Tuckasegee River Fly Fishing the Delayed Harvest in Bryson City
Fly Fishing the Delayed Harvest section of the Tuckasegee River has become very popular over the last decade. The one in Webster, NC was put in for the fly fishing programs I taught at WCU back in the 1990’s. The Tuckasegee River flows through the middle of Bryson City, NC and we just received our first Delayed Harvest section last fall 2015. This will help to spread out the angler masses during the busy season. The first Saturday of October 2015 will be the first Delayed Harvest for the town of Bryson City, NC.
The program is to receive 27,048 trout which covers about 2.2 miles of stream. The program will start at the bridge at Darnell Farms and end at the bridge at Mountain Ford in town. We are excited to get this program here in Bryson for float trips especially due to a little higher water for navigating the rocks. There are many other streams between the town of Dillsboro and Bryson City which will help to make it feel a bit more like a western river. Tuckasegee river fly fishing will be a huge boost for the local economy here since Bryson City is already the trout mecca of the southeast!
Brook Trout from the Tuckasegee River Delayed Harvest Program
Tuckasegee River Fly Fishing the Delayed Harvest in Webster
The other Delayed Harvest program in Webster, NC has been very popular since the mid 90’s. It begins at the bridge on Hwy 107 and runs down to the old dam (which is removed) in Dillsboro. It has fish spread out all over the river and has grown in popularity over the years. The river offers a perfect learning environment for teaching fly fishing techniques.
We also offer float trips where the river flows into Fontana Lake in the springtime. This is excellent for about 6 weeks in the spring for trout and many other species of fish. We have caught muskie, white bass, small mouth, large mouth, brown trout, and plenty of rainbow trout during Spring.
The river overall can become marginal at best during the hot summer months. We will never run trips when the water temps get too high because there are too many other streams that offer a higher quality trip. Fishing for trout is very dependent on having water temps close to the mid 50’s.
Rainbow Trout from the Tuckasegee River Delayed Harvest
Attractions Near Bryson City
Other area attractions can be found by contacting the Bryson City, NC Chamber of Commerce. The number is 800-867-9246. Swain County is the trout mecca of the southern states. Over 75% of the county is either Nantahala National Forest or the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Park visitors exceed 14 million people per year! When you consider all of the whitewater rafting, Smoky Mountain Railroad, Appalachian Trail hikes, hundreds of waterfall hikes, great mountain biking, and many other outdoor adventures it is not hard to see why our little mountain town of Bryson City is always expanding.
Many great new restaurants and lodging in Bryson City for hosting large groups. Cherokee, NC is about a 10-minute drive from Bryson City. Gatlinburg, TN is a 45-minute drive over the hill to Bryson City. We are about an hour drive from Highlands and Asheville NC. Knoxville and Chattanooga TN is about 2 1/2 hours away. Atlanta, GA, and Charlotte, NC are about a 3-hour drive. Plan your next get-a-away to the trout mecca town of Bryson City, NC! My favorite addition to the town is the Nantahala Brewery which also provides some very good bands all through the season!
What to Bring for Your Fly Fishing Lesson
Let us show you what it will take for learning to fly fish on your own in some of the best waters in western North Carolina! Our guides have decades of experience instructing you for a memorable adventure in the Great Smoky Mountains! You should bring rain gear, warm clothes, sunscreen, lip balm, a hat and polarized glasses. It will benefit your success on the water to wear clothing that blends into the surroundings. You can also check the weather here for layering considerations of clothes.
Mac Brown Fly Fishing provides all of the gear, streamside lunch, a fly casting handbook “Casting Angles”, and the best quality and experienced instruction. Let us share with you some of the best waters and techniques for your success on the water trout fishing North Carolina.
If you plan to fish and are older than sixteen, you can purchase your valid NCWRC license here online or by phone at 1-888-248-6834. You will need a trout stamp for everything outside the GSMNP and Tribal Waters in Cherokee, NC. You need either an NC or TN fishing license for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The tribal license can be purchased at many of the stores in Cherokee. Use the contact page or call (828)736-1469 for booking.