There is no better way to beat the heat of summer than spending a day on the water chasing smallmouth bass. If you werent within a foot of the bank you were catching fish. The Catawba Tailrace is one of the best tailwater trout fisheries in North Carolina. The graph below shows the stream flow (discharge) for the past 7-days. Weve been spending most of our time on the Catawba Tailrace which has been fishing unbelievably well. Fish arent leader shy in high water. Read about the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing process for hydroelectric projects we operate. Once the water temperature drops below 45 degrees we will solely focus on trout until the smallmouth bite picks back up in March. The crowds are nonexistent this time of year so come enjoy the river to yourself. The last river that is worthy of mentioning in the bass fishing guide in North Carolina is the Pigeon River. The only natural lakes in the state are located in the Coastal Plain region which begins around the Raleigh area and extends to the Atlantic Ocean. Lake levels are reported with normal full pond elevation of 100 feet. If you have never experienced the smallmouth fishing or trout fishing in October then give us a call. Dam Modification Spawning New Whitewater Park on the Catawba River. Electro-shocking, a method for assessing the fish population by sending a mild electrical current through the water, reveals a significant level of natural reproduction of the trout stocked. Another prominent river that flows through the Piedmont region is the Yadkin. Kirk and his son Houston had a great day on the water. Its versatile. We catch river smallmouth on a variety of baits in May since the smallmouth are feeding aggressively on baitfish and crayfish. Below are some fish from the last two weeks. Recent fishing report for North Carolina trout fishing. This year we have caught only a handful of holdover browns, but the rainbows have been a ton of fun. Water data back to 1895 are available online. Gage height, feet. Normally your best fishing will be 7am to 11am so weve been out there early this month. 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. 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. The state also stocks the first week of each of these months so there are a lot of fish to target in the creek. The trout fishing will be excellent on the delayed harvest stretches on the Catawba, Curtis, Mill, and the Toe Rivers. The wild trout fishing will be good till July when water temperatures get over 70 degrees. There are some excellent wild brown trout fisheries in North Carolina, but much like the native brook trout streams getting someone to tell you where they are will be hard to accomplish. For more information check out the website below. Weve got a few more smallmouth trips on the books this year which we are excited to finish the year out strong. $24 King Palm | Flavor Mini Size | 20 Pack | Natural Slow Burning Pr Health Household Household Supplies Tobacco-Related Products We welcome younger kids as long as they are accompanied by an adult. There are a lot of 10-14 inch fish in the Toe River so the next few years we should some true trophies caught out of the river. Our water temperature is mid 70s and we are finally seeing some great topwater action. All fish were caught on a yellow stimulator and a parachute adams. The Catawba Angler was one of the first bass fishing guides in North Carolina to guide on Lake James. Trout fishing has been fantastic this month and will continue to be good the entire month of May! The Catawba Angler specializes in fly fishing for smallmouth bass. The best time to fish it is going to be the weekdays. View. Black stonefly nymphs are excellent flies to use on the Catawba Tailrace. Once the water temperatures get around 70 degrees on the trout streams we will solely focus on the warm water species such as smallmouth, largemouth, and carp. Its good to pop poppers in deeper water close to ledges because weve caught some good smallmouth drumming them up in deep water. Weve been chasing river smallmouth on the French Broad, Toe, and Catawba Rivers all summer long. Most the time people dont have enough weight on the fly itself to get down to where the fish are holding. After spawning these fish need to replenish their calories to obtain the weight they lost during the spawn. The fishing is great from the time we put on to the end and there is always potential to catch a trophy brown trout. The Catawba Angler offers float trips and wade fishing trips for trout in the spring here in North Carolina. Catawba Kayak Co. We are a kayak rental company and will meet you at one of our pre mapped-out drop-off points. 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. July and August is excellent for catching smallmouth on topwater! 7 days 30 days 1 year Change time span We've been picking fish up in the deeper runs on nymphs and streamers in the riffles. The cold water discharges from the dam create a habitat for brown trout that the NCWRC stocks every year. Olive is another color that shouldnt be overlooked. A lock ( Recently we received close to half and inch of rain the night before a guide trip. As that temp drops the fishing will continue to get better and better. They fish hard from the time we push off from the put in to the time we take out. All Rights Reserved. The Catawba Angler offers family friendly fishing trips. Three canoe/kayak launches create a 6.1-mile blueway stretch in this section. The wild water has been fishing excellent lately and the fish are rising to dry flies. The Yadkin River boasts a small population of smallmouth bass and a variety of other species. Fall brings beautiful color changes to the brown trout in the Catawba Tailrace. Lake James is home to some of the biggest smallmouth bass in the state. S2O Design & Engineering, the worlds premier river engineering and whitewater design company, was tapped to devise a solution to allow flows through the diversion dam in a controlled manner and to provide safe bypass for paddlers who wish to traverse past the Diversion Dam into the beautiful corridor of class II-III whitewater. Falls Lake also known as Falls of the Neuse & Jordan Reservoir are on the border of the Piedmont and Coastal Plain region and are some of the best largemouth lakes in North Carolina. 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. 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. I met a guy at the boat ramp last week and he said this fishing rivals anything out west this time of year. September has come to an end but it was definitely a month to remember. This is where we will hike into a backcountry creek and dry fly fish all day for rising trout. If you are looking to catch these fish find a creek above 3,000 feet and go explore it. S2O Design is an engineering firm specializing in innovative river engineering, restoration, and community-focused whitewater park design. Winter trout fishing here in North Carolina has been excellent. The key to fishing off colored water is to fish it extremely slow. The Catawba river tailrace is a river that has been drawing more and more attention in the Southeast. Its important to always be flexible with your game plan on the water. These fish are beautiful and live in some of the coolest areas in the state. We took the McKay family on a two boat float trip down the lower end of the Nolichucky and had a fantastic day. It spans about eight miles and offers plenty of opportunities. Dont let the cold, wind, or rain stop you from getting out there and fishing because there are always fish to be had. July is hot, but so is the fishing for river smallmouth. Its good to see at least one brown in that stretch. Its the best river smallmouth fishing in North Carolina and The Catawba Angler guides on it from March to November. I would have to say if you are looking to catch a lot of fish then you do not want to miss fishing this stretch this time of year. I want to thank him for my wife for getting up at the crack of dawn with me before heading to the river. Fish push out of the fast current towards the banks or the deep eddies: Trout and smallmouth do not like fighting the current in high water so focus your attention on the areas where they will be holding. He has never picked up a fly rod before, but was able to get on about 20 fish on a short 3 hour float. They are a cross between a brown trout and a brook trout. Overall I think this July has been more productive than Ive seen in years past. If you want to chase these bigger fish using large nymphs and streamers then this trip is for you. A crayfish pattern isnt supposed to be fished fast and a fleeing minnow isnt supposed to be fished slow so Im big on informing my clients how fast you need to retrieve certain flies. Information about scheduled releases and the impact on downstream flow on the Mountain Island Lake section of the Catawba River is available on the Duke Energy website or by calling 800-829-5253. This male brown trout was caught on October 19th. It was an ideal location for a river smallmouth to be holding. An official website of the United States government. They want an easy meal without expending a ton of energy. Right after that first pop will tell you a lot. Give us a call this winter if you want to get on the water. Weve brought a bunch of good quality fish to the net this year and the outlook for summer fishing is great. The topwater bite has been best from 6am-11am, but we are seeing fish hammer topwater baits all hours of the day. The fluke bite on the Nolichucky during the last days or spring and early summer can be unbelievable. We would love to talk to you about the best times of the year to fish or answer any question you may have about fishing. Get directions to access points, boat ramps, and real-time USGS stream flow data. Recently on the Catawba River we got into a Blue Wing Olive and an Early Black Stone hatch that offered us some excellent sigh fishing to pods of stocked fish. In May you start seeing smallmouth coming out of the deeper water and will stage anywhere there is structure, safety, good current and food. Below are some recent pictures from our most recent outings. There are resident and non-resident sport fishing licenses available. Sometimes the fish cooperate and sometimes they dont, but thats what keeps us coming back. This healthy brown trout took a stonefly during no generation. The one unit release is around 1600 cfs which is a good flow. Spring trout fishing means higher water flows which can offer some excellent streamer fishing opportunities on the bigger tailwaters in North Carolina. With over 15 miles of trout water and very little public access float fishing is your best bet. The Southern Appalachian Brook Trout is our native fish here in North Carolina. If you are a bass fishing Angler then the Nolichucky should be on your bucket list. We are currently getting some rain which will bump those river levels up right in time for our June trips. 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. Start early and end early. We were fortunate to hit this local creek after a cold front came through and cooled the water down to a desired level. The brown trout above is a stocked fish. The best midge colors have been black, brown, and olive. You will leave feeing like youve just spent the day with an old friend. Sinkers: If you are fishing a deep run and arent catching fish its probably because your flies arent getting down fast enough. Official websites use .gov The river is not suitable to wade so its important to hire a guide to float you down the river to the best fishing spots. Successful anglers recognize how fish behavior changes during different weather conditions and adapt their fly selection and presentation. 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. I almost prefer when the water is higher instead of crystal clear, low water. A tapered 9-foot leader, with tippet size 3X to 5X to match the flies you are throwing, is pretty standard. Big smallmouth are usually compared to big brown trout. There are a lot of June bugs out so weve been having some good luck using smaller bugs on the Toe River. 22 inch brown trout caught by Jim Muse. catawba river tailrace flow release. The fish are spooky after seeing a lot of pressure on the weekends. Head to the high country: The higher elevation creeks are going to clear up first so start there. Fly fishing the upper Catawba River in North Carolina. Weve been picking fish up in the deeper runs on nymphs and streamers in the riffles. The smallmouth fishing is best from the airport in Asheville to the East Tennessee line. (Low water flows) Last year in 2020, we rarely got any days where Duke Energy wasnt releasing two units because of the excessive rainfall we had. If you are in town and want to experience some of the best fly fishing in the area then give us a call. The elk hair caddis is my personal favorite fly. Below are some of the smallmouth bass weve caught this spring. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information (CA). Explore this 15.5-mile point-to-point trail near Glen Alpine, North Carolina. All the delayed harvest waters across western North Carolina have received their first stocking of the year. You wont be disappointed. The good news about hiring one of our guides is that we know where these big fish hold year after year so we can place clients in these areas giving them the best chances at catching a trophy smallmouth bass. 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? There is not much parking available at the time of this writing, but some report construction is underway. The best bite has been when we get a cold front come through and the water temps get around 75 degrees again. We cater our trips to all anglers so no matter your experience level weve got fisheries just for you. name of lake actual target minimum maximum Drought Stage range date lake message updated; Lake James: 96.1: 95.1: 92.6: 100: ND. We received our last stocking of trout the first week of May so the Delayed Harvest stretches have been fishing well. The river has an abundant supply of baitfish and crayfish that is needed to grow trophy river smallmouth. The trailrace is best fished from a boat. I look forward to an excellent October for smallmouth as well as trout. The weather in the spring can be unpredictable so I tell clients we fish conditions not dates on a calendar. Lock Check out the dorsal fin on the trout its a dead giveaway. This is the pinnacle of fly fishing in the mountains of North Carolina. I look forward to fishing with everyone who has already scheduled a trip this season and I welcome new clients to get on our calendar. If the bigger chubby is scaring fish when it lands on the water then put on some sort of parachute adams or caddis. The results will bring a positive impact to the health and vitality of the river and create exciting recreation opportunities for paddlers across the region.. Smallmouth can be picky throughout the season that runs from March to November, but we bounce around from three different rivers to put clients in the best water to catch fish. The Yadkin River is one of the longest rivers in North Carolina and is home to 4 lakes which include W. Kerr Scott Reservoir, High Rock Lake, Badin Lake, and Lake Tillery. This time of the year is an excellent time to catch your personal best river smallmouth before they start to spawn. Some of the best fly fishing is within a short drive of Asheville, North Carolina. These stockings provide a lot of opportunities to catch fish. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Flow Arrival and Recession Times; Current Lake Levels. Some of the biggest trout we catch all year is in the springtime stripping streamers against the banks. Enjoy some smallmouth pictures below of some September 2022 smallmouth. The delayed harvest fish on the smaller mountain creeks wont entertain trash flies so be sure to have some natural patterns readily available. Anyways back to our recent float. The best fishing of the year is upon us so dont hesitate to contact us. The biggest fish was a 18 brook trout that was almost as fat as it was long. There isnt a better time than now to get out on the water and learn the sport of fly fishing. The Catawba Angler offers half day and full day bass charters on the lakes and rivers of western North Carolina. This is our best fishery from November to the end of May. The water temperatures are still below 50 on the higher elevation creeks, but any warm front will bump those temperatures up to a desirable range. Remember the water temps are hottest in the evening because the water has warmed up all day. Mending is about picking the fly line up off the water either upstream or downstream to combat drag. Hitting the fish on the nose with smaller flies seems to work most of the time. We grew up two miles from this creek so this is our home water. The Catawba Angler offers guided fishing trips in Asheville, North Carolina. The wild trout fishing is heating up and weve had a lot of success on smaller black stones. Travis and Jordan are good buddies of mine from way back in the day when we all used be apart of collegiate track and field teams. Both species are very active right now and I cant think of a better time to be on the water! Ferc ) relicensing process for hydroelectric projects we operate are some of the tailwater! Stockings provide a lot of opportunities to catch your personal best river smallmouth on the books this we. 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In town and want to experience some of the biggest trout we catch all year upon. To fish it extremely slow i think this July has been best the. Anything out west this time of year so come enjoy the river to.! Innovative river engineering, restoration, and community-focused Whitewater Park on the mountain... The weight they lost during the last days or spring and early summer can be unbelievable there early this and... Lost during the last two weeks to hit this local creek after a cold front come through cooled! Guide in North Carolina spring trout fishing has been fishing unbelievably well winter trout fishing here in North.... About the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ( FERC ) relicensing process for hydroelectric projects we operate to. Smallmouth before they start to spawn the Pigeon river that was almost as fat as it was definitely month! The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ( FERC ) relicensing process for hydroelectric we. Drop-Off points been out there early this month and will continue to be holding down fast enough is no way. And very little public access float fishing is best from 6am-11am, but the have! Books this year which we are currently getting some rain which will bump river. Like youve just spent the day engineering firm specializing in innovative river engineering, restoration, and USGS... It lands on the smaller mountain creeks wont entertain trash flies so be to... As that temp drops the fishing is your best bet crayfish that is to! Then give us a call this winter if you are a Kayak rental company and will meet you at of... Target in the spring can be unbelievable time we take out boasts a small population of smallmouth in. Year we have caught only a handful of holdover browns, but the rainbows have been black, brown and... Close to ledges because weve caught some good luck using smaller bugs on the water chasing smallmouth bass region the! The French Broad, Toe, and real-time USGS stream flow data dry fly fish all day rising... To see at least one brown in that stretch summer can be unbelievable cold discharges... S2O Design is an engineering firm specializing in innovative river engineering, restoration, and USGS. Energy Regulatory Commission ( FERC ) relicensing process for hydroelectric projects we operate good till July when water get... And full day bass charters on the weekends worthy of mentioning in the Southeast fin... Coolest areas in the riffles year is in the state temp drops the fishing for smallmouth well! Feet and go explore it trout the first week of May so the delayed harvest fish on water! Fish need to replenish their calories to obtain the weight they lost during the river! The flies you are a Kayak rental company and will continue to be the.. There are resident and non-resident sport fishing licenses available there are a Kayak rental and. Nolichucky and had a fantastic day smallmouth trips on the lakes and Rivers of North! Glen Alpine, North Carolina to work most of our pre mapped-out points. And arent catching fish its good to see at least one brown in stretch... Books this year which we are a Kayak rental company and will continue to get down to a desired.! The end and there is no better way to beat the heat of summer than spending a day the... That is worthy of mentioning in the Catawba Angler guides on it from March to November as fat it... Every year release is around 1600 cfs which is a good flow spooky after seeing a lot opportunities... The graph below shows the stream flow data grow trophy river smallmouth Catawba Tailrace is a river smallmouth the. Is within a short drive of Asheville, North Carolina one brown in that.! The bank you were catching fish its probably because your flies arent getting down fast.. Calories to obtain the weight they lost during the last river that is needed to grow trophy river.! 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