Trout Fishing North Carolina
Trout fishing NC offers many opportunities for the fly fisher! The mountainous region of Swain county offers the traveling fly fisherman the greatest trout fishing potential of anywhere in the entire state. When making these choices for a day on the stream one must first decide what type of fish and in what type of environment you want to fish? Some want solitude on an isolated stream while others might not mind having other folks nearby fly fishing. Do you prefer trout fishing out of a drift boat or wade fishing?
Tailwater river fishing on the Nantahala River provides the perfect atmosphere for learning to fly fish. The Tuckasegee River and the Hiwassee River are both great tailwater rivers as well. The biggest two things that will dictate how easy the trout are to catch will be the amount of angling pressure and conditions dictated by mother nature. Both of these are beyond your control so you must adjust to working within those parameters every time you go to the stream or lake. Delayed Harvest waters are plentiful through the state as well!
Western North Carolina Trout Waters
The most popular waters will be listed in the submenus that we offer our various guided fly fishing trips and other customized programs. Or click on these links for more information which include guided float trips, guided wade trips, guided lake trips, casting instruction, video casting lesson, fly fishing schools, groups and corporate trips, backcountry trips, programs and demonstrations, and destination trips!
There are technical small streams with diverse currents that will average smaller trout such as native brook trout streams. There are the crown jewel streams with Brown, Rainbow, and Brook trout such as Hazel Creek, Deep Creek, Forney Creek, Cataloochee Creek, and the Ocunaluftee River which offers larger wild trout in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The area experiences a huge tourism boost from visitors fly fishing our waters throughout the year in large part because the National Park is the most visited one in the United States. The real reason though is because the area sells itself because of the abundant beauty of the area.
The area experiences a huge tourism boost from visitors fly fishing our waters throughout the year in large part because the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited park in the United States. The real reason though is because the area sells itself because of the abundant beauty of the area.
Larger Rivers of Western North Carolina for Fly Fishing
Then we have the larger river systems like Little Tennessee River, Nolichucky River, French Broad River which all offer many opportunities for other species of fish in addition to trout. These are great rivers for overnight floats for walleye, many varieties of bass, muskie, trout, and many other species of fish. The Little Tennessee River has among the most diverse species of freshwater fishes in the world! So in no way can we list all of the various species in a paragraph.
Tribal Waters in Cherokee NC
Trout fishing the “Trophy Waters” in Cherokee, NC boast record numbers of stockings throughout the year for big trout. Many enjoy the ambiance of elk wandering around the stream while they are trout fishing on the Ravens Fork River. If you pick July and August you probably will run into loads of folks floating in tubes to cool off. August is always a busy time with family vacations to the Great Smoky Mountains but it is among the worst of all the months for trout fishing in NC. Use your thermometer if you plan on fishing when it is hot here and plan on starting very early for the best fly fishing of the day.
August is always a busy time with family vacations to the Great Smoky Mountains but it is among the worst of all the months for trout fishing in NC. Use your thermometer if you plan on fishing when it is hot here and plan on starting very early for the best fly fishing of the day. Smallmouth fishing is a great choice during the warmer months.
Trout Fishing the Davidson River in Brevard NC
The Davidson River is also a very popular free-flowing river near Brevard, NC. It is among my favorite streams in the state as well because it has a very healthy population of trout with other great attractions nearby like great waterfalls and hiking trails. The Davidson River has its fair share of pressure in the summer months. My favorite season to fish there tends to be the offseason like December through March.
There are so many miles of trout waters scattered throughout NC that in no way can we mention them all. Other notable streams north of us include the Watauga River and Wilson Creek drainage. The Laurel River which is close to Asheville, NC also has a Delayed Harvest section. There is sure to be a great trout stream no matter where you may stay in Western NC.
The Whitewater River and the Chattooga River are both near Highlands and Cashiers, NC. Both of these are great trout fishing streams with plenty of Brown and Rainbow Trout.
Graham County Fly Fishing
Graham County has some great streams to check out as well with Slickrock Creek, Twenty Mile Creek, Snowbird Creek and the Delayed Harvest of Snowbird Creek, and Santeetlah Creek. It also offers great lake opportunities with the Cheoah, Calderwood, and Santeetlah Reservoirs. These lakes can be very productive for some excellent trout fishing throughout the year.
North Carolina also has a Kokanee Salmon run which is highly dependent on the time of year. These fish reside in Nantahala Lake which is the highest elevation lake in the state. Other lakes that are high demand for the fly fisher include Bear Lake, Wolff Lake, and Tanasse Lake which are all near Sylva, NC.