Cahills, Caddis and Craneflies, Oh My!

You know the old saying: "April showers bring May flowers." Well, maybe we should change that hackneyed expression to, "April deluges bring May hatches," because that's exactly what has happened locally. We've gotten a lot of rain this spring, including a monster flood on April 16 that brought the French Broad ripping at over 4,000 cubic feet per second (it usually hovers around 250 cfs.) But the upside of all this water has been some incredible aquatic insect hatches and hopefully ample flows going into summer.

Almost every spring bug of significance has been popping off in the last week. We've seen solid hatches of March Browns for several weeks, though most of the fish were eating the emergers sub-surface (a #12 Soft-Hackle March Brown Emerger or Mercer's March Brown Trigger Nymph was the ticket.) Light Cahills have made an appearance on the Davidson and West Fork, along with the bigger sulphurs (E. invaria). Net-building caddis are popping in good numbers on warmer days, along with lots of yellow sallies. And creamy craneflies are buzzing around almost everywhere.

Dusk has been the best time to catch a good hatch of the sulphurs and Cahills, but the March Browns (as well as a few straggler Quill Gordons) are showing up mid-day. We also have seen some Gray Winged Yellow Quills (Epeorus vitreus) on the big D. Given all this, you really cannot do wrong by tying on a #14 cream or yellow-bodied parachute as your lead fly and a #16 rubber-legged Red Fox Squirrel Nymph dropper. Another killer fly recently has been a #16 green Translucent Pupa, which is sort of a LaFontainesque caddis emerger. Swing it down and across during a caddis hatch and hold on! A little shock loop under your line finger is a good idea to keep from breaking off the more aggressive takers.

Our private waters has been cranking since the storm, so the trips we have run up there have been heavy affairs, literally. Lots of split shot, ping pong ball-sized Thingamabobbers, and longer drifts have been the name of the game up there, until just recently. And yes, the fish have still been eating well. It's just been harder to land them in all that current and we haven't been able to fish several places because the wading is too difficult for most folks. As of today, though, the water has receded to a good fishable level and the timing couldn't be more perfect, with all the bugs we're seeing. As a result of the high water, we've been fishing the Davidson quite a bit over the last three weeks, and it's still producing lots of strikes for those willing to endure the crowds. Mac had a client land a giant brown this week that didn't acutally eat the fly, but instead engulfed a 10-inch rainbow and refused to spit it out!

Meanwhile, all our Delayed Harvest waters received their last stocking of spring this week, which means the fishing is about as good as it's going to get on the East Fork, North Mills, Little River and Tuck. The Tuck has been generating both forks pretty solidly, but if you're prepared to strip streamers all day, it's a great way to go. If that's not your bag, wild streams are in fine shape right now: Avery, Looking Glass, Cathey's, Courthouse and their ilk are producing lots of dry fly takes. Go to a bigger fly if the dinks and young-of-the-year rainbows get too annoying. A dark Thunderhead has been the fly du jour recently on small streams. It's a beautiful time to be on the water. All the foliage is bright and fresh, bugs are hatching and the wildflower displays are excellent. Come on up and let's go fishing!

Tight lines,
Than

Spring Hatches Arrive In Force

Are you weary of nymph fishing after the long winter and late spring? Then get yourself to the mountains soon because the dry fly fishing is getting really exciting and fishing on top will only continue to improve as we get further into April and May!

Right now, we've got Quill Gordons popping off in big numbers on all the tributaries of the French Broad, especially the East Fork, West Fork and North Fork. During a guide trip yesterday, fish were coming off the bottom in 7 feet of water to eat emerging Quill Gordons on the surface! Quite a spectacle after our long, cold winter. There have been hundreds of little black caddis covering the sun-warmed boulders along our private waters almost every morning for the last two weeks, and they've been all over the Davidson, too. Any well-presented black pupa (our go-to imitation has been a #18 gray Deep Sparkle Pupa) has produced lots of strikes in the mornings, then we're switching over to #12-#14 Hare's Ears and Sheepflies around noon as the Quill Gordons get active. By 1 p.m., the fish are looking up and we're catching them on a variety of patterns: Mr. Rapidan parachutes, #12 Adams parachutes and Catskill-style Quill Gordon dries. Drop a Hare's Ear off the back if the surface action is slow - you'll eventually snip it off to avoid the inevitable tangles/wraps once things warm up and the duns start popping. All our local Delayed Harvest waters will receive another stocking of fish this week, so the fishing on the East Fork, Little River, Tuckaseegee and North Mills will continue to rock. The East Fork was tougher to fish over the last few weeks because it holds water so well and all the rain we got in March kept it cookin'. But with enough shot and the right drift, you could catch fish at will. Lots of smaller brook trout, with the odd holdover brown and numerous cookie-cutter rainbows. Meanwhile, the Davidson has been on fire thanks to all the rain we've gotten. I did two trips over there last week and it seemed like the fish were on steroids - even the 10-inchers fought like crazy, pulling drag and catching air. One of my guys broke off a 22-inch-plus brown within the first hour of fishing, but we landed a bunch and they all looked chunky and well-fed. Midge pupa in gray, brown and black did the trick, along with blue-winged emergers when they started coming off around 1 p.m. I haven't caught a Hendrickson hatch on the Davidson (which is the best E. subvaria water around these parts) but I've seen a few spinners, so I know they're coming off somewhere. Get ready for the March browns to make an appearance soon, as temperatures are forecast to climb back into the 70s by late this week. If you're in the market for a new dry fly rod, every rod in the shop is now 25 percent off for the next few weeks. That means that Wright & McGill 3- or 4-weight you've been coveting is just $165! Come cast one and check out these premium features not usually found on a stick in this price range: Portugese cork grips, titanium guides, external ferrules, with a leather-bound case and a lifetime warranty. We also have two Scott A3s on sale: a 9-foot 6 wt. that would make any smallie fisherman ecstatic and a 9 ft. 8 wt. that would be great for Charleston or NOLA redfish. They're a steal at $221 and $251, respectively. Tight lines, Than

Fishing Improves Along With Weather

Sorry it's been so long since we've posted a fishing report. Believe it or not, we've been fishing a lot! February was pretty tough, primarily due to ultra-clear and low water, but recent rains have improved matters considerably and March is shaping up to be a great month to be on the water. For one, our daytime highs have been about 10 to 15 degrees above normal for the last few weeks, which has bumped up insect activity significantly.

Delayed Harvest streams will all get stocked this week, including the East Fork, the Little River, the Tuck, and the North Mills. The state hatchery finally changed their trout chow (they were feeding an inferior pellet last season that wasn't getting eaten, hence lower growth rates) and the fish they're stocking this spring look very nice - average size is probably 12-13", with some brood stock pushing 20". They won't start eating real bugs for a couple of days, so stick to Woolly Boogers, Y2Ks, and SJWs until they get acclimated. The wild and holdover fish are loving a #14-#16 green Deep Sparkle Pupa. Brachycentrus larva are all over the streambed - we've been dredging them off the bottom while nymphing. If things continue to warm, we'll see some good caddis hatches in the coming weeks. Mac saw a few Quill Gordon spinners while guiding on the E. Fork yesterday, along with a couple winter caddis and a TON of miniscule cream midges (#30, he estimates.)

On the Davidson, we're starting to see Blue Quills, Quill Gordons, #18-#20 black caddis and lots of micro-stones, especially little brown "needleflies," which are easily confused with tiny hemlock needles. The fish aren't looking up that much, but we're getting many more strikes than we did a month ago. Most of the fish we're catching are smaller than 12", perhaps a sign that the water is still too chilly to get the bigger size-class fish moving. Or more likely, they're spooking before the flies hit the water. We're talking non-hatchery stretch here. The 'D' is surprisingly low compared to its sister tribs, despite some good snow this winter. We're officially 3 inches behind for the year in precipitation, but the 'D' is running about half of where it should be. Fortunately, more rain is forecast for this week.

We've seen a bunch of Quill Gordons on the North Fork, too, along with a few healthy BWO hatches mid-day. A #18 flashback Barr's BWO emerger dropped off an olive parachute has fooled any fish that are showing themselves on the surface. The Quill Gordons are coming off around 1-2 p.m. in the faster, cobblestoney areas, so the heavily hackled traditional ties are superior to a parachute Hare's Ear, which tend to get drowned. Leave it under if your fly does get sunk, though, and if you can still see it - we caught several fish that way this week, either because they took it for a drowned dun or an emerger. Please remember that all hatchery-supported streams are closed the month of March, so the mainstem of the French Broad and the West Fork are off-limits until April 2.

Come by the shop and check out some of our new spring gear arrivals from Simms and Redington, including the re-designed, featherweight Paclite rainjacket and some cool hoodies. All Simms and Redington fleece is marked down 25%, all rod/reel combos are slashed by half, and all fly rods in stock are 25% off, as well.

Tight lines,
Than

Wintertime Fishing Tips

Well, we officially jump into winter tomorrow, but it's felt like winter here on the river since late November. We had very chilly conditions for our traditional Thanksgiving week rush, but the trips we ran on public and private water went very well, considering the highs only reached into the 40s! Then, earlier this month, the North Fork froze over from bank to bank - even the little riffle off the front porch was sheer ice. First time anyone here can remember seeing that! But before we could dig out our ice augers and rig some tip-ups, the icebergs retreated downriver and we were back in the trout-catching business.

With small wild streams in their winter doldrums, the two best options for those of us in search of a tug or two are the Davidson and any Delayed Harvest stream. The big 'D' has been fishing fair to middlin' thus far this winter - the recent snowmelt has dropped water temps into the mid-3os, which makes trout pretty lethargic. The hatchery stretch offers the most consistent fishing, though they're not as spread out, particularly above the bridge. With temperatures so frigid, the state isn't dumping pellets very often, which makes success less about pellet flies and more about picking the right midges and getting good drifts. Like the good ol' days, in other words. And don't neglect the other 99% of the Davidson. We had several decent days fishing between Coontree and Looking Glass this week, but the water is painfully clear and on our last trip, we were dodging mini-glaciers floating downstream and regularly cleaning ice out of our guides. Iced-up guides are a constant problem this time of year, with no easy remedy. We've tried smearing on Loon Outdoors' "Stanley's Ice-Off Paste," spraying Pam on our guides, treating flylines with Mucilin, etc. The only thing that consistently does the trick is dipping your rod in the river to loosen things up and then manually breaking off what remains.

The East Fork is holding fish -- and water -- better this year than any season in recent memory. As you would expect, the fish are not holding in the faster, shallower riffles as much as in deeper runs and pools (although they will move into the shallows when BWOs and little black stones are coming off.) Several folks have come in the shop complaining that they can see lots of fish glued to the bottom, but can't get them to eat. Here's what we're telling them - (1) make sure they're not suckers, which have been podded up in the back of slower moving pools; (2) make sure you're actually getting down to them and bumping them on the nose with your fly. Trout will not move as far for flies in winter and in gin-clear water, depth is harder to gauge. Try extra split shot, lengthening your leader, dropping down to 6X tippet, which cuts through current easier, and/or tying on a small tungsten-beaded fly like a #18-#20 Mercer's MicroMay or our Soft-Hackle BWO. Mend, mend, and mend some more. If that fails, change flies and repeat.

Winter is a great time to fish locally - the crowds of summer are gone and the sight-fishing opportunities are unparalleled because the water is so clear. Don't bother getting on the water at the crack of dawn - the best time is between 1 and 3 p.m., when the sun has had time to warm things up a little. If you're looking to book a guide trip this time of year, the key is picking a sunny day with predicted highs in the 50s. Bottom line is, we'd rather guide on a 55 degree day in January than a 90 degree one in August. Bundle up, fill up that coffee thermos and stop by for some hot flies and advice. We're open 10-6, 7 days a week, all winter long.

Tight lines,

Than

Autumnal Awesomeness

What a difference a couple of weeks can make! Seems like yesterday we were bemoaning how hot and dry it was (and how low and clear our streams were) - then, BAM, we woke up to three inches of rain and nighttime lows in the 50s! Even during the past three years of drought, October always has turned the fishing around and this coming month looks like it will be no exception. For one, we got some heavy rain this past week and our stream levels are back up. Second, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has gotten their act together at the hatchery and will be stocking better-sized fish this year in our Delayed Harvest waters. And finally, experts are calling for this to be the best fall foliage season we've had in several years. It's time to get up to the mountains and catch some trout!

The last couple of months have been a whirlwind. We took six anglers on a killer destination trip to British Columbia in August, catching gobs of 17-plus-inch Westslope cutthroats on dry flies and floating through some of the prettiest country in the northern Rockies. Upon returning from B.C., we spent the latter half of August and September guiding on a variety of streams, including our North Fork private waters, the Davidson, the West Fork and a host of backcountry brook trout streams. The fishing ranged from stellar to just okay - every day was different. The Davidson got so low that it was like fishing in a wet parking lot, so we gave it a rest throughout most of August and early September. It's still not its ol' self, but we've had customer pull some beautiful browns out of the big 'D' in the last week and a half. Midge patterns such as a #24 Don King UV midge, a #22 black Pulsating Emerger and Barr's dun Micro Emerger in #20 have been our best producers, dropped off an olive Crawling Caddis or other dark-colored caddis larva. On the lower river, we've seen a bunch of winged ant swarms during the day, so always have a #18 Delektable Flying Ant handy, in black and cinnamon.

Our private waters continue to produce the best fishing we've experienced locally. The low water has podded up the fish in the deeper holes, which means you don't have to move as much for the same number of strikes. While our water is still dominated by rainbows, we've stocked some bigger browns and more wild browns have shown up of late, since the spawn is almost upon us. We had one 15" brown come to net the other day that looked like a leopard, he was so spotted up. Drink some caffeine the morning of your trip, because the strikes are lightning fast when the water is moving slower, so you've got to be quick on the draw to hook these guys!

Our wild streams, including the South Mills and the West Fork French Broad, are fishing well and will likely get even better as the leaf fall colors up the water with tannic acid. October caddis are hatching in good numbers at night, so make sure and try an orange Stimulator or pumpkin-colored Elk Hair in the mornings, when the stragglers are around. A #12-#16 tan Fox's Caddis Poopah or Translucent Caddis Pupa is a great dropper during the afternoon hours - try swinging it or lifting slowly at the end of your drift if fish aren't eating it on the dead drift. Isonychia are also hatching in decent numbers, so give a #12 Parachute Adams a shot. We're still catching lots of fish on hoppers, especially our Headwaters Letort, though the inchworm bite seems to be over for the most part.

All our local Delayed Harvest streams will be stocked by the end of the first week of October and our guiding calendar is filling up quickly. Give us a call if you're coming to the area and want to experience a crisp, cool day on the water with one of our veteran guides.

Tight lines,
Than

Fishing the Dog Days

The heat arrived a tad early this year, with daytime temps jumping up into the mid-80s to low 90s in late June. Since then, temperatures have moderated, thanks to some damp, cooler days interspersed with hot, sunny ones. The rivers started to drop from lack of rain in early July, but afternoon thundershowers have since recharged water levels and we're looking pretty good going into August (though the Davidson is still pretty bony.)

With the change in Delayed Harvest waters from C&R to catch-and-keep, our fishing options have shrunk some. The best trout fishing right now is on our North Fork private waters, which has been producing lots of rainbows and a few nicer browns on all but the brightest days. We've been breaking off a lot of big fish, even on 5X, but a few have found their way to the net even on the slowest days. We still have some availability mid-week through the end of July, but the weekends are pretty full. Call 877-3106 to book your own little piece of fishing paradise.

On public water, there are plenty of wild trout options, but the fishing at mid-day has slowed considerably as water temps climb into the mid- to high 60s. If you're headed to Looking Glass, Avery, Courthouse, Cathey's, the Big East Fork or any of our smaller wild trout streams, prepare to get lots of dry fly refusals during the heat of the day. Early and late in the day or on a rainy, overcast day is better. Thunderheads, lime or black Humpies, Stimies and foam ant patterns in sizes 12-16 are your best bets, and don't forget to tie on an inchworm or epoxy ant dropper. We've been running some backcountry southern Appalachian brook trout trips and they've all gone great - lots of strikes in all the places they should be, with a few fish topping 10 inches (yes, that's a trophy in the S.A. brookie world.) If catching a mess of pretty natives on a 2-weight sounds like fun, give Than or Mac a shout at the fly shop. But be prepared to hike 3-5 miles over the course of the day, in sometimes steep terrain.

Smallmouth season is here in force and our driftboat guides have been having some banner days on the French Broad, when afternoon thundershowers don't muddy things up for us. Guide Michael Sprouse reports that even on off-color days, once he finds the fish, it's not hard to catch 20 or more on chartreuse-and-white Clousers or other streamers. Michael's drift boat trips are fun, but if you don't have a full day to devote to smallie fishing, try a half-day wade trip (normally near Asheville) for $150 (one angler) or $235 (two.) Most of these will be late in the day, when the chance for top-water action is greatest.

Tight lines,

Than

Epic Fishing Everywhere!

O.k., so you know how fishing writers (and fly shop stream reports) tend towards hyperbole. "The river is on fire!" (Really? Is it the Cuyahoga?) "We're having 60-fish days without even trying!" (If that includes suckers and warpaint shiners...) And my all-time favorite, "The fishing has been epic!" (Which means they've been catching some fish, or they have a guide named Homer.)

Well, the fishing hasn't been exactly epic, but it's been so good that I might get a little gushy writing about it. April started out with some great hatches, and they've gotten better and better, but also spottier and spottier during mid-day. Now, the best dry fly fishing has shifted to a summer-like pattern, with Cahills, yellow sallies, and sulphurs coming off best towards dusk. There are some gray-winged yellow quills popping during the day, along with the odd March Brown, lots of cream midges, giant craneflies, cinnamon caddis and yellow sallies here and there. We got into a little burst of March Brown activity around the Caddis Riffle on the North Fork the other day and it was a blast, with 10-12" browns pounding MB dries that even Mr. Magoo could see. But the Davidson has offered the most consistent dry fly fishing of late, so stake out a spot early and prepare for some company. Parachute Cahills in #16, #14-#18 Sulphur Comparaduns, and Lowe's Little Yellow Sallies have been the best producers at the witching hour.

There's not a small stream we've fished in the last month that isn't producing well right now: Looking Glass, Avery, Courthouse, the Big East Fork, the upper West Fork of the Pigeon, they're all "on fire!" Lime Humpies, yellow Turk's Tarantulas in #14 & #16 and Puterbaugh's Foam Caddises all will produce on top, while a #16-#18 tungsten Prince or SHPT is all you need down below. If you don't own a 3-weight for this blueline fishing, we've got a sweet Thomas & Thomas on sale for $368.

This is the first time in about three years that our Delayed Harvest waters held so many fish late into March and April. Whether that's due to more rain/water or better enforcement by Wildlife Resources, I don't know, but it's working to our benefit. Mac and I both ran trips on the East Fork this week and it fished great despite a lot of angling pressure. Medium-sized brook trout still dominate, with the occasional brood stock beast and even some better-sized browns this month. The Little River can't compete as far as numbers are concerned, but it got stocked with a few 20-inch browns, which have definitely gotten harder to catch as the month has worn on. We took a couple over to the West Fork of the Pigeon, across the divide, last week and the area around the Iron Bridge was brimming with stockers, so its poaching problem must have abated, too.

Our North Fork private waters have been stupendous recently, so great in fact that we're having trouble getting fish to the net some trips. They're going ballistic, streaking off like a steelhead, going airborne, thrashing around on the surface. Mac endured a torrential downpour up there last Saturday with a father-daughter pair, but the subsequent bump in water just turned the fish on even more. I've guided up there a bunch this month and people are always awed by the scenery, the quiet and the great fishing. We haven't seen conditions this good on "The Farm" since we first leased it three years ago. BTW, a gift card for a private waters trip makes a fantastic birthday/anniversary/graduation gift.

And if trout aren't your thing, the smallie and muskie fishing are heating up as well. Michael Sprouse says he's been catching some quality bass in the French Broad despite stained water. He landed 15 or 20 in a couple of hours yesterday and one went 3 pounds. Float with Michael in his Hog Island drift boat soon if you want to get in on the action. And if you've crossed permit off your life list and want the ultimate challenge of catching a muskie on the fly, Mac has a new johnboat/motor that's custom-made for the "Muskie Mile" special regulations waters. He stuck a 35-incher two weeks ago that flared its gills so hard it could probably be seen on Google Earth. EPIC!

Tight lines,
Than