June Report

By Nicolay Bell

Current Conditions

The saying “shoulda been here last week” definitely rings true today.  Near record highs in Sylva with a muggy kicker is what we’re currently experiencing.  It sure is a far cry from the 40 degree lows we were enjoying just over a week ago.  Looks like the extended forecast is calling for a slight cool down with a chance of afternoon showers or thunderstorms almost daily.  Definitely in that normal Summer weather pattern, albeit a little early this year.  Stream levels are pretty good right now and water temps are fairly cool in the morning.  

Fishing Report

Summer Brownie on the Tuck

No doubt this current warm stretch will affect the fishing in our lower elevation waters.  We’re still seeing a good active bite in the morning hours but I probably wouldn’t extend my day of trout fishing after lunch.  As the water temps increase throughout the day, trout will shut down and chances of survival after being released will decrease.  Fortunately for us, we have ample opportunity to go up in elevation and find clean cold mountain water.  Exploring new water off the Parkway or doing some blue lining in the Smokies can always be a fun adventure if you’re looking to get out for a full day.

Still seeing some pretty decent stonefly activity so a Stimulator or Girdle Bug will be productive flies to keep stocked in your box.  Flashier attractor style patterns will induce strikes from sluggish fish and the ever present midges will pickup picky trout in low clear water.  But this is the time of year a lot of us will start placing more emphasis on terrestrials.  Ants, Beetles, and Inch Worms are some of our favorites around here.  

Tuckaseegee River Watershed

Well post Bloody Saturday our opportunities for trout in the DH waters become less.  They’re still in there but you would be better served fishing streamers, poppers, and large foam top water bugs in hopes of catching a mix of trout and bass.  We are also in the primary boating season when it comes to dam releases on the Tuck.  So being aware of generation schedules will be very important as we’ll see more frequent releases of higher flow East Fork water.  

But lucky for you folks taking a Summer trip out here to WNC, trout fishing is not limited to only the Tuck DH.  Miles and miles of hatchery supported water around town have been recently stocked and finding fish on a variety of flies has not been too difficult.  Your best bet however will be focusing your casts on the more highly oxygenated areas.  You’ll pick up feeding trout in places like cascades, riffles, and deep fast runs.  Some less pressured areas to check out around the Tuckaseegee are the small  streams in our beautiful Forest Service Land.  Exploring the Tucks headwaters over in Panthertown or climbing around in the Balsams in search of Native Brook Trout can be very rewarding for those up for a little adventure.

GSMNP

I’d say by now you know my affinity for the Smokies.  And that does not change during the summer.  The park remains a great place to fish with it’s shaded clean water originating from high elevation. Most natural buggy looking flies will work but I would recommend having a variety of sizes to switch to if those fish get a little shy.  This is definitely going to be the place to have several terrestrial patterns on hand as well.  A Cinnamon Ant is a staple in my summer fly box for out here.  

Summer Brookie

Nantahala and West Fork of the Pigeon

These are great places to continue trout fishing here in the Summer.  You may not find many stocked fish as the weeks go on but the cold water will keep a good population of smaller wild Rainbows around.  You really can’t beat the scenery of these areas as well.  It’s hard to find prettier places to fish that are this easily accessible.  Hitting these areas with a dry dropper rig is the move.  A Stimulator or Beetle on top will hold up a slightly heavier dropper all day.  For shots at bigger fish head over to the Lower Nantahala with your nymphing stick and a box full of Perdigons and Midges.  Just be aware of where you’re stepping and don’t overestimate your wading ability.  The flow in this river is very swift when the dam is generating, and this time of year that’s most of the time.

All in all lots of great opportunity all around us this summer.  The small towns of the WNC mountains are a special place to escape the heat of the lower elevation cities.  And if you make it out to see us, come swing by the Sylva Shop and let me serve you a nice cold beer!