The Original Outfitter · Bryson City, NC · Since 1987
McLeod's Highland Fly Fishing — Now Mac Brown Fly Fish, Bryson City NC
The original name. The original outfitter. The same passion for fly fishing instruction that has defined this operation since the very beginning.
Now operating as Mac Brown Fly Fish — same founder, same water, same commitment to excellence.
McLeod's Highland Fly Fishing was founded in Bryson City, North Carolina in 1987 by Mac Brown — the original fly fishing guide and instructor in Western NC. The company name changed to Mac Brown Fly Fish in the mid-1990s. Mac Brown remains the same founder, the same waters, and the same instruction philosophy that started it all — now operating as the most credentialed fly fishing outfitter in the state.
The Beginning
Where It All Began
In 1987 Mac Brown launched the first professional fly fishing guide and instruction operation in the Smoky Mountains town of Bryson City, North Carolina. The company was called McLeod's Highland Fly Fishing — and it was the original. No one had done it before in this region, and no one since has matched the depth of local knowledge, the quality of instruction, or the consistency of results that the operation built over the decades that followed.
After the first decade in business the company name was changed to Mac Brown Fly Fish — reflecting the personal brand that had become synonymous with excellence in fly fishing instruction throughout Western North Carolina and beyond. The name changed. Nothing else did.
Mac Brown Fly Fish remains the oldest permitted and licensed outfitter in the region — with programs in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Nantahala National Forest built on a foundation of nearly four decades of daily experience on these specific rivers and streams.
The Founder
A Life Built on the Water
Mac Brown first picked up a fly rod at the age of seven. What began as a childhood fascination became a lifelong pursuit that has taken him from the mountain streams of the Southern Appalachians to rivers in Tasmania, New Zealand, and beyond — guiding, competing, teaching, and constantly deepening his understanding of what is possible when casting a fly line.
The techniques Mac teaches are not assembled from books and other instructors' systems — they are original ideas developed and refined over 40 years of daily observation, experimentation, and teaching. Many of these methods have appeared in Fly Fisherman magazine, ESPN, public television, Angling Report, and Outdoor Life.
As the only Master Casting Instructor in North Carolina, a former member of the FFI Board of Governors, a Mel Krieger Award recipient, and a coach whose students have stood on World Championship podiums, Mac brings a depth of knowledge to every lesson and guided trip that simply does not exist anywhere else in the region.
He has also built one of the most extensive databases of conditions and trout feeding behavior in the region — compiled from over 14,000 stomach samples taken from wild regional fish and decades of daily streamside observation.
Instruction
Why a Fly Fishing Lesson Changes Everything
Fly fishing is similar to golf in that it requires years of dedication to truly master — but unlike golf, most fly fishers never invest in proper instruction at the beginning. They learn from friends, YouTube videos, and trial and error — and they carry the resulting bad habits for decades, never quite understanding why their results plateau.
A lesson with our credentialed instructor team, which includes FFI Master Casting Instructors, can help eliminate years of that frustration in a single session. Instructors vary by session. Our team has a keen eye for diagnosing the specific faults in any caster's stroke and offering the tools — the specific adjustments, the drills, the understanding — that produce immediate improvement.
Most kinesthetic sports require hands-on teaching to truly sink in. Fly casting is no different. Reading about it helps. Watching it helps. But standing in a river with someone who has spent 40 years watching thousands of casters make every possible mistake — and knowing exactly how to fix each one — is the experience that actually changes the way you fish.
Instant Improvement
Most casting faults are identified and corrected in a single session.
40 Years of Knowledge
Techniques developed over four decades of daily teaching and guiding.
On-Stream Learning
Real water, real conditions, real fish — learning that sticks permanently.
The Classroom
The Water — A Classroom That Never Runs Out
The Western North Carolina Smoky Mountains region is not just a beautiful place to fly fish. It is one of the most technically demanding and diverse fly fishing environments in the eastern United States — and that difficulty is precisely what makes it such an extraordinary place to learn.
Diverse currents, dense canopy, wild fish that have never been handed anything easy — these are the conditions that produce some of the finest fly casters Mac has ever encountered. The technical challenges of Smoky Mountain streams require casting in every plane, reading water with genuine depth, and presenting flies with a precision that tolerates almost no margin for error. Master it here and you are prepared for any water anywhere.
The region's temperate climate produces excellent year-round angling opportunities — with spring and fall as the peak seasons for dry fly fishing and the most diverse hatch activity. The Tuckasegee River, the Nantahala River, the streams of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the broader network of wild mountain water surrounding Bryson City provide an endlessly varied and endlessly rewarding classroom.
Qualifications
The Credentials Behind the Instruction
FFI Master Casting Instructor
The highest casting certification in fly fishing — held by fewer than a few hundred people worldwide. The only MCI in North Carolina.
FFI Board of Governors
Served for years on the governing body of the Federation of Fly Fishers (now known as Fly Fishers International) helping shape national standards for the sport.
Mel Krieger Casting Award
Named for one of the most influential fly casting teachers who ever lived. Awarded for outstanding contribution to fly casting instruction.
Hall of Fame Inductee
Inducted into the Southern Appalachian Fly Fishing Museum Hall of Fame for Recreation in 2017.
Western Carolina University
Associate Professor who created the most popular class in university history and pioneered collegiate fly fishing education.
Team USA Youth Assistant Coach (2010–2024)
Served as an assistant coach for Fly Fishing Team USA Youth from 2010 to 2024, supporting competitors representing the United States on the international stage.
Field & Stream Angler of the Year
Nominated by Field & Stream magazine in the fall 1999 issue.
Original Permitted Outfitter
The oldest permitted and licensed fly fishing outfitter in the Smoky Mountains region — operating since 1987.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is McLeod's Highland Fly Fishing?
McLeod's Highland Fly Fishing was the original fly fishing outfitter in Bryson City, North Carolina — founded by Mac Brown in 1987. It was the first permitted and licensed fly fishing guide service in the Smoky Mountains. The operation is now known as Mac Brown Fly Fish, and Mac continues to guide and teach on the same waters he has fished for nearly four decades.
When did McLeod's Highland become Mac Brown Fly Fish?
McLeod's Highland Fly Fishing was rebranded as Mac Brown Fly Fish to better reflect the guide and instructor at the center of the operation. The rivers, the approach, and the commitment to genuine instruction remain the same as they have since 1987.
What guided fly fishing is available through Mac Brown Fly Fish?
Mac Brown Fly Fish offers guided float trips and wade trips on the Tuckasegee River, guided wade trips on the Nantahala River and Great Smoky Mountains National Park streams, guided lake trips on Fontana Lake and Cheoah Lake, private fly casting instruction, and 4-day professional guide training through the Fly Fishing Guide School.
Where is Mac Brown Fly Fish located?
Mac Brown Fly Fish is based in Bryson City, North Carolina — the fly fishing capital of the Smoky Mountains and the gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Bryson City is within 20 minutes of the Tuckasegee River, Nantahala River, and the national park streams.
What is the cancellation and payment policy?
CANCELLATION: Weather and emergencies — we will always work with you. Dates are rarely cancelled due to weather — come prepared and plan to be on the water. If you cancel 30 or more days before your trip or school date, you receive a credit good for one year from your original date. Within 30 days of your date, the full charge applies. We strongly recommend trip cancellation insurance at the time of reservation. We have operated on the Golden Rule since 1987 — if something comes up, reach out and we will do everything we can to work with you.
PAYMENT: Payment in full is required at the time of booking to hold your date. Online bookings via Swipe carry a small processing fee. To avoid fees entirely, we accept Zelle, Venmo, and personal check at no additional cost — choose your preferred method on the payment page.
The Original. Still the Best.
Nearly Four Decades on the Same Water
McLeod's Highland Fly Fishing became Mac Brown Fly Fish. The name changed. The standard never did. Nearly four decades of guiding and teaching on the finest trout water in the eastern United States — and the same commitment to quality instruction that started it all in 1987.
Whether you are booking your first guided trip, taking your first casting lesson, or returning after years away — you have Mac's promise to provide you with the highest quality fly fishing instruction and guided experience you have ever had. Peak times are spring and fall — book early.