Nantahala River Report

[Josh Barnett]

I fished the Nantahala River with a good friend of ours who owns a cabin and river frontage a few minutes outside of Franklin. We got to the cabin at about 9 AM, and spent the hours between then and 11:30 tying flies for the day.

Got on the River about 11:45 and fished a couple good holes. Julie got a nice little Rainbow on a Hare's Ear right off the bat. The air temperature was close to 28 degrees Fahrenheit and all of the fish were staying very, very close to the bottom. I got several solid strikes to begin with, but the fish popped back off (barbless hooks) after a few seconds of fighting.

We decided to eat lunch, and to head down towards the "Nantahala Hilton" for a little fishing in the Steelhead Hole. We fished there for about an hour with no luck. The fish simply weren't biting.

I guess that's why they call it fishing, not catching! ;)

[spinboy]

I love that river and wish I could get up there more often. I see it as a quality rather than quanitity fishery. Every time I've been (less than 6 probably), I have caught somewhere between 2 and 6 fish but every fish seems to be large and beautiful. I'll take that every day especially over catching 100 10" fish.

[S.Trutta]

Did you get a water temp? I fished the ami on saturday and the water was 39 at the warmest part of the day and the fishing was non-existent. Kinda weird thoogh because Dukes was 38 and fished very well the next day. That cold weather certainly slows the fish down and makes it much harder to connect.

Rich

[Josh Barnett]

S. Trutta,

Unfortunately, I did not get the temps. The water must have been close to 40 degrees Fahrenheit though because at times, the water was warmer than the air.

[WetPatella]

Josh:

did you fish the lower area or the DH?

[Josh Barnett]

I fished above Lake Nantahala. Private property.