The majority of smallmouth in our stretches of water will be in just a few holes. Leaders should as least be 10 foot in length. 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. As mentioned above, there are several different areas that provide access in this river, including the smaller Upper area that offers wade-in access. The best bite of the year is right around the corner. These trout are not stocked and naturally reproduce in the cold water coming off the highest mountain peaks in the east. The Spring offers some tremendous fly fishing opportunities across the mountain region for trout. Get directions to access points, boat ramps, and real-time USGS stream flow data. Here in western North Carolina we get some good rain in the Spring and Early Summer, but that shouldnt deter you away from getting out there and catching fish. Jerrod and his grandfather booked a trip with me on the Catawba Tailrace on March 22nd. The tailrace, perfect for drifting and float fishing, is really where the majority of the action can be found. The Catawba Tailrace is slowly starting to fish better and better. Official websites use .gov The Catawba Tailrace is a unique tailwater fishery below Bridgewater Dam in Morganton, North Carolina. This is when we head to the hills to chase wild fish where the water temperatures are lower and there isnt a ton of fishing pressure. In order to fish the bottom of the river well you got to be willing to fish slowly. There are some excellent wild brown trout fisheries in North Carolina, but much like the native brook trout streams getting someone to tell you where they are will be hard to accomplish. There is always opportunities to catch big smallmouth on light spinning tackle or the fly rod. There was one day where the water got up to 84 degrees and we threw everything but the kitchen sink at the bass and they just werent responding. Below is a fish we caught dead drifting a popper right off the bank by a fallen down tree. The wild trout fishing will be good till July when water temperatures get over 70 degrees. Its important to always be flexible with your game plan on the water. The Catawba River tailrace below Lake James is about an hour from Charlotte and is an incredible brown trout fishery. If you are just getting into the sport then book a guide to help accelerate your growth and have a mentor that will teach you how to do things the right way. Fishing will continue to be good all winter long on the lower elevation creeks and rivers. The Nolichucky has been clear and low so weve been taking the majority of fly fishing clients there. We strive to provide the best fishing experience in western North Carolina by making sure we exceed our clients expectations on and off the water. Fish push out of the fast current towards the banks or the deep eddies: Trout and smallmouth do not like fighting the current in high water so focus your attention on the areas where they will be holding. Lakes and dams provide benefits that are balanced among the individual needs of several communities. 19 inch Catawba Tailrace Brown Trout that ate a white streamer. Winter trout fishing here in North Carolina has been excellent. I appreciate the hard work they put in on the guided trips weve been on over the last couple of years. catawba river tailrace flow release. The wild trout streams are in great shape with a lot of water in them currently which will set us up for some good fishing early summer. The rainbow trout gets confused with the brook trout, but rainbows have a long lateral line on their sides that are pink or red. The river has an abundant supply of baitfish and crayfish that is needed to grow trophy river smallmouth. Fish in the morning. Black is always a solid choice, but dont be afraid to mix it up. The smallmouth have been heavily feeding on a variety of baits but weve had the most success on baitfish imitations. Our tailwater trips have been super productive and we are starting to venture to the high country for wild trout. These dry flies float well and you can fish multiple nymphs under them. After the first weekend of June fishing wont be great on the Delayed Harvest stretches because on June 4th anglers can harvest the fish. CATAWBA RIVER BL LAKE WYLIE DAM FEWELL ISLAND, SC. The weather in the spring can be unpredictable so I tell clients we fish conditions not dates on a calendar. The fishing is fantastic and the scenery is second to none. The USGS stream gauge below Lake James provides is the best for monitoring dam releases and current conditions in the tailrace. This 1,075 long passage features nine drop structures to control the rate and intensity of flows in the channel, a recovery pool and island with gradually sloped sides, and portage trails for boaters to exit the channel if needed. The Catawba Angler keeps a continual pulse on the Catawba Tailrace to be able to offer successful fly fishing trips on this tailwater. Thats the key when fishing crawfish patterns. 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. Catawba River Tailrace: I now do float trips to fish this great brown trou The lake draws many anglers from the Piedmont and coastal plain region looking to catch both smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Below is a resource for some of the lakes and rivers in the state that holds bass in them. I am going to be optimistic about having desirable flows for throwing dry flies this year. Id like to highlight the four trout species that are available in our public waters. The best bite has been when we get a cold front come through and the water temps get around 75 degrees again. catawba river tailrace flow release. The Catawba Angler, 750 Ebenezer Church Road, Old Fort, NC, 28762, United States, Spring Trout Fishing in Western North Carolina. The topwater bite has been best from 6am-11am, but we are seeing fish hammer topwater baits all hours of the day. Its been one of the best smallmouth seasons weve ever had so Im very thankful for that. 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.. check out our Whitewater Park Toolkit. There isnt a better time than now to get out on the water and learn the sport of fly fishing. The water temperature coming out the dam was 50 degrees and the lower end was 53 degrees. Another notable bass fishing lake in the coastal plain region is Lake Waccamaw. Start writing down notes from every fishing trip you take and you will be surprised how it will benefit you down the road. I think between the warmer water temperature (72 degrees) and overcast day it created an ideal scenario. We were fishing in front of rainstorm which dropped about an inch of rain down in the foothills. If you dont have enough weight then you will drift over the fish without any bites. Brown trout are elusive and considered one of the most difficult trout species to catch. The bite started off hot during the morning, but tapered off mid day then the bite picked up significantly in the afternoon. United States. 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 trout fishing in November will be good. We all hope for the days when the smallmouth hit on top and top and his son got just that. Chasing these fish will make you a better angler. S2O Design is led by engineer, Olympian, and three-time World Cup Kayak Champion and Freestyle Kayak Champion Scott Shipley. The QW data at this station are operated seasonally (April 01 through November 30). Let's explore the local lakes and rivers. Below are some of the tips we used on the guide trip and had some really good success. Catawba River Tailrace Kayak Fishing - YouTube 0:00 / 4:25 Catawba River Tailrace Kayak Fishing 635 views Mar 13, 2017 3 Dislike Share Save Fishing RN 1 subscriber Catawba River. We ended up catching a bunch of 1 to 1.75 lb. Options for wading and shoreline fishing in the tailrace are also limited due to a lack of public access. The lake is a shallow coastal lake which is home to largemouth bass. This year we have caught only a handful of holdover browns, but the rainbows have been a ton of fun. We caught a lot of smallmouth on top using hardbaits and soft plastics. Ive got a few dates left in October so dont hesitate to book or they will be gone. We caught most of our fish on the bottom that day which involves a more finesse style of fishing. Brown trout are at the top of every anglers list. Below is a picture of my buddies Samis first trout on the fly. 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. Hatchery Supported waters opens up this Saturday so this provides some more opportunities on our float trips and wade fishing trips to catch some bigger stocked trout. The mission of this organization is to bring hope and the love of Christ to youth through free guided fly fishing trips. The Catawba River runs through both regions and is home to 7 lakes that offers good bass fishing. I look forward to seeing you on the water. The best midge colors have been black, brown, and olive. We provide everything but a valid NC fishing license. Its been a colder spring so this sets us up good for the later half of spring with colder water out of muddy creek and the dam. All praise and glory goes to God because all good things come from his goodness, grace, mercy, and unfailing love. Once you target bass and carp on the fly then you will be glad you did. The only disadvantage to this fly is that its always swimming fast on the retrieve so if the fish arent in the mood to chase then try a fly that hangs and suspends more. The reaction bite the last two weeks has been nothing short of amazing. A lock ( 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. The mend is very important when fishing from a raft or drift boat. The French Broad River is hands down the best smallmouth river in North Carolina. Most of the time Im using weighted lines for streamers or adding weight to get the nymphs down. The rivers width makes it ideal for float fishing, so a drift boat will be a helpful. Focus your attention on the slack seam lines to the right or left of the fast water. The Catawba Angler specializes in guiding on the catawba tailrace and offers full day float trips for $350. The Catawba Angler specializes in offering float trips on the Catawba Tailrace and would love to have the opportunity to show you what this great fishery has to offer anytime of the year. We had an awesome time having the creeks all to ourselves and we caught a fair share of wild rainbows on dries. Normally your best fishing will be 7am to 11am so weve been out there early this month. The water has been lower so its pushing the bass in isolated areas looking for that higher oxygen content. The topwater bite can be very sporadic, but this day it was consistent all day. Olive is another color that shouldnt be overlooked. Smaller topwater flies dominate throughout the summer because youve got cicadas, beetles, grasshoppers, damselflies, and dragonflies. These fish are prevalent in the 34 creeks and rivers that get stocked across the mountain region of NC. Ever since Ive been guiding Ive kept a log of notes from every day Ive fished. The trout fishing has been excellent and will stay consistent till mid June. Fish are actively feeding and preparing themselves for the spawn which is a good time to cast crayfish, hellgrammite, and baitfish patterns. This fishery should be on everyones list to fish in North Carolina. The spring is also popular when aquatic insect hatches kick into gear, although March is off-limits in several areas of the river due to stocking. We offer different kayak types and river tubes to use on the scenic & historic Catawba River, South Fork River, or one of the area lakes! The Catawba Angler offers float trips and wade fishing trips for trout in the spring here in North Carolina. Below we will go through what each of these methods mean. We should be drying out here in the mountains over the next month and the fishing on the French Broad should be excellent. This is why small flies and good presentations dominate. An official website of the United States government. For more information, visit S2ODesign.com. These fish lack the beauty of the native brook trout but are still pretty fish nonetheless. These fish give you one chance. We will be fishing low water till into the fall so I expect the topwater bite in August, and September to be good. Bennett made a beautiful cast in the deep, slack water and the fish took off with the jig. I enjoy taking people to the delayed harvest to boost their confidence before chasing wild trout because it can be a humbling experience. The brook trout directly above is a stocked fish. Dead Drift Em: This method is very similar to drifting dry flies to trout. Lake James is the best bass fishing lake on the Catawba River chain and is home to both smallmouth and largemouth bass. There are resident and non-resident sport fishing licenses available. This is the pinnacle in fly fishing. Some of the biggest trout we catch all year is in the springtime stripping streamers against the banks. The lakes that make up the Catawba River Chain are Lake James, Lake Rhodiss, Lake Hickory, Lookout Shoals Lake, Lake Norman, and Lake Wylie. The delayed harvest fish on the smaller mountain creeks wont entertain trash flies so be sure to have some natural patterns readily available. The elk hair caddis is my personal favorite fly. 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. Visitors can find some lodging in the area, especially along the I-40 corridor. This was the best method during the morning then we switched to midges midday and had some good success fishing then under a dry. We have had clear water on the French Broad River so I have been out there every day chasing those big smallmouths that have some big appetites this time of year. Weve heard of 7pound fish being caught and even bigger ones that have gotten away. It only takes a few years for the stocked fish to become classified as trophy fish. There were lots of laughs and good times had on the lake. A trophy smallmouth out of the river is anything over 18. When these smallmouth spread out in the summer they could be anywhere. They are an aggressive species which makes them a perfect fish to chase using the fly rod. Give us a call today to schedule your fishing adventure this summer. NCWRC manages the following: Neck Road Access Area; Riverbend Access Area These guys put a lot of time on the water which is the best teacher of all. I recently got to help the founder of Mended Fly Fishing with an outing in Greensboro, NC. Catching hard fighting smallmouth on light spinning gear and the fly rod is too much fun. Hatches of Giant Stoneflies and caddis are predominant. Rainbow Trout are prominent in North Carolina. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the The Catawba Angler offers dry fly fishing trips on our mountain creeks for wild trout in the the Spring. Happy fishing! This trail is great for paddle sports, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. I look forward to fishing with everyone who has already scheduled a trip this season and I welcome new clients to get on our calendar. If you have a trip booked in July be prepared to start early. Duke Energy Corporation. The float is 8 miles so its a full day of fishing. We caught nothing but rainbows because they didnt put browns in this winter because of the hatchery shortage of fish after the flood in August 2021. The lake has a good population of smaller striped bass, but its not uncommon to catch 20 pound fish. We guide on the best smallmouth rivers in western North Carolina. I know the bigger browns are still there, but these fish are few and far between right now. The colder days are more challenging than the warmer ones but downsizing your flies on the colder days have been vital to our success. Located about an hour from Henderso You wont be disappointed. A 9-foot 4-wt fly rod with floating line is perfect for fishing dry flies and small nymphs on the Catawba River. The water is unusually low on the Nolichucky so weve been spending the most time on the French Broad. Are prevalent in the cold water coming off the bank by a fallen down tree all... 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