Spring is my favorite time to fish Curtis Creek because we get some excellent caddis, March brown, and Hendrickson hatches throughout March, April, and May. Below are just a few pictures from the DH stretches in May. Make sure to check the Lake Mattamuskeet fishing report before you go so you know how to prepare for a relaxing day of fishing here. The Catawba, Tuckaseegee, and Toe Rivers will be receiving its first stocking of 2023, the first week of March so trout fishing here in the mountains is about to be lights out. The brown trout above is a stocked fish. Mist wafts up from the surface of the water as first light breaks over the eastern tree line. I run size 16-20 midges under the wool and drift the deep slow moving holes. This was Bennetts personal best river smallmouth and the biggest smallmouth to hit my net this year. NM . Numerous creek mouths provide excellent 4 lb. Weve been guiding on the Toe River this winter which has been excellent. These fish have been in our creeks since God created the world. If youve been wanting to book a guided trip, but have been on the edge of deciding I would like to encourage you to book. 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. Fishing trips are fun for beginners and experienced anglers. The water temperature on the French Broad is 57 degrees. I love fly fishing with game changer flies. Rainbow Trout are prominent in North Carolina. As a company we have decided not to raise prices this year for our half day and full day floats. I enjoy taking people to the delayed harvest to boost their confidence before chasing wild trout because it can be a humbling experience. Weve been getting just enough rain to keep the rivers higher than years past, but still fishable. In the winter time Im using 6-7x tippet. Fly fishing is the preferred method for casting smaller flies to these eager fish. The smallmouth bite has been lights out all summer long and we have consistently been catching quality fish on every trip. Perched between Uwharrie National Forest and Morrow Mountain State Park, it is one of the most scenic lakes in North Carolina and a great place and one great place to catch fish. It is not uncommon to see smallmouth in just a few feet of water chasing minnows or eating mayflies off the surface. You wont be able to put-in or takeout there so just a heads up. The lake is home to many different fish species but the largemouth bass is most sought after. Below are some recent pictures from our most recent outings. The topwater bite for the fly fisherman has been excellent some days and mediocre others. 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. We had a great day and we managed to get a good trout as well. We are big on teaching then catching at our guide service because youve got to be able to do things the right way before you start catching. 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. Walleye-Jigging spoons with rattles/flash/noise will call in eyes' from a distance. Start early and end early. Ive got a few dates left in October so dont hesitate to book or they will be gone. These fish thrive in cold mountain creeks that can only be reached by foot. Book your trip today! When the water is clear weve been having great success on flies which we will go into detail of what has been working and what we can expect the rest of the summer. Trout are rising. The guys that take us up on this guided trip are always happy at the end of the day when they have caught the biggest river smallmouth of their life. When Im fishing indicators, my set up is the following: My fly line connects to a section of 3.5 ft fluorocarbon (15 pound) line that connects to a tippet ring using a loop knot. The best time to fish it is going to be the weekdays. 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. There are clients that love indicator fishing and clients that hate it. Long, accurate drifts without drag can entice big smallmouth to come up from the depths to eat. Email. . Skip to main content Henry's Fork Anglers Cart (0) (208) 558-7525 Fly Shop Hours: Hours change seasonally. Learn the best hot spots and latest news about Iowa's fishing opportunities from region to region. Give us a call today to schedule your fishing adventure this summer. Waccamaw River - Lake Waccamaw Dam. February 27, 2023. . We provide all the waders, boots, rods, reels, and flies for our wading trips. Weve been having to run very light tippet and downsize our flies this year due to low flows and spooky fish. If you can get out, do it! Its hard to beat catching smallmouth on top water bugs. Reservoir AL . We take a lot of pride in that our fishing guides are all local to western North Carolina and have fished the NC mountain streams for many years. Catfish Sleigh Ride on Kerr Lake. July and August is excellent for catching smallmouth on topwater! Similar to Lake Mattamuskeet, Lake Waccamaw is shallow. Enjoy a newly renovated A-frame right on beautiful Lake Tillery! The NC mountains provide year round fly fishing opportunities for trout and smallmouth bass which is great for people looking to get on the water anytime of the year. Donut Dinette 139 North First Street Albemarle, NC 28001 (704) 982-7015 Serving Breakfast Food, Fresh, Homemade Donuts Everyday! Huge boulders and deep plunge pools make up the river and is home to trout and smallmouth bass. Normally if we get a good cold front to come through that cools the water off then clients can be more aggressive on popping and the twitching of the bugs. The trout fishing in western North Carolina is excellent beginning in March and will continue well into June. The lake was created by impounding the Pee Dee River, which is created by the confluence of the Yadkin River and the Uwharrie River several miles to the north. For more information check out the website below. The Southern Appalachian Brook Trout is our native fish here in North Carolina. 8 oz. BRIGHT SKYS, SO HIGH VISABILITY CRANKBAITS IS THE ANSWER. Read Fishing Reports Weather for Lake Tillery Current Temp: 38.08 Max Temp: 44.56 Min Temp: 38.08 Outside: broken clouds Wind: Gentle Breeze Wind Speed: 9.22 Wind Direction: Northwest Humidity: 75 Pressure: 1011 Sunrise: 8:09 AM Sunset: 7:00 PM Fishing Hot Spots near Lake Tillery "Did real well catching Crappie and Catfish in the Lake. This will test an anglers/guide patience but its vital to ones success. Fly fishing for smallmouth is not an easy task, but I couldnt think of anything more rewarding when that 3 pound smallmouth takes a topwater bug drifting parallel to the bank. The Catawba Angler offers dry fly fishing trips on our mountain creeks for wild trout in the the Spring. Give us a call to experience the best trout fishing of the year in western NC. 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. Mends are vital to your success when drifting poppers. We caught a lot of smallmouth on top using hardbaits and soft plastics. If you want to chase these bigger fish using large nymphs and streamers then this trip is for you. The browns will be back again this fall after the NCWRC stocks them. 5,167 messages. As water temperature goes up so does the smallmouths metabolism. Coastal Carolina's Mackerel Boat Fishing Guide ($22.25) mail a check or money order to: Mike Marsh 1502 Ebb Drive Wilmington, NC 28409 or visit www.mikemarshoutdoors.com for credit card orders. 7 lb. Alabama River R.E. The wild trout streams are in great shape with a lot of water in them currently which will set us up for some good fishing early summer. 2+. The Catawba Angler provides guided bass fishing trips on the French Broad River starting in March and wrapping up the season in the middle of November. If you are on the hunt for that one big fish this is still the fishery to target. We kicked off the Fall season for the 2021-22 North Carolina BASS High School and Junior Series on October 2, 2021, which was a perfect weather day at beautiful Lake Tillery! We promise you the best fishing trip in western North Carolina. The 42-acre lake provides boating and fishing access. Chasing these fish will make you a better angler. The Catawba Tailrace is usually our go to float during the winter, but the rainbows that were stocked in the fall of 2021 did not make it through the summer of 2022 so fishing has not been great down there. These fish are beautiful and live in some of the coolest areas in the state. Trying throwing some smaller profile flies to match the hatch. The heavy racked buck was shot early morning at 210 yards. The best fishing during the winter is going to be throughout the Delayed Harvest Stretch. I track water temperatures, pressure, weather, water levels, and make notes of every fly or bait that caught fish. There is always something to fish for when visiting the NC mountains. If you are looking to target something other than a trout on the fly rod give us a call and we will show you how much fun smallmouth can be. The water has been lower so its pushing the bass in isolated areas looking for that higher oxygen content. Lake Russell. There isnt a better time than now to get out on the water and learn the sport of fly fishing. The colder days are more challenging than the warmer ones but downsizing your flies on the colder days have been vital to our success. Home. The closest fishing to Asheville is the French Broad River. The fish measured 19.5 inches and weighed right at 3.4lbs. Thanks for taking the time to read the article! Current fly fishing conditions are great! 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. Weve heard of 7pound fish being caught and even bigger ones that have gotten away. The brook trout directly above is a stocked fish. Connecticut Fishing Report- January 26, 2023. Lets dig in to what has been fishing well and whats ahead for early Summer. The wild fish are more challenging to catch but we trick a bunch into eating dry flies. 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. In February of 2020, a 7 pound, 3 ounce smallmouth was caught by Ken Whitesides. Carol Feisler with heavy Person County buck taken November 16, 2022. This time of year we throw big jerkbaits and crankbaits for big river smallmouth looking to fatten up before the spawn. There were lots of laughs and good times had on the lake. The topwater bite can be very sporadic, but this day it was consistent all day. Sign In or Create Account My Cart Hunting Shooting Fishing Camping Boating Outdoor Cooking Clothing Footwear Clearance Gift Cards Learn Store Flyer Top Brands After an intense fight we netted the fish and it was nothing but smiles the rest of the day. We will be fishing low water till into the fall so I expect the topwater bite in August, and September to be good. Event's Official Web Page Location: City of Knoxville (GPS) Contact: Dennis Beckley - Event Director Phone: (865) 898-3101 NOVEMBER 2023 November 5, 2023 (2:00 AM - 2:00 AM) Daylight Saving Time Ends The clock is set back one hour at 2:00 AM (First Sunday in November). A trophy smallmouth out of the river is anything over 18. Lake Tillery has 118 miles of shoreline, an average depth of 32 feet, and a maximum depth of 72 feet. The guys and girls left looking for some awesome bags of largemouth that reside in . Fishing the gorge isnt for the faint of heart because it will test you physically and mentally, but the rewards can be worth it. The Pigeon River is a trophy smallmouth river. Sometimes the fish cooperate and sometimes they dont, but thats what keeps us coming back. Free. 60 degrees.Sabine Lake is fresh and the winds can impede the fishing. As long as the French Broad stays clear we will be on it. Below we will go through what each of these methods mean. 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. Fish over 10 pounds have been caught in Jordan Reservoir. Fly fishing in the Spring is hands down the best time to trout fish in North Carolina. They thrive in clear ponds, natural lakes and reservoirs with moderate vegetation. Give the trout a break! 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. The lake has around 20+ inches in most areas. Thank you to all those who participated in the survey this year. If conditions are right we can normally get by using floating line, but if we have good flows I will use sink tips and intermediate lines. Below are just a few pictures from some of the fish we caught in July! Tillery, which forms the border between Montgomery and Stanly counties, is the sixth lake from the top of the Yadkin system, although half of the impoundment technically belongs to the Pee Dee River system. Normally when they first stock the first will hit anything flashy in the color of pink and yellow. Hitting the fish on the nose with smaller flies seems to work most of the time. Enjoy the photos. You want to look for moving water with white bubbles close to structure. This is exciting fishing because its all visual. I think its going to be a dry month so finding creeks and rivers with the most water in it will be key. There are different ways to fish a popper: Dead Drift Em, Pop Em, Twitch Em. August 18, 2022. See Lake Tillery or Lake Badin in style on our brand new fleet of 2021 Berkshire pontoons. We have had some stupid, good days on the Catawba Tailrace over the last month so its good to see the rainbow trout that were stocked back in the winter doing so well. Fishing has been consistent on the French Broad and Nolichucky Rivers. The water temperature here during the winter is 50-55 degrees which is alot warmer than the freestone streams in the mountains. 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. Our wade fishing trips take clients deep into the heart of the Pisgah National Forest. Coordinates: 35.3007, -80.086. Black crappie are also common in large, slow-moving rivers in the Coastal Plain but will avoid areas that are turbid or murky. The topwater bite should continue to get better with the water temperature warming up. Lake Tillery is owned and controlled by Duke Energy and has 117.8 miles of beautiful shoreline with a maximum depth of 70'. These guys put a lot of time on the water which is the best teacher of all. The best fishing has been early morning because its been abnormally hot since weve had some 90 degree days. Weve got plenty of wadeable creeks and bigger rivers to fish for trout during March, April, and May. Normally I always have a few dry flies in the box during this time, but anytime you see a sipping smallmouth they will be eager to take a popping bug. Curtis Creek gets stocked the first week of October and November so this provides good fishing all fall and winter. Thanks for reading. August is normally our hottest month here in the mountains, but weve seen some cooler temperatures as of late that has kept the smallmouth and trout bite consistent. Updated 2/22/2023 12:20:40 PM. As many as 20 male stripers surround a single female, releasing milt tofertilize the eggs released by the female. This is the pinnacle in fly fishing. The fishing in the spring is consistent all day long because of the suitable water and air temps. The float is 8 miles so its a full day of fishing. We are located on nearly 40 acres with private access to Lake Tillery featuring 7 boat slips and a fishing pier for our campers' enjoyment. 3rd Place John Kistler & Rusty Melton 7.93 lbs! Our guides passion is sharing the local fisheries that we have grown to love and appreciate with clients from across the United States. What a wonderful summer it has been! We offer half day wade trips for $250 (2 anglers). Recent Lake Wateree Fishing Reports AHQ INSIDER Lake Wateree (SC) 2023 Week 8 Fishing Report - Updated February 23 February 23 Lake Wateree is at 98.4% of full pool and the lake is still muddy from one end to the other. View All | Fishing Gallery | Hunting Gallery | Photo of the Week . These fish will test your drag, jump, and then tail slap water at you when you release them. They are an aggressive species which makes them a perfect fish to chase using the fly rod. Early morning and sunset have been the best bite. Lake Mattamuskeet is the most well known lake in North Carolina since its the largest natural lake in the state. Some of the best fly fishing is within a short drive of Asheville, North Carolina. It was a clear morning to blast off for the 66-boat field! Normally Ill run lighter tippet because the water is usually very clear this time of year. Those looking to fish the Yadkin for smallmouth bass should check out Burch Station and Yadkin Shore public fishing areas. Spring provides some of the best dry fly fishing of the year on our local creeks and rivers. Lake Tillery is a reservoir between Badin Lake and Blewett Falls Lake in the Uwharrie Lakes Region of North Carolina. The Catawba Angler, 750 Ebenezer Church Road, Old Fort, NC, 28762, United States, Winter Fly Fishing Report & Outlook for Spring 2023, Spring Trout Fishing in Western North Carolina. Trout fishing has been fantastic this month and will continue to be good the entire month of May! This is a game changer. 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