with white bubbles close to structure. Caddis & stoneflies are the name of the game right now. The rivers width makes it ideal for float fishing, so a drift boat will be a helpful. The closest fishing to Asheville is the French Broad River. We thank everyone who has trusted us over the years for making this passion a career. We did hook into a nice holdover brown on the lower end of the float, but it got off at the boat. However, in the first few hundred yards of clear water, Muddy Creek was living up to its name. To learn more about the smallmouth fishing around Asheville click the learn more link at the bottom of this page. During this time the leaves are changing colors and most people are occupying the trout streams again. United States. In Chester County, S.C. near the North and South Carolina borderan hour's drive south of the U.S. National Whitewater Center in . We threw a lot of smaller black streamers to mimic the stoneflies and hellgramites in the river so Lisa did a good job of slowly fishing the streamers. Using poppers to catch river smallmouth is by far the most exciting way to fly fish. If the bigger chubby is scaring fish when it lands on the water then put on some sort of parachute adams or caddis. Lisa and I chased red breasted sunfish, trout, and smallmouth on a local fishery and we managed to catch close to 20 fish on the fly rod. It only takes a few years for the stocked fish to become classified as trophy fish. These fish will test your drag, jump, and then tail slap water at you when you release them. Remember to still use light tippet this time of year. All the delayed harvest waters across western North Carolina have received their first stocking of the year. We are finally starting to see some normal May temperatures so midday fishing should get better with these cooler nights and rain. Some of the best fly fishing is within a short drive of Asheville, North Carolina. Normally your best fishing will be 7am to 11am so weve been out there early this month. Here you wont find the crowds like you do on the tailwaters in East Tennessee or the Tuck. If you are looking to float a tailwater without the boat traffic give the Catawba Tailrace a try sometime between November and June. This male brown trout was caught on October 19th. Water data back to 1895 are available online. I think its going to be a dry month so finding creeks and rivers with the most water in it will be key. If you dont have enough weight then you will drift over the fish without any bites. Thanks for taking the time to read our post. Give us a call to experience the best trout fishing of the year in western NC. The river flows into northern South Carolina, passing Rock Hill, through Fishing Creek Reservoir near Great Falls, and into the Lake Wateree reservoir, approximately 30 miles (50 km) northeast of Columbia. If you are looking to catch these fish find a creek above 3,000 feet and go explore it. S2O Design also commends American Whitewater, who represented paddling interests across the basin during the FERC relicensing process and was responsible for spearheading the effort to open up this reach of the Catawba River to boating. The Catawba Angler, 750 Ebenezer Church Road, Old Fort, NC, 28762, United States, Spring Trout Fishing in Western North Carolina. Lake James is home to some of the biggest smallmouth bass in the state. Trail Manager. If you are new to fly fishing and want to have a fun day of learning and catching a bunch of fish then now is the best time to go. The French Broad River is hands down the best smallmouth river in North Carolina. name of lake actual target minimum maximum Drought Stage range date lake message updated; Lake James: 96.1: 95.1: 92.6: 100: ND. I had the pleasure of taking my best friend fly fishing for the first time and we had an excellent day dry fly fishing and running nymphs under an indicator. These trips are fun because we can post up on fish and use different tactics to catch them. We promise you the best fishing trip in western North Carolina. 7 days 30 days 1 year Change time span Current conditions of DISCHARGE, GAGE HEIGHT, and STREAM WATER LEVEL ELEVATION ABOVE NAVD 1988 are available. The best fishing of the year is upon us so dont hesitate to contact us. Check out some of our best catches below from March, April, and May. Because of the lack of access and the need for a drift boat, a lot of people default to hiring a local guide, but youre not stuck with that option, thanks to our handy guide. An official website of the United States government. None: Lake Rhodhiss: 98.0: 97: 94: 100: ND . The weather was ideal with it being cloudy and mid 50s. The fish are wild and beautiful. Current conditions of DISCHARGE, GAGE HEIGHT, and STREAM WATER LEVEL ELEVATION ABOVE NAVD 1988 are available. Fall time anywhere from the second week of September to the end of October is when you can plan on catching your trophy smallmouth out of the river. then its best to move to the next plunge pool. You will leave feeing like youve just spent the day with an old friend. The best trout fishing is hands down the Catawba Tailrace if you enjoy throwing bigger nymphs and streamers. Focus your attention on the slack seam lines to the right or left of the fast water. These trout are not stocked and naturally reproduce in the cold water coming off the highest mountain peaks in the east. Fly fishing in the Spring is hands down the best time to trout fish in North Carolina. We havent had consistent weather since early June so weve had to keep a constant eye on the weather. Recreation Information Check Lake Levels Flow Releases Lake & Shoreline Management Flow Arrival and Recession Times Water Access Alerts Boat ramp closures in effect due to drought conditions, high water or maintenance. Pop Em: Normally the best time to pop poppers is early morning and late evening when the sun is low. Fish arent leader shy in high water. United States. If its dragging its lagging. If you want to chase these bigger fish using large nymphs and streamers then this trip is for you. The bass below hit a popper after we stalked it for a few minutes eating mayflies in less than 2 foot of water. If a wild fish comes up and eats your fly and you set the hook and miss. There might not be a lot of fish biting in the summer because of the warmer temps and the lower water levels, but throughout the rest of the year, people have pretty good luck. The Catawba Tailrace is slowly starting to fish better and better. Below is a fish we caught dead drifting a popper right off the bank by a fallen down tree. Catawba River Canoe Map The Catawba River begins in the foothills of North Carolina and flows for more than 200 miles through the Piedmont of North Carolina. The best fishing is below Waterville dam and into East Tennessee. Wild trout fishing will only get better as the temps warm and we will fish the wild trout streams well into June. Brown trout are elusive and considered one of the most difficult trout species to catch. The best colors to use are black and white. The Southern Appalachian Brook Trout is our native fish here in North Carolina. One way to catch more fish in an unfamiliar river system is to find out what forage is in the river whether it be bugs, minnows, or crayfish and start there. North Carolina offers some of the best fly fishing in the country. Construction on the Great Falls-Dearborn Diversion Bypass began in the spring of 2021 and is expected to be completed by fall 2022. Lake Mattamuskeet is the most well known lake in North Carolina since its the largest natural lake in the state. Whenever you can catch the water clear on the Tailrace from November to May you need to be on it. As water temperature goes up so does the smallmouths metabolism. The Catawba Angler offers guided fly fishing trips around Asheville for these beautiful trout. Weve been fortunate to catch some really nice trout on the Catawba River this year. This is our best fishery from November to the end of May. Hydroelectric plants can be started quickly to provide electricity when demand is high. Tiger trout are extremely rare in North Carolina. Dead drifting these big bugs is very similar to drifting flies to tailwater trout. The lakes that make up the Catawba River Chain are Lake James, Lake Rhodiss, Lake Hickory, Lookout Shoals Lake, Lake Norman, and Lake Wylie. After the first weekend of June fishing wont be great on the Delayed Harvest stretches because on June 4th anglers can harvest the fish. This healthy brown trout took a stonefly during no generation. Its good to see at least one brown in that stretch. 20 inch brown trout caught by Chris Snyder. Fly fishing is the preferred method for casting smaller flies to these eager fish. The fish are spooky after seeing a lot of pressure on the weekends. Ryan and Mike have been fishing with me the last couple of years and I enjoy fishing with them because they like to get after it. There are a lot of hatches going on throughout the day and it makes for some good dry fly fishing. Anglers have to be prepared to fish in any condition. His smile says it all. You can purchase a North Carolina state fishing license and learn about the most current regulations through the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. If you dont get an immediate response we will respond as soon as we get off the water so please bear with us. Learn More The fall trout fishing in western North Carolina is something every fly angler should experience. Spring trout fishing means higher water flows which can offer some excellent streamer fishing opportunities on the bigger tailwaters in North Carolina. North Carolina is a fly fishing destination itself, but this river is one of the most popular choices. I want to thank my savior Jesus Christ for creating these wonderful fisheries and beautiful places that I get the opportunity to work in every day! After an intense fight we netted the fish and it was nothing but smiles the rest of the day. Early Spring which runs from March to the beginning of April is the pre-spawn period. Its versatile. The Catawba Tailrace is one of the best tailwater trout fisheries in North Carolina. The USGS stream gauge at Pleasant Gardens, NC provide a good indication of current conditions in the upper Catawba River. Trying throwing some smaller profile flies to match the hatch. The fishing is fantastic and the scenery is second to none. The majority of smallmouth in our stretches of water will be in just a few holes. Sometime between November and June give the Catawba temperature goes up so does the metabolism... 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