Below is an informative guide of the best fishing opportunities throughout the year in western North Carolina. This guide will be useful to potential clients wanting to know the best times of the year to book a guided fishing trip with us.
January - February: These two months are overlooked by anglers thinking it’s too cold to fish, but you can catch some big trout during the coldest months of the year. We stay on the lower elevation fisheries and tailwaters where water temperatures tend to stay warmer. This time of the year we throw large stonefly patterns and streamers to trick the biggest fish in the river. Large flies catch big fish this time of year since the dominant fish are looking for the “best bang for their buck” when it comes to eating since their metabolism is low. Dead drifting a stonefly or retrieving an baitfish pattern slowly in the wintertime are highly effective. Our favorite floats in January and February are the Tuckaseegee, Catawba, and the Catawba Tailrace. These three floats hold some large fish that are stocked by the state in October and November. The Catawba Tailrace is a low gradient tailwater that doesn’t produce the same prolific hatches that the East Tennessee tailwaters do except for the caddis and the stoneflies in early Spring, but the main source of food for the brown trout is baitfish. This provides some good streamer fishing opportunities in January and February. This time of year we are looking for quality fish instead of quantity based on the fishing methods we use. The wild trout streams are always a blast to fish in the winter because of the solitude, but the best fishing on these streams will begin in early March when the warmer weather activates the nymph activity. Below are some photos of some quality trout and a big walleye we’ve caught in January and February.
March - May: The best trout fishing of the year happens during these months. This is also one of the best times of the year to catch trophy smallmouth in our rivers. Let’s start with the trout fishing. During these three months we have more insects on the water than any other time of the year which provides excellent trout fishing every day. Our water temperatures during these months correspond to when trout most actively feed which is 55 to 65 degrees. During these months our guides will have dry fly, nymphing, and streamer rods on the boats ready to go since there is so much activity happening on the water. The delayed harvest creeks and rivers provide excellent wade and float fishing opportunities. This time of year anglers can catch both quantity and quality on our guided trout trips. We also offer some more secluded backcountry trips this time of year for anglers looking to get off the beaten path. One of these trips is going deep into the Linville Gorge. This trip is not for the faint of heart and one must be in excellent shape to get in and out of the gorge. The rewards are definitely worth the risk. North Carolina is home to a ton of wild trout streams where fish naturally reproduce. These streams provide a one of a kind fishing experience that highlights what it truly means to fly fish in the mountains of North Carolina. It’s one of our coolest fishing experiences we offer. The wild trout streams fish excellent during this time with the majority of fish caught will be taken on a dry fly. Catching a trout on a dry fly is the epitome of fly fishing in the southern Appalachian mountains. There is an abundance of mayflies and caddis during these months which cause the streams come alive. This time of year is perfect for the beginner who wants to learn the sport of fly fishing since there are so many opportunities to catch. We welcome seasoned anglers looking to learn new skills or fish one of the more secluded rivers we guide on. This is a good reminder to subscribe to our newsletter found on our home page where I provide more in depth fishing reports and subscribers get updates on “hot fishing opportunities” throughout the year. If you want to trout fish then these three months are hands down the best time to do so. We guide on a wide variety of rivers this time of year for trout, but our favorites include the Tuckaseegee, Toe, Linville, Catawba, French Broad, Nolichucky, and the Laurel.
March marks the beginning of prespawn river smallmouth fishing. From early March to the third week of April your chances at catching a trophy smallmouth on the French Broad, Catawba, or Nolichucky Rivers is best. During this time we are focusing on catching trophy smallmouth instead of numbers. By the end of April to the later half of May most smallmouth are spawning so it’s best to not fish during this time. The end of May through June provides great post spawn fishing which is another good opportunity to catch a trophy smallmouth. The bigger fish will actively be feeding trying to put on the weight they lost during the spawn. Both quality and quantity are great during this time. During March through May we offer fly fishing and spin fishing trips for smallmouth. Below are some of the trout and smallmouth we’ve caught during March, April, and May.
June - September: Welcome summertime fishing. These months provide excellent smallmouth fishing where opportunities to catch a lot of fish and big fish present themselves on every float. This time of year also provides the best opportunities to catch smallmouth using a fly rod. Fly fishing with poppers is by far one of the most effective ways to catch a trophy smallmouth hanging out on a shady bank in the heat of summer looking for an easy meal. There are plenty of cicadas and terrestrials around to keep the smallmouth looking up. The majority of our customers prefer to use light spinning tackle, but we love chasing smallmouth using the long rod. There isn’t a better feeling than having a 3 pound smallmouth on the end of the line. The scenery on our smallmouth floats is second to none and it allows clients to see a different side of the mountain region. There truly isn’t a better time to be on the river fishing for smallmouth than the summer months. The wild trout streams fish well into the end of June, but by July it’s too hot to do any trout fishing here in western North Carolina unless we get an abnormal cold front that comes through which can happen towards the end of August. Summertime is the time to try something new and chase these bronzebacks in the river. Trust me you won’t regret it. We’ve had plenty of trout bums give up summer trout fishing and soley focus on catching smallmouth after booking a guided trip with us. Catching a big smallmouth is challenging, but it’s one of the most prized gamefish we have here in western North Carolina. Catching a big smallmouth requires patience, dedication, and a good attitude.
Towards mid September when the first real cold front comes through we will target native brook trout for a brief time before they go into their annual spawn which happens the beginning of October. These fish are gems of the mountains and we handle them with the utmost care when catching and releasing them. The more people we can educate through our guided trips the more people that will support organizations that support the native fish population. Brook trout are our only native fish so it’s our most valuable trout in North Carolina. Our guided brook trout trips involves 4-6 miles of hiking. It’s not for the faint of heart, but like any challenge the rewards are worth it. Some of our favorite brook trout streams are located in roadless areas that are truly wild. Catching these 8 inch fish bring us guides just as much joy when a client catches their personal best trout on a stocked river.
Below are just a few pictures of the great fishing we get to experience in the summertime.
October - December: Welcome Fall Fishing. The fall is personally my favorite time to be on the water. The leaves are changing and the weather begins to cool down after a long, hot summer. The fish notice this change and begin to aggressively feed since colder weather is right around the corner. October is another great month for smallmouth anglers to catch their personal best. Some of our biggest smallmouth ever caught on guided trips come from the month of October. The trout fishing begins to pick up and continues to get better and better as water temperatures begin to drop. The fall is a wonderful time to be on the wild trout streams and the stocked fisheries throughout the western North Carolina region. October is busy on the trout streams since everyone is here for leaf season, but the smallmouth rivers are empty. The trout crowds will die off by November which in my opinion is an even better month than October to trout fish. Water temperatures are lower and the fish get less pressured during that time. Fall fishing is truly magical in the mountains of western North Carolina. November and December offers some excellent opportunities to catch trout without the crowds. Below are some great fish we’ve caught during the fall season.
I hope this guide gives you a better understanding on what to expect over the course of the year on our wade and float trips. If you have more information then simply shoot me an email or give me a call. Our goal at The Catawba Angler is to give you the best guided fishing experience in western North Carolina. None of this would be possible without God. I want to give him all the glory and the praise for giving us the passion for guiding and the physical ability to take you and your family fishing. It will be our pleasure to take you to some of the most beautiful creeks and rivers this side of the Mississippi. Thanks for reading and we look forward to seeing you on the water.