There are different ways to fish a popper: Dead Drift Em, Pop Em, Twitch Em. The Catawba Angler specializes in guiding on the catawba tailrace and offers full day float trips for $350. This was the best method during the morning then we switched to midges midday and had some good success fishing then under a dry. Caddis & stoneflies are the name of the game right now. This is when we head to the hills to chase wild fish where the water temperatures are lower and there isnt a ton of fishing pressure. The cold water discharges from the dam create a habitat for brown trout that the NCWRC stocks every year. Successful anglers recognize how fish behavior changes during different weather conditions and adapt their fly selection and presentation. View. Just minutes from I-40 and easily accessed from Hendersonville and Asheville, this river is a prime spot for a day trip or a weekend getaway. The Catawba River in western North Carolina is a diverse trout fishery that includes wild brook trout in its headwaters to trophy brown trout in the tailwater below Lake James. The USGS stream gauge at Pleasant Gardens, NC provide a good indication of current conditions in the upper Catawba River. We promise you the best fishing trip in western North Carolina. The areas along I-40 are expanding with increased access and parking, so it is likely that we will update this information in the future with additional options for fishing locations on the Catawba River. ! The Pigeon River is a trophy smallmouth river. We were able to fish the Catawba Tailrace after having to reschedule due to weather. The best midge colors have been black, brown, and olive. Every beginner needs to be put in challenging circumstances because how can you truly appreciate the sport if you never have to work hard to catch a fish? . We were fortunate to run a few trout fishing trips after rainstorms because the water temperatures were in a suitable range for the fish. We mainly nymph fish this section with an indicator using stonefly patterns, and smaller jig head nymphs as dropper flies. Bennett Jordan and his dad make their annual outing to the mountains every year and Im fortunate enough to take them fishing each year. I good way to fish these smaller midges is to use a size 14 chubby chernobyl as the indicator. If you like brown trout you will love the Catawba! Ive got a feeling rainbow trout streamer patterns are going to catch some big fish over the next few years down there. This is our best fishery from November to the end of May. Fall fishing is special because you are likely to experience some excellent dry fly fishing, nymphing, and streamer fishing all in the same day. Catawba Kayak Co. We are a kayak rental company and will meet you at one of our pre mapped-out drop-off points. There are more wild rainbow trout in the wild trout streams than any other species. The wild fish are more challenging to catch but we trick a bunch into eating dry flies. then its best to move to the next plunge pool. The best success on Curtis Creek has been a brown midge. 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. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the With this guide, youll have all the information that you need to plan your own perfect getaway to the Catawba River. This report is going to be a little different in the sense that I am going to report on each trip and then give you the outlook for that fishery over the next month. Black stonefly nymphs are excellent flies to use on the Catawba Tailrace. We are thirty days away from the end of summer (September 22). Our favorite time to fish the tailrace is from October to May. Brown trout are at the top of every anglers list. The Catawba-Wateree project provides 819 megawatts (MW) of clean, economical, and renewable power, which on average is enough electricity to power 103,000 homes. The river is half the size of the French Broad River, but has a thick population of bass in it. When the water temperatures dips below 45 degrees I consider it winter fishing. S2O Design is led by engineer, Olympian, and three-time World Cup Kayak Champion and Freestyle Kayak Champion Scott Shipley. It is important to understand what types of baitfish, aquatic insects, and crayfish that are in a river system before you can have success using the fly rod. There is always opportunities to catch big smallmouth on light spinning tackle or the fly rod. These fish are beautiful and live in some of the coolest areas in the state. Fish in the morning. Towards the end of September all the way into November the smallmouth will leave their summer territories and find the deeper water again where they will stay all winter. There are alot of fish in the river right now so let us take you to them and show you how to be a better angler. When fishing midges I wouldnt use any tippet under 5x. Fly Fishing in North Carolina is one of the best experiences to do when visiting the mountains. All fish were caught on a yellow stimulator and a parachute adams. In Chester County, S.C. near the North and South Carolina borderan hours drive south of the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, NCan engineering project is taking shape that will similarly attract paddlers and river enthusiasts throughout the region. When these smallmouth spread out in the summer they could be anywhere. The Prachyls wanted to fish a smaller smallmouth river so we did just that and had a great day targeting smallmouth using spinning tackle. This is our best fishery from November to the end of May. Most of the time Im using weighted lines for streamers or adding weight to get the nymphs down. The best colors to use are black and white. Get directions to access points, boat ramps, and real-time USGS stream flow data. Check out our DIY Guide to the Best Fly Fishing in North Carolina. Weve been picking fish up in the deeper runs on nymphs and streamers in the riffles. 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. If youve never fished for river smallmouth then let us guide you into a adventure of a lifetime. I appreciate you taking the time to read our reports. We will go into more details about that when the time is right. Use dark/flashy flies: A big black stonefly or a flashy beadhead egg is hard to beat when the water is up. In order to fish the bottom of the river well you got to be willing to fish slowly. They are the most tolerant trout species and can live in waters upward of 70 degrees. I prefer to fish sliders when the water is super low and clear because the slider doesnt have as much of a pop when it lands. 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. Hydroelectric plants can be started quickly to provide electricity when demand is high. NCWRC manages the following: Neck Road Access Area; Riverbend Access Area Throw bigger/heavier flies: One advantage to fishing high water is that anglers can throw larger than normal flies with great success. Below is a resource for some of the lakes and rivers in the state that holds bass in them. The Catawba Tailrace is a unique tailwater fishery below Bridgewater Dam in Morganton, North Carolina. Dead Drift Em: This method is very similar to drifting dry flies to trout. With over 15 miles of trout water and very little public access float fishing is your best bet. There was one day where the water got up to 84 degrees and we threw everything but the kitchen sink at the bass and they just werent responding. Monitoring location 02145910 is associated with a STREAM in YORK COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA. 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 upper Catawba River near Old Fort is a different ball game. The upper mile of this fishery is stocked during the spring and The lake has a good population of smaller striped bass, but its not uncommon to catch 20 pound fish. A good float is putting in at the bridge at US Business 221 and going down to Burnettes Landing. We had a great day fishing a one unit release. The closest fishing to Asheville is the French Broad River. The best time to fish it is going to be the weekdays. The smallmouth fishing is best from the airport in Asheville to the East Tennessee line. North Carolina is a fly fishing destination itself, but this river is one of the most popular choices. When water temperatures are hottest these big smallmouth arent going to be chasing a ton. The Catawba Angler was one of the first bass fishing guides in North Carolina to guide on Lake James. Fly fishing in the Spring is hands down the best time to trout fish in North Carolina. S2O Designs solution to accomplish the multiple objectives features the creation of two release points or notches in the dam for recreational release flows and boaters to navigate into the Long Bypass Reach a Main Channel that will convey water continuously into the reach, and a Recreation Bypass Channel that will provide a safe route for boaters during recreational releases. Thats the key when fishing crawfish patterns. This is one of my favorite trips because you are in some beautiful areas away from the crowds. Black is always a solid choice, but dont be afraid to mix it up. For more information check out the website below. The fishing is great from the time we put on to the end and there is always potential to catch a trophy brown trout. They fish hard from the time we push off from the put in to the time we take out. Another prominent river that flows through the Piedmont region is the Yadkin. On the smaller mountain creeks the water has been crystal clear so midge imitations under a dry has been best. We are on the water every day and we are doing our best getting back with clients as soon as possible. If you are just getting into the sport then book a guide to help accelerate your growth and have a mentor that will teach you how to do things the right way. United States. Monitoring location 02145910 is associated with a STREAM in YORK COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA. After an intense fight we netted the fish and it was nothing but smiles the rest of the day. Our guides work tirelessly to make sure we can deliver no matter the fishing conditions on all guided trips. The dead drifting approach is going to be best when targeting smallmouth bass in the low, clear water throughout summer. Area fly shops, guides and websites that can provide a Catawba River fly fishing report and update on current conditions are listed below: The state of North Carolina requires that all people who are 16 years of age and older have a valid fishing license. The best fishing is on days when there is no generation. We offer multiple float trips on our local fisheries so if you are interested in getting in the boat with your significant other, best friend, or child then let us know. The Catawba Angler offers family friendly fishing trips. Its versatile. The best method has been using dry dropper rigs using 5-6x tippet. Weve been having to run very light tippet and downsize our flies this year due to low flows and spooky fish. The leaves are changing colors, the weather is ideal, and the water temperatures have dropped to a suitable level after a long summer. I had a good trip on the Catawba Tailrace with Jay and Drew. The topwater bite for the fly fisherman has been excellent some days and mediocre others. Its visual. Numbers are low, but the potential to catch a good one is always possible. Lift the rod tip up or wiggle it. The topwater bite should continue to get better with the water temperature warming up. The colder days are more challenging than the warmer ones but downsizing your flies on the colder days have been vital to our success. Dont forget the Catawba Tailrace will be cranking back up in November so we will have some good tailwater trout fishing down there all winter long. Locked padlock The waters are pristine and free-flowing in this area, albeit slightly limited in access for fly fishing. 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. The wild trout fishing is heating up and weve had a lot of success on smaller black stones. The leaves are have began changing colors in the higher elevations, but expect peak color to be around the end of October. We caught a lot of smallmouth on top using hardbaits and soft plastics. I couldnt do it without her support. While in the area you want also want to check out Wilson Creek which is one of one of bigger tributaries to the lower Catawba River and offers excellent wild trout fishing in the it's upper reaches. Below are some pictures of some recent catches. 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. September has come to an end but it was definitely a month to remember. The only disadvantage to this fly is that its always swimming fast on the retrieve so if the fish arent in the mood to chase then try a fly that hangs and suspends more. Bennett made a beautiful cast in the deep, slack water and the fish took off with the jig. Hatches of Giant Stoneflies and caddis are predominant. There are a lot of June bugs out so weve been having some good luck using smaller bugs on the Toe River. We welcome beginners and seasoned anglers. The wild trout fishing will be good till July when water temperatures get over 70 degrees. They want an easy meal without expending a ton of energy. With construction past the half-way point, both water and boaters will soon be flowing down the Long Reach of the Catawba for the first time since 1907, bringing life and voice back to the rolling granite waves that are the historic Great Falls of South Carolina. Learn about our recreational opportunities and shoreline activities. Using poppers to catch river smallmouth is by far the most exciting way to fly fish. We welcome younger kids as long as they are accompanied by an adult. Once the water temperature drops below 45 degrees we will solely focus on trout until the smallmouth bite picks back up in March. Curtis Creek gets stocked the first week of October and November so this provides good fishing all fall and winter. The spring is also popular when aquatic insect hatches kick into gear, although March is off-limits in several areas of the river due to stocking. This is the pinnacle in fly fishing. 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. This is exciting fishing because its all visual. Earlier in the day the nymph and streamer bite was consistent till the sun was directly above us. The bass below hit a popper after we stalked it for a few minutes eating mayflies in less than 2 foot of water. After the spawn is over the water temperatures start to warm and the fish start chasing baitfish. Head to the high country: The higher elevation creeks are going to clear up first so start there. Those looking to fish the Yadkin for smallmouth bass should check out Burch Station and Yadkin Shore public fishing areas. Weve been bringing alot of fish to the net and seeing some holdover fish as well. The most popular area is known as the Catawba Tailrace below Lake James where the trophy brown trout can be found. Once the bass school up it creates competition for food so you will find more than one fish chasing your streamer back to the boat. Leaders should as least be 10 foot in length. Recent fishing report for North Carolina trout fishing. As long as the French Broad stays clear we will be on it. Watch a. You cant beat that in late August. We recently took a client into a wild trout stream and the water temperature was 42 degrees which is uncommon for this time of year, but the fishing was great. Seasonally, North Carolina is fairly temperate. Flow Arrival and Recession Times; Current Lake Levels. 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. Duke Energy Corporation. You can purchase a North Carolina state fishing license and learn about the most current regulations through the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. The best trout fishing is hands down the Catawba Tailrace if you enjoy throwing bigger nymphs and streamers. If you can stand it use 6.5x or 7x. Its been a wonderful summer full of some really good fishing. We did hook into a nice holdover brown on the lower end of the float, but it got off at the boat. If you want to become a better angler and want to test your casting skills then go after some wild fish. The river has an abundant supply of baitfish and crayfish that is needed to grow trophy river smallmouth. This will have the Tailrace out of commission for the next few days. Weve caught a lot of smallmouth in this stretch using the same nymphs that the trout hit. When you decided to pick up fly fishing you knew you were at a disadvantage compared to using a spinning rod. Check out our interactive map of over 30,000 of the best places to fly fish in the US. The graph below shows the stream flow (discharge) for the past 7-days. Ive always fished black midges and had good success, but it seems the fish like the brown way better. check out our Whitewater Park Toolkit. Weve had some great success stripping streamers. If flows are considerably above or below historical norms (yellow triangles on the chart) then fishing conditions maybe not be ideal. A day on the Catawba tailrace will give you the seclusion that the South Holston or Watauga can't offer. Focus your attention on the slack seam lines to the right or left of the fast water. Give us a call to book your fishing charter in the mountains of North Carolina. Shearon Harris Lake is considered North Carolinas best lake to catch trophy bass. Lakes and dams provide benefits that are balanced among the individual needs of several communities. This is especially effective when using nymphs tied with cdc feathers. It spans about eight miles and offers plenty of opportunities. We guide on the best smallmouth rivers in western North Carolina. Id like to highlight the four trout species that are available in our public waters. The Catawba Tailrace offers some of the best brown trout fishing in North Carolina. Most of the big smallmouth we have caught have come out of areas you wouldnt think they would be holding in unless you caught one there. The last two weeks of September was nothing short of amazing. Brian and I hit a local delayed harvest stretch after a heavy rainfall the night before and it was tough fishing to say the least, but Brian stuck with it and netted some good fish towards the end of the trip. The fluke bite on the Nolichucky during the last days or spring and early summer can be unbelievable. One indicator that it is a stocked fish is that some of its fins are nubs. The Catawba Angler, 750 Ebenezer Church Road, Old Fort, NC, 28762, United States, Spring Trout Fishing in Western North Carolina. I know the bigger browns are still there, but these fish are few and far between right now. 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