Mayflies big blessing for springtime fishing
March 2010
Spring is truly the time of the trout fisher. The weather is perfect for fishing, wildflowers are in bloom, and, best of all, mayfly hatches are emerging.
Cold-weather fishing can pay off
February 2010
Winter in the mountains is a time of stark beauty, a time when the dominant colors are blue, gray, brown and black, a time when streams run full and clear and icy cold, a time when a warm, sunny day is an event and a blessing for a trout fisher.
Streamers: best choice on full streams
January 2010
Heavy rainfall kept rivers and creeks full this summer and fall, and it appears the trend is continuing into the winter. Good for the fish, bad for the fishers.
Popularity of fly-fishing giving boost to economies in western North Carolina counties
December 2009
Every year, more and more people, young and old, male and female, take up the fine sport of fly-fishing. As a result, more fly-fishing opportunities have opened to fly fishers, including high-dollar fishing tournaments and new fly-fishing-only streams.
Don’t neglect cold-weather fishing; trout will bite if you adjust your tactics
November 2009
Although spring is undoubtedly the ideal trout time for trout fishing, winter also has its merits. What most winter trout fishers discover is that they catch fewer but larger fish. The downside of winter fishing, particularly during the bitterly cold months of January and February, is that fishing can test an angler’s mettle and patience.
Fall is prime time for browns, brookies
October 2009
In September, autumn eases into the mountains in muted colors: dull reds and yellows of sourwood, dogwood, and sumac.
Passing on the thrill: the rewards are endless
September 2009
She asked me to take her fishing, out of the blue. So I took her to the local Wal-Mart and let her pick out a fishing rod. She chose a pink, Zebco Barbie model, more a toy than a fishing rod.
Presentation is a key for hot-weather trout
August 2009
One hard lesson I’ve learned fishing mountain trout streams in the hottest months of summer is this: how you present a fly is far more important than the type of fly you use. If the fly is sufficiently “buggy” and floats naturally, chances are good that a trout will hit it.
Addition of section of Wilson Creek is big bonus for delayed-harvest waters
July 2009
The acquisition of a section of Wilson Creek in Caldwell County is a double bonus for trout fishers. Not only will the state’s popular delayed-harvest program be expanded, the acquisition opens to the public a section of trout waters that was previously private water.
Tuckasegee River is an underrated gem
June 2009
It’s an early weekday evening, and I’m on my way home from work, driving along North River Rd. between Webster and Dillsboro in Jackson County. The Tuckasegee River runs close to the road, and below me, where the river makes a sharp bend and forms a long, wide pool, the surface is dimpled from bank to bank: fish feeding on the evening hatch. It is a sight too tempting to pass.
Jackson County maps out a trail of streams for trout fishermen
April 2009
Jackson County in far western North Carolina is a land of mile-high mountains, cascading waterfalls, picturesque lakes, and hundreds of trout streams. The streams, large and small, are scattered throughout the 499 square miles within the county borders. With such a broad choice of fishing opportunities, selecting a suitable stream can be as much of a problem as deciding which dishes to sample at a sumptuous banquet. You can’t sample them all, but you do want to sample the best.
It’s ideal time to head for a trout stream
March 2009
The last day of February usually signals the end of winter in the mountains, but Mother Nature doesn’t always consult the calendar. Winter can, and often does, linger long past its scheduled departure date, greedily eating into spring’s precious time.
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