Late Fall Fishing Has Been On Fire!

Phew! That's all I can say after the busy Thanksgiving holiday week we just had. Thanks to over 28 inches of rain we've received since September, our water conditions in the beginning of the week weren't exactly ideal, but we managed to get folks into a bunch of fish anyway. Lots of split shot and big dumbbell eyes sure helped cut through all that water and the fish were turned on enough to eat some streamers, too, which certainly helped. By the time Turkey Day was upon us, the water levels on the Davidson and upper French Broad tribs had dropped to a great level. All in all, it was a fun way to bid good-bye to fall and say hello to the colder conditions of winter.

With water temps in the low 40s, the trout definitely have moved into their winter holding lies. We didn't find many willing takers in the shallow riffles or pocket water this last week. The deeper holes and slow-moving runs produced the bulk of our fish, which ate blue-winged olive emergers, dun caddis pupa and any small nymph with a tungsten bead (a #18 amber Tung-Stud was killing it.) Given the chilly water, the fish were surprisingly willing to eat swung flies on our private stretch, with many of the bigger trout eating Caddis Borealis soft hackles just as they lifted off the bottom at the end of the drift. On the Davidson, we caught some hefty browns both streamer fishing (Butt Monkeys and white Zonkers) and dead-drifting small Baetis nymphs just off the bottom. A #20 olive Pulsating Emerger was our #1 producer overall.

Looking for a Christmas present for the brookie fanatic in your family? We still have a few clearance items available at deep end-of-the-year discounts: a 7' 6" Thomas & Thomas LP 3-wt. for $368.55 (down from $567!), two 7'6" Wright & McGill boron 3-wts for $239.20 and our last remaining Scott E2 7'6" 3 wt. travel rod for $350! All of these rods come with a lifetime warranty and aluminum rod tubes with socks. Call the shop at (828) 877-3106 or email me at thana@headwatersoutfitters.com for details.

We're headed back to British Columbia this coming summer to fish for Westslope cutthroats and giant bull trout, and we'd like you to join us! Imagine catching 30-40 cutties in one day from the comfort of a Clackacraft drift boat, all on dry flies. Or how about spending a day on a private ranch in Alberta, casting hoppers at 20-inch wild rainbows, or sight-fishing to a pod of giant bull trout miles from any road? If that sounds fun, you need to sign up for our B.C. trip that runs Aug. 15-21, 2010. The cost is ridiculously affordable: $1,800 covers 6 nights of riverside lodging, five days of guiding, three square meals a day and transportation to Fernie, B.C. from the airport in Kalispell, MT (excluding taxes, tips and licenses.) We still have a few spots left, but we need a 50% deposit by Dec. 15 to confirm your reservation. Call me if you have any questions -- (828) 877-3106.

Tight lines,
Than

Fall Fishing Should Be Great!

What a difference a couple of months can make! When last we blogged, all the region's meterologists were saying the three-year drought was officially over and regular rain was back in our forecast. Indeed, this spring and early summer, we had some of the best water levels (and temperatures) we've had in several years and the fishing was generally excellent. Then July's heat arrived and the afternoon thunderstorms we rely on to keep our rivers in good shape evaporated. We were back to the French Broad being about 20% of its normal flow and the Davidson was even worse. However, we muddled through the dog days and now things are once again looking up as we head into the fall season.
For one, our water temperatures are back into the 50s and 60s, depending on what elevation you fish. That's good news, because the fish are definitely happier than they were in August and early September. They're fighting longer, stronger and are putting on a more acrobatic show when hooked. They're also much less susceptible to being accidently killed by playing them too hard. Nonetheless, water levels are still substantially below where we'd like them to be and the water clarity is very clear because we haven't had any leaf fall yet (which tints things up a bit with tannic acid.) Fishing on our private waters has been tough. Almost everyone has hooked up with big fish, but landing them has been a struggle. We've put lots of the medium-sized and smaller fish in the net, though; they're just harder to fool because the water is so slow and clear. Small flies (Juju midges, small PTs and black caddis pupa in #18-#20) and ultra-light tippet (6X and 7X) seems to help a lot, but the real key - as usual - is a solid, realistic dead drift.
We've done okay on the big 'D' (we even had a 9-pound brown landed by a client on his birthday last month!) but the fishing is definitely slower than it was last year at this time, especially on the hatchery stretch. Most likely, it can be attributed to the massive amount of chow the hatchery is flushing out into the river. Apparently, the state bought some chow in bulk that the fish really don't like, because they're not eating it in the hatchery and lots of uneaten food is being deposited into the river. Fortunately, they begin to cut down on the amount of chow that's fed as the water cools, which should mean fewer "pellet hatches" as we get into fall.
Whether or not we get a big slug of tropical moisture in September, Delayed Harvest starts October 1, which means our trout fishing options open up tremendously. Hopefully the state will stock the Little River, East Fork and North Mills at normal levels this fall, rather than short-changing us like they did last year due to the drought.
Meanwhile, the early fall smallie fishing is on fire, according to drift boat guide Michael Sprouse, who had several 100-fish days around Ledges Park in early September. "The wading is great right now," Michael said. "If it is cloudy the clouser bite is amazing along with crease flies and wiggle minnows and when the sun comes out bottom bouncers are still catching them great. Anything in black, brown or olive on the bottom seems to work."

Our Best Summer In Years

Good news for anglers considering a fly fishing trip in the mountains of Western North Carolina: the state this month officially lifted our three-year drought advisory, thanks to over 15 inches of rain we've received this spring. It appears we're now back into our typical summertime pattern of afternoon thundershowers, which will keep flows and dissolved oxygen levels high enough for good fishing all summer. Our guides have muddled through three straight summers of brutally low flows and high water temperatures, so needless to say, we are all stoked for a summer of normal stream conditions. Pack your raingear and head up here to Appalachian's temperate rainforest - the fishing should be great!

We've had a busy -- and somewhat strange -- spring that started out with kickin' hatches of Quill Gordons, Hendricksons, Blue Quills and March Browns. But then the hatches during the day seemed to peter out when the mercury shot up into the mid to upper 70s, which is unseasonably warm for April. We're currently seeing good sulphur hatches, particularly on the Davidson, and modest yellow sally and golden stone hatches on the North and West Forks of the French Broad. Some Light Cahills are hatching at dusk and there have been some Yellow and Green Drakes emergences and spinnerfalls on some of our siltier stretches, but nothing like years past. It may be the last three years of low water and higher water temperatures hurt the bug populations somewhat. But it appears like the worst drought in NC history had at least one positive impact: we have more young-of-the-year and advanced fingerling trout in our rivers than I can ever recall. All of which means our next three years of fishing should be fantastic as these youngster grow to catchable size; plus, in the meantime, it means lots of prey for the larger trout. We've been streamer fishing with white Zonkers, small white bunny leeches and baby rainbow Clousers with great results.

Other good patterns to try right now are Yellow Lab Trout Retrievers, purple and yellow Sparkle Princes, and when the water's up and murky, a #8-#10 Bitch Creek or Red-Bellied Yuk Bug with a Y2K dropper is the way to go. Make sure to hit the slower moving outer seams and along the banks when the water is up.

Despite some poaching, our local Delayed Harvest waters are holding their own as we reach the end of the catch-and-release period. The May stocking included more rainbows and browns than we've previously seen, and a good portion of them are bigger than the 10" brookies that got stocked all spring. The Little River is fishing better than we've ever seen it, but we've gotten several reports that the North Mills is being heavily poached. We still have a week of catch-and-release regulations remaining on DH waters (they open up to general harvest on June 6), after which your best bets will be the Davidson, small wild streams, or booking a day on our private stretch of the North Fork. Our private water is fishing well, with lots of wild fish being caught and at least a few big boys making it to the net every trip. With water levels up where they are, all signs point to a banner June, July and August.

Tight lines,
Than

Spring Has Sprung

You don't need to set foot in a stream around here to know that spring has sprung. Daffodils are blooming along the roads, and deep in the woods, hepatica, bloodroot, and trout lily leaves are poking up out of last fall's leaves. Bugs are flying, too, including decent hatches of Quill Gordons, Blue Quills, black caddis and Blue-winged Olives. You can also tell that spring is here because we've seen a lot more traffic on our streams and in the shop. After a long, cold winter filled with depressing economic news, it's good to see people are still willing to support local businesses like Headwaters. We appreciate everyone who has come in or taken a guide trip with us.
We started the month of March out on private waters, guiding Paul T. and three friends on the Farm stretch of the North Fork. The fishing was good, despite water temps in the low 40s. Black caddis pupa and clinger mayfly nymph imitations were the top sellers. On the 8th, I took out repeat client Mark S. from Nashville and we netted several dozen fish over the course of the day on Bird's Nests, Hotwire Caddis nymphs and Bloom's Soft Hackles, among others.
On March 17, I got to take my favorite repeat clients, Dave and Marty M. from Florida on a trip to the East Fork, which was low and clear but fished well. Dave hooked up 10 trout in the first hole he fished, including a 17-inch brown that dragged him 25 yards downstream. Meanwhile, Marty and I snuck up on a bunch of risers in the head of a big pool upstream. They were pounding Quill Gordons and a few Blue Quills and we had fun hooking up a few on both a Parachute Hare's Ear and a Hare's Ear dropper.
The next day, I was tickled to take Don P. and Steve F. up to our private waters, where we spent the morning perfecting our dead drifts and hooking a slew of nice-sized rainbows on a variety of nymphs, including Karnopp's Keystones and San Juans. Thanks to higher water levels, most of the bigger fish we hooked pulled out or broke us off on limbs that had washed downstream, but it was a thrill to watch the larger fish take off up into the whitewater.
This past weekend, guide Mac Marett and I both had trips on public and private water. Mac took out Sid J. and his son on the private waters, where they wore them out on clinger nymph patterns and even streamered up some fish. On the 22nd, I took one of my favorite clients, Jimmy L. from Florida up to the Farm and we were blessed by an awesome Brachycentrus hatch in the morning that had all of the fish in our first pool suspended and feeding actively. We had to tinker with the weight and depth, but after we dialed in, Jimmy hooked more than a dozen trout, including an 18-inch wild brown with bright red spots. Just as we were preparing to move upstream, a sharp-shinned hawk buzzed by his rod tip and divebombed some songbirds in the rhododendron across from us. He must have hit his mark, because feathers flew, literally.
We're getting a good soaking rain as I write this, and temperatures are forecasted to climb into the 60s all next week, so we couldn't ask for better fishing conditions heading into April. All of the Delayed Harvest streams will get another stocking in early April, and our private waters are fishing very well. If you're in town for a trip, come check out some of the special closeout deals we're having on fly rods from Thomas & Thomas, Wright & McGill and Redington. We have a couple of sweet 7'6" 3-weights that would be perfect for brookie fishing this summer.

Tight lines,
Than

The Ice Man Cometh

Until today, we've needed to lace up our ice skates to go fishing in the upper French Broad River valley. Thanks to record lows at night, most first-order streams are still completely iced over (except on south-facing slopes) and the Davidson, East Fork, North Fork and West Fork are all rimmed by mini-iceburgs and slush. Tread carefully, if you plan on fishing the lower 'D' or East Fork this weekend (bring studded boots if you have them.) The good news is the weather forecast for the next 10 days could not be better: highs in the 60s are predicted, with lows only in the 40s some nights, along with the promise of some badly-needed rain, too.

Water levels remain well below where they should be, thanks to our ongoing drought. NOAA still ranks our area as under "severe drought." The agency's latest Seasonal Drought Outlook predicts that Transylvania County will experience "ongoing drought with some improvement" from now through April, with rainfall "barely reaching above normal." The Davidson looks really sad right now, although there have been some good hatches of BWOs, midges, micro-stones and black flies in recent weeks. The East Fork, for some reason, has held water better, but fish populations are really thin compared to last fall. Poaching? Tons of people mishandling fish (throwing them up on the dirt or gravel for a digital creeling)? Natural predation? Probably all of the above, but there are still some fish to catch. You just can't stand around in one hole for very long, unless you've got risers to work. Please use good catch-and-release practices, which means not removing fish from the water if possible.

Our private waters on the North Fork are holding their own, despite lower-than-usual water levels and a fair amount of natural predation from kingfishers, otters, etc. Fishing on "The Farm" has been fair some days, great on others. Not unlike the heart of summer, except there has been less pressure from anglers, so the fish aren't as particular about fly selection or drifts. If you book it for a sunny day in late February when the first Paraleps are popping, you'll probably slay them if your casting skills haven't deteriorated too much over the winter. We had a killer BWO hatch up there on Wednesday, where the duns were drifting up against the lip of the ice flows and POOF! disappearing into the maw of a big rainbow hiding beneath. Pretty cool.

Probably the two best public streams, in terms of water levels and fish numbers, are the Tuck and the Chattooga Delayed Harvest sections. The Tuck was on fire in January until the mercury starting plunging, but it should be back to its old self this week. Nantahala Power is not supposed to be generating on either the East or West Fork this weekend, which means wade fishing will be ideal. On your way to the river, stop by and stock up on #16-#18 Purple Sparkle Princes, #16 Bloom's Olive Soft Hackles, #22 Copper Johns in black and green, and #18 Tungsten Bead Rainbow Warriors. If you see rising fish, try a Henryville Special with a small Griffith's Gnat or Midge Winker dropped off it.

Tight lines,
Than

Delayed Harvest Is Here!

The foliage is beginning to change here in the French Broad Valley, particularly the sassafras, sumac and poplars, and you know what that means for the fishing --- it's ROCK-tober, when many of our rivers receive a truckload of freshly stocked rainbows, browns and brookies courtesy of the state. Although our water levels are still very low, the state did not shortchange us too badly on the number of fish stocked, as they did last year. At this writing, the East Fork, North Mills, Little River and West Fork of the Pigeon have been stocked, and the Tuckaseegee is supposed to get fish this coming Monday. Reports we've gotten so far from anglers and our guides indicate the stockers are running a little smaller on average than in past years (no doubt due to the drought's effect on hatchery operations), but that some of the stocking buckets contained brood stock browns averaging 18-20 inches! Remember, Delayed Harvest is catch-and-release only until next June and any scented plastics such as cheese worms are now officially illegal, so please report any violations by calling Wildlife Enforcement at 800-662-7137.

Our water conditions are still on the low side, since we haven't had much rain in the last week or so. Our streams are also very clear, which means 5X and 6X fluorocarbon will be de rigueur after the fish have been beaten on for a week or so. In the meantime, black and olive woolly buggers, eggs, San Juans, Lightning Bugs, Delektables, and other flashy nymphs will certainly account for lots of fish. With the water so low, many of the fish will be podded up in the deeper holes. Water temps are ideal right now, starting in the high 40s, and climbing into the mid-50s by the end of the day. Getting an early start may be advantageous if avoiding the October crowds is your goal, but the fishing won't really heat up until the sun gets on the water and gets the bugs -- and trout -- moving. October caddis are coming off in good numbers at night, so an Orange Stimulator (size 10-14) or Fox's Caddis Poopah in the same sizes is a smart thing to try in the morning and around dusk. We've been seeing a lot of cream-colored crane flies on the water, as well, which are about a size 16-18. We sell a sulphur cranefly here that has been fooling a lot of fish, skating it across the tails of the flatter pools in the mornings. If we're lucky enough to get some rain or cloud cover, the fall Baetis hatches will be good, given the number of nymphs present in the stream bed. Stock up on #18-#22 thorax Blue Winged Olives, parachute BWOs, Baetis nymphs, Flashback Pheasant Tails and pray for rain!

We had a reasonably slow September, guiding wise, which is normal for us. But September is usually when our guides take a vacation and get some personal fishing in; last month was no exception. Justin fished Kamchatka in Russia and Alaska with his dad and caught some gigantic rainbows, char and salmon. Mac took his annual muskie trip to Wisconsin, raised more than 40 fish and even had two 45-plus-inch muskies come after his fly simultaneously (a feat unheard of in the world of muskie fishing.) I headed out to the Fly Fishing Retailer's Show in Colorado, and was blessed with some wonderful hatches on the Fryingpan River, where I landed a 5-pound bow one morning, and spent several days floating and wading the Roaring Fork below Aspen. I returned to some rain showers, but generally we haven't gotten out of our rain-free rut.

Despite low water, we've had some really good days of guided fishing on our North Fork private waters lately, thanks to lower water temperatures and some decent bug activity. Guide Justin Howard and I took a corporate group out on Oct. 2, consisting of three beginners and one intermediate angler, and everyone landed double digits, including a couple of honkers apiece. If past years are any indication, this month will offer continued hot action on both private and public waters: browns are starting to move up into the West and North Forks to spawn, Delayed Harvest waters are brimming with fish, and our private waters continue to fish well thanks to careful management on our part. The fish seem to know winter is coming and have strapped on the feed bag, bulking up for the spawn and the long cold months ahead. Get out soon and enjoy autumn's bounty, because it won't last long.

Tight lines,

Than

Rain, Just In Time For Labor Day!

It's pouring here at the shop as I write this, and thanks to Tropical Depression Fay, we're supposed to get up to 4 inches of rain in the next 2-3 days. That's excellent news, considering we're headed into the Labor Day weekend and the phone has been ringing off the hook with people asking about fishing trips and conditions. Fay's soggy remnants are just what the doctor ordered to bump up our droughty water levels as we head into fall. The North Fork is almost back to her ol' self, and even prior to today's rain, water temperatures were only topping out in the mid-60s thanks to cooler nights. So hopefully the worst of the 2008 drought is behind us and autumn will continue to bring good fishing and ample rain.  

We've had some wonderful days of trout fishing lately, on backcountry brook trout streams, the Davidson and on our private waters, which seemed to weather the drought much better than last August. Guide Mac Marett found some physically fit folks willing to hike into Panthertown and the Pigeon watershed in search of wild brookies, including Jack S. of South Carolina and Mark and Jill H. from Missouri. The water temperatures remained cool enough to keep the "specs" active; everyone hooked fish in the double digits, on dry flies ranging from Mac's Blowfly to Streambank Hoppers. 

On the 15th and 16th, the King family from Chapel Hill took an All-Day School of Trout on the private waters, followed by a public water wade trip on the Davidson. Mrs. King and her son are both natives of France, but both spoke English far better than Mac and I speak French, that's for sure! With their newfound casting skills, everyone landed a bunch of fat rainbows and a few wild browns. Foam terrestrials and tiny nymph droppers on 6X did the trick. Their day on the Davidson was equally as productive, despite brutally low water, thanks to the hard work of Mac and guide Sam Aiken. Trico patterns and #24 midge pupas accounted for most of the fish. 

On Aug. 20-21, guide Justin Howard had back-to-back trips on the private waters that went exceptionally well considering the low water levels. Charles H. from Florida and his buddy stuck a bunch of fish on Day One. Then, Winston F. and his wife, Elizabeth, from Mobile landed some toads the next day, including a 20-plus-inch rainbow Winston landed on his second cast of the day on a Chernobyl ant! It's up on the Wall of Fame slideshow, if you want a look.

Perhaps our most memorable trip of the month involved hosting a group of Alabama state legislators and two lobbyists. They wanted to fish the Davidson, which at the time was running at an 85-year low. Add to that the fact that two of the four were beginners and we knew we had our work cut out for us. However, Mac and I were pleasantly surprised to find that the fish were in the eating mood. Everybody landed 7 or 8 fish apiece, including at least one over 18 inches. We busted off some of the bigger fish, but that's fishing on the big 'D,' right? We heard some hilarious jokes over lunch, but few were clean enough to share here, except maybe this one:

Did you hear that Barack Obama has a chance of winning Alabama?

No way! How is that possible?

Because if you put a 'G' in front of his name, you get, "GoBAMA!"

We haven't been able to float for smallmouth on the French Broad in several weeks, due to record low water. But the wade fishing has been consistently good, especially around the Long Shoals and Bent Creek areas. Going into the Labor Day weekend, the only problem will be visibility. If we get all the rain we're predicted to, the French Broad mainstem will be chocolate milk for several days afterwards, but may clear enough to run some float trips in early September. In the meantime, we're back in the business on the trout front. As always, feel free to call the shop for up-to-date conditions or stop by and pick up some "Hot Flies" on your way to the river -- 828-877-3106.

Tight lines,

Than