Fly Fishing the Tuckaseegee River
The "Tuck", as it is known locally, is one of the most popular streams for fly fishing in the Southeast. Only a short drive from Asheville, North Carolina, it offers easy stream access. Anglers of all skill levels enjoy fly fishing the Tuckasegee River because of its broad nature.
Seven miles of Delayed Harvest waters, from the NC Highway 107 Bridge to Dillsboro, produce high quantities of netted fish and easy wading. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission does a great job of stocking this stretch between October and May. The first Saturday in June, the waters are open for harvest. By mid-June, most of the fish in this stretch have been harvested or moved to the deeper, cooler waters downstream.
The section from Dillsboro to the Wilmot Bridge, in the Barkers Creek Community, gives anglers access to a phenominal Small Mouth Bass season in the summer. Fly Fishing in the summer here brings both trout and small mouth to the net. The best access to this section is with a drift boat. See our "Guided Trips" page for more information on fishing this section.
Fly Fishing the Ravens Fork
Cherokee has always been known for its great trout fishing. The Cherokee Tribal waters do require a Tribal Fishing Permit for a small fee. This fee seems very reasonable considering 400,000 trout get stocked annually. For all but 2.2 miles are marked "Catch and Keep" with a limit per day of 10. The 2.2 miles that are not catch and grease are Tribal Trophy Trout waters. The regulations in this stretch are very stringent and require an additional fee on top of the daily permit. However, the reward is great as nothing small is stocked in this stretch. Most netted trout range between 18-24 inches and up. The summer season slows for many Tribal waters because the number of swimmers and tubers. Tubing makes for great famly fun and eventually the trout get used to seeing the cartoon colored tubes float by. Say a friendly hello and keep casting!
Fly Fishing Oconoluftee River
The Oconoluftee River is a stream that runs right beside 441 on the North Carolina Side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and merges with the Ravens Fork at the boundry of the Cherokee Reservation (be sure to pay attention to signage where to rivers meet). Fly fishing the North Carolina Smokies is a great way to spend a day, weekend, or even a few hours casting a fly. The Oconoluftee River is full of boulders that create a great habitat for wild trout. Deep holes and springs keep water temps cool all summer. Many streams of the Great Smokies Mountains hold these characteristics. Dry fly fishing is at its best in the backcountry of the most visited National Park in the country. One can walk a few minutes from a parking lot and be alone amongst the towering oaks, hemlocks, and groves of rhododendrons along native brooke streams.
Fly Fishing Nantahala River
Fly fishing the Nantahala River is a tale of two streams. The section above the powerhouse is a fishery like no other. Beautiful waterfalls abound with cool water pools beneath that are full of wild rainbows, browns, and brookies. In the same pool, one can catch a small wild rainbow trout, then the very next cast set a hook into a large butter brown. Delayed Harvest regulations apply to this section.
Below the powerhouse the Nantahala River turns into a tailwater habitat. River-On means water is released, and River-Off means release is shut-off. The flows are geared towards supporting the white water rafting and kayaking industries. When the river is off in the evening, large rainbow and brown trout begin sipping flies off the surface making for great dry fly fun. Be sure to check our streamflow section on the homepage for flow rates. Generally on the "Nanti," if the flow is in the low 100's cfs river is off, and wading is ideal.
Fly Fishing the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The Grandaddy of them all. The Great Smoky Mountains National park is the most visited National Park in the country. Off the beaten path seclusion is easily accomplished. Surround yourself with the environement that inspired Horrace Kephart and his writing of "Our Southern Highlanders". Old Smoky Mountain traditional dry flies are just as effective today as they were one hundred years ago. "Yella Humpy" "Yella Sallies" caddis flies, Thunderheads, and Cahills are always a go-to on park streams. Check out our Kephart Collection of Flies for traditional means of netting wild brooke trout in the Great Smoky Mountains. Below is a list of a few popular Smoky Mountain streams.
Hazel Creek
Forney Creek
Twentymile Creek
Deep Creek
Noland Creek
Big Creek
Bradley's Fork
Eagle Creek
**Check with a park visitors center for a detailed park map**