Weve been averaging over fifty fish on every float using a variety of different methods to put fish in the net. 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. The best trout fishing is hands down the Catawba Tailrace if you enjoy throwing bigger nymphs and streamers. We thank everyone who has trusted us over the years for making this passion a career. If youve got those colors you will catch fish. Normally when they first stock the first will hit anything flashy in the color of pink and yellow. I want to thank him for my wife for getting up at the crack of dawn with me before heading to the river. Trying throwing some smaller profile flies to match the hatch. Brown trout are at the top of every anglers list. 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. Trout fishing has been fantastic this month and will continue to be good the entire month of May! The French Broad has been off colored for the last month, but I am okay with that because the less fishing pressure this summer means a better late summer/early fall bite. The Bridgewater Tailrace Brown Trout Fishery December 2018 The Catawba River below Lake James in Burke and McDowell counties, known as the Bridgewater Tailrace, has been managed for many years by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) as a tailwater trout fishery. The brown trout above is a stocked fish. The state record rainbow trout in North Carolina weighed over 20 pounds and was caught out of a stream 60 miles from Asheville. In order to fish the bottom of the river well you got to be willing to fish slowly. Our favorite streamer to fish is a black peanut envy designed by Kelly Galloup. The Catawba River is a destination for many anglers who enjoy fly fishing. Locked padlock This pattern floats well and can easily be skated across the surface for some explosive strikes on the Catawba Tailrace in March and April. The rainbow trout gets confused with the brook trout, but rainbows have a long lateral line on their sides that are pink or red. Water levels in the mountains of North Carolina are currently low which makes fishing more challenging that years past. We mainly nymph fish this section with an indicator using stonefly patterns, and smaller jig head nymphs as dropper flies. If you arent fishing the nymphs about 6-8 feet deep your not in the target zone. I couldnt do it without her support. Its important to always be flexible with your game plan on the water. The French Broad River is finally at a fishable level so we were able to take a trip there and it fished excellent. The closest fishing to Asheville is the French Broad River. The bigger bugs such as caddis, cahills, hendricksons, quill gordons, stoneflies, and sulphurs begin to make their arrival in the spring so there are plenty of insects for the trout to eat. Poppers have been the fly of choice on both rivers. Give us a call to experience the best trout fishing of the year in western NC. 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.. There arent many striper in the Tailrace, but if you are looking to grind and catch your first striper on the fly then we welcome you. He created DIY Fly Fishing to help you do the same. It is not uncommon to see smallmouth in just a few feet of water chasing minnows or eating mayflies off the surface. The fishing is fantastic and the scenery is second to none. Curtis Creek gets stocked the first week of October and November so this provides good fishing all fall and winter. 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. (West to East) All three regions boasts some excellent bass fishing in the lakes and rivers. Normally a half of inch of rain in an isolated area is going to cause the creeks and rivers to present high water conditions. These fish are no longer responding to the trash flies so leave them at the house. Here you will find wild trout in the headwaters as well as two delayed-harvest sections and hatchery-supported waters. July and August is excellent for catching smallmouth on topwater! Fish in the morning. They are an aggressive species which makes them a perfect fish to chase using the fly rod. The river is half the size of the French Broad River, but has a thick population of bass in it. Another prominent river that flows through the Piedmont region is the Yadkin. As long as the French Broad stays clear we will be on it. If you have a trip booked in July be prepared to start early. Ready to go? The Catawba Tailrace is a unique tailwater fishery below Bridgewater Dam in Morganton, North Carolina. We throw a lot of terrestrials during this time so its a lot of fun seeing these smaller fish come up for bigger bugs. The Catawba Tailrace and Tuckaseegee River systems offers some great streamer fishing in March, April, and May. Install DIY Fly Fishing on your iPhone and then Add to Home Screen, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing the Catawba River in North Carolina, Catawba River Map and Fishing Access Sites, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, DIY Guide to the Best Fly Fishing in North Carolina, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing the South Toe River in North Carolina, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing the East Fork Pigeon River in North Carolina, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing Lost Cove Creek in North Carolina, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing Boone Fork Creek in North Carolina. Our favorite time to fish the tailrace is from October to May. Our water temperature is mid 70s and we are finally seeing some great topwater action. 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. 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. We've been picking fish up in the deeper runs on nymphs and streamers in the riffles. If you are looking to catch these fish find a creek above 3,000 feet and go explore it. The best fishing will continue to be early morning to midday. Once the water temperature drops below 45 degrees we will solely focus on trout until the smallmouth bite picks back up in March. Flow Arrival and Recession Times; Current Lake Levels. Smaller topwater flies dominate throughout the summer because youve got cicadas, beetles, grasshoppers, damselflies, and dragonflies. A lock ( We received our last stocking of trout the first week of May so the Delayed Harvest stretches have been fishing well. We offer half day wade trips for $250 (2 anglers). These lakes are named the Catawba River Chain of Lakes. This is trophy hunting using the fly rod because these fish will range anywhere from 5 to 15 pounds. Our tailwater trips have been super productive and we are starting to venture to the high country for wild trout. Ive got a few dates left in October so dont hesitate to book or they will be gone. May 2021. When you decided to pick up fly fishing you knew you were at a disadvantage compared to using a spinning rod. Numbers of fish can be high and there are opportunities at some very large holdover brown trout. Both species are very active right now and I cant think of a better time to be on the water! 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. Below are some of the tips we used on the guide trip and had some really good success. The Prachyls wanted to fish a smaller smallmouth river so we did just that and had a great day targeting smallmouth using spinning tackle. This time of the year is an excellent time to catch your personal best river smallmouth before they start to spawn. This is where we will hike into a backcountry creek and dry fly fish all day for rising trout. One way to catch more fish in an unfamiliar river system is to find out what forage is in the river whether it be bugs, minnows, or crayfish and start there. You want to look for moving water with white bubbles close to structure. I think between the warmer water temperature (72 degrees) and overcast day it created an ideal scenario. This stretch has long, deep holes that hold good populations of bass in the summertime moving upstream from the lake looking for those cooler river temperatures. This is why catch and release is cool. Caddis & stoneflies are the name of the game right now. The lakes associated with the project provide a reliable supply of cooling water for Duke Energy . Official websites use .gov Remember to still use light tippet this time of year. These trips are great introductory trips to get kids interested in the sport of fishing. Lake levels are reported with normal full pond elevation of 100 feet. Smallmouth fishing has been fantastic. The best fishing of the year is upon us so dont hesitate to contact us. Seclusion: We rarely see anyone else on the wild trout streams. The Catawba River runs through both regions and is home to 7 lakes that offers good bass fishing. Fly fishing is the preferred method for casting smaller flies to these eager fish. Beginning in 1904, a series of hydroelectric dams were constructed to harness the power of the river to provide electricity for the region. Once this happens the bite turns on. Topwater will continue to be good the rest of the summer. These fish thrive in cold mountain creeks that can only be reached by foot. 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. Preserves and parks also offer camping for those who want an even more budget-friendly option. S2O Design is led by engineer, Olympian, and three-time World Cup Kayak Champion and Freestyle Kayak Champion Scott Shipley. They stock some big brown, brook, and rainbow trout in Curtis so a lot of clients that we take fishing normally catch their personal best here. Check out the fish we caught in October fly fishing Curtis Creek. The best method has been using dry dropper rigs using 5-6x tippet. Below we will go through what each of these methods mean. I appreciate you taking the time to read our reports. If you dont get an immediate response we will respond as soon as we get off the water so please bear with us. For fly fishers its hard to beat squirmy worms, mops flies, and eggs. I also want to thank him for the clients he allows me to fish with because its a cool experience getting to show people the fisheries I have grown up on and fished my whole life. Recently we received close to half and inch of rain the night before a guide trip. Chasing these fish will make you a better angler. Its been a long cold winter so getting out there and doing away with the nymphs has been nice. Fish are beginning to favor the faster moving water when the water temps are getting up past 75 degrees so thats where our focus has been with the soft plastics. The majority of smallmouth in our stretches of water will be in just a few holes. The river has the quantity and the quality every bass fisherman is looking for. Below is a picture of my buddies Samis first trout on the fly. The fishing is great from the time we put on to the end and there is always potential to catch a trophy brown trout. We guide on the best smallmouth rivers in western North Carolina. We had a great day and we managed to get a good trout as well. An official website of the United States government. The Catawba Angler specializes in guiding on the catawba tailrace and offers full day float trips for $350. Spring provides some of the best dry fly fishing of the year on our local creeks and rivers. Dead Drift Em: This method is very similar to drifting dry flies to trout. Smallmouth bass have always been overlooked by trout anglers, but I hope I can convince you to start targeting them if you havent already. The takeout ramp in Glen Alpine is currently under construction so this section of river will be shut down for two months. The Catawba Tailrace has an excellent caddis hatch beginning in early March that can last till mid April. The rainbow trout above was caught out of a delayed harvest stretch north of Asheville. The key to fishing off colored water is to fish it extremely slow. We offer half and full day trips for wild brown trout, rainbow trout, and brook trout. Another river worth mentioning when talking about bass fishing in North Carolina is the Nolichucky River. Some of the biggest trout we catch all year is in the springtime stripping streamers against the banks. We ended up catching a bunch of 1 to 1.75 lb. The main focus is getting the kids hooked on having a good time on the water. Check out the two fish below we caught in January of 2021. Most likely the fins were rubbed off during the time this fish was in the holding walls of the hatchery. We had a great day of fishing on the Nolichucky River and Bennett reeled in a true trophy river smallmouth. Anytime you can bring a 19inch fish to the boat its a good day. This will have the Tailrace out of commission for the next few days. The smallmouth have been heavily feeding on a variety of baits but weve had the most success on baitfish imitations. She is currently competing for Angler of the Year for IWFA so it was good to help her knock off a couples of species that can only be caught in western NC. The Catawba Angler offers guided bass fishing trips on the best rivers and lakes in North Carolina. We were able to take kids fishing on a private lake and show them the sport of fishing. The Catawba River in western North Carolina is a diverse trout fishery that includes wild brook trout in its headwaters to trophy brown trout in the tailwater below Lake James. $24 King Palm | Flavor Mini Size | 20 Pack | Natural Slow Burning Pr Health Household Household Supplies Tobacco-Related Products Trail Uses Locations Catawba (NC), Fort Mill (SC), Lancaster (SC), Rock Hill (SC) Length 29.3 miles, One Way Difficulty Moderate The wild trout streams in North Carolina are fishing excellent right now. We are targeting fish using dry droppers and single drys. More than 100 years ago, the Great Falls-Dearborn Diversion Dam was built on the Catawba River for a hydroelectric plant, which created the Great Falls Dearborn Reservoir but also de-watered the 2.25-mile Long Bypass Reach below the dam. On our trips you will be paired with an experienced guide that will do everything in their power to make sure you have a successful day on the water. This is some of the most exciting fishing the Tailrace has to offer besides streamer fishing. Anglers have to be prepared to fish in any condition. These fish will test your drag, jump, and then tail slap water at you when you release them. The Catawba Tailrace is about to get really good so dont hesitate to book a trip down there. The fish are coming up eating dries in the morning then droppers midday to early afternoon. Fish slowly and throughly: Slow down and fish the areas where you know the fish are at because they might not bite on the first cast but the twentieth cast. God has given us the passion for fly fishing, and if we can use that as an outlet to become a friend to fatherless children then that is a beautiful thing. It was another one unit flow release and we netted about 25 fish. Upper Catawba River Paddle. 828-460-2390. If you want to specialize in Euronymphing, Streamer Fishing, Nymphing Fishing, or Dry Fly Fishing we can customize your trip to solely focus on one of these different tactics. fish, but hooked up with a true trophy at the end of the day. There are resident and non-resident sport fishing licenses available. After the spawn is over the water temperatures start to warm and the fish start chasing baitfish. The bass will let you know if you can pop aggressively or every ten or so seconds. None: Lake Rhodhiss: 98.0: 97: 94: 100: ND . The smallmouth bite has been lights out all summer long and we have consistently been catching quality fish on every trip. The best bite of the year is right around the corner. Monitoring location 02145910 is associated with a STREAM in YORK COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA. North Carolina brown trout can get very large and attracts anglers all over the country to try to tango with one. We did hook into a nice holdover brown on the lower end of the float, but it got off at the boat. 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. Weve been getting just enough rain to keep the rivers higher than years past, but still fishable. Its versatile. The 30-mile stretch of flatwater on the Catawba River between Lake Wylie Hydro Dam and the upper end of Fishing Creek Lake remains wooded and natural rich in wildlife and history rooted in the Catawba Indian Nation. Visitors can find some lodging in the area, especially along the I-40 corridor. The biggest smallmouth weve ever guided a client into has come from the Nolichucky. The Catawba-Wateree project provides 819 megawatts (MW) of clean, economical, and renewable power, which on average is enough electricity to power 103,000 homes. The second stocking of trout on our local Delayed Harvest waters happens next week so that is exciting as well. 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catawba river tailrace flow release