WNC Fly Fishing Trail

[freestone1]

My wife has suggested a short trip up to WNC as a celebration of our 5th anniversary (sorry guys, her only sister is already married). We are looking to rent a cabin for 3-4 nights in the Sylva or Dillsboro area most likely in April. I'm thinking we'll be able to get 2.5 or 3 days of fishing in, and I'd like to fish diverse water types so I can get some EN, dry/dropper, and streamer fishing in over the course of the trip. I also want to avoid overly technical water or finicky fish so that she can enjoy some success while continuing to work on the basics (I get to enjoy more fishing if she is doing some catching ).

I am leaning towards a guided float on the Tuck one day and 2 days of "choose your own adventure" . . . There is an overwhelming amount of amazing water in the area I would love to hear opinions of some of our WNC resident experts on where/how to split up the time (and maybe even a few flies I should be tying up in the meantime? )

[Dave375]

I've spent quite a few Saturday's in WNC the past several months. I'm by no means an expert but there are some outstanding options for a great trip there. My wife and I celebrated our 20th anniversary there in October. Several folks on here know the area much better than I. My go to sources for information in the area and top notch guides are Gordon Vanderpool at Turning Stones Fly Fishing and Rivers Edge Outfitters in Cherokee. I don't know if either offer float trips though.

[Raven15]

Thanks Dave375!

Yessir, we offer float and wade trips. On the wade trips we can do any where from a 2 hour to a full day (@8 hours) trip..and on the floats we can do 4, 6, or 8 hours trips.

As far as flies, we have been having luck on more natural, drab nymphs fished deep. We've seen fish holding in the typical winter water..deep slow pools.

freestone1, send me a private message or shoot me an email (joey@flyshopnc.com) and i can give you some more info..or set you up with a guide!

Thanks guys!

[JOHNKIES]

Suggestion

You may want to consider Bryson City as a central point for your trip. Bryson has the Tuck DH right in the middle of town, the other Tuck DH is 30 minutes east, Nantahala DH is 30 minutes west and I have it on good authority there is some fishing just north of there called GSMNP. 8- )

Bryson has the Tuck Fly Shop (conveniently located next door to a really good coffee shop), a great Italian restaurant and some good burger joints. They have the usual assortment of hotels, but for a cabin I recommend Smokey Mountain Retreat just five miles south of Bryson. The pictures in the link below are pretty accurate. However you have to call to make a reservation and then mail in a deposit. Yep, nice folks but old school

Last but not least is the Fly Fishing Museum now located in Bryson.

https://www.smokymtnretreat.com/contact

[freestone1]

You may want to consider Bryson City as a central point for your trip. Bryson has the Tuck DH right in the middle of town, the other Tuck DH is 30 minutes east, Nantahala DH is 30 minutes west and I have it on good authority there is some fishing just north of there called GSMNP. 8- )

Bryson has the Tuck Fly Shop (conveniently located next door to a really good coffee shop), a great Italian restaurant and some good burger joints. They have the usual assortment of hotels, but for a cabin I recommend Smokey Mountain Retreat just five miles south of Bryson. The pictures in the link below are pretty accurate. However you have to call to make a reservation and then mail in a deposit. Yep, nice folks but old school

Last but not least is the Fly Fishing Museum now located in Bryson.

https://www.smokymtnretreat.com/contact

We actually found a cabin right on the creek off SR 1370 so I will be able to step off the back deck fish even when we're "not fishing"! Thanks for the intel on Bryson, I've never spent any time there despite passing right by it on a few occasions on the way to NOC. We fished the Nantahala DH and Fires DH last time in NC, both were awesome but I'm really looking forward to exploring some new water this time around.

I would love to spend 3-4 days just backpacking GSMNP but that's not in the cards this time, so I really just need to do some research and see if I can narrow it down enough to target a particular area for a day. Definitely planning to fish the Tuck just need to figure out whether to hit one or both DH and how to time of the releases. Try to time it to fish rising water if only one fork is generating? Is it worth doing a float if they aren't pushing water from both sides?

Day 1 - GSMNP
Day 2 - Tuck
Day 3 - ??? Cherokee, Caney Fork, small steams??

Any opinions or advice is appreciated...

[pathfisher]

For Day 1, I would suggest fishing Noland Creek in the GSMNP. Absolutely beautiful stream.

If the water conditions are good, you could try fishing for smallies on the Little Tennessee River. Also an extremely beautiful river.

I love WNC. So many options for fishing. Have fun.

[freestone1]

For Day 1, I would suggest fishing Noland Creek in the GSMNP. Absolutely beautiful stream.



If the water conditions are good, you could try fishing for smallies on the Little Tennessee River. Also an extremely beautiful river.



I love WNC. So many options for fishing. Have fun.

Thanks for the suggestion!


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[1908]

Plenty of good suggestions already. I didn't see if anybody had mentioned Deep Creek yet or not. Plenty of good suggestions already I didn't see if anybody had mentioned it deep Creek yet or not easy access in a few height far enough town the trail from the parking lot you'll eventually get away from the crowd

Also, it would be a little bit of a haul, but not too bad from where you're staying, but the Fires Creek area is a favorite of mine as well

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[Brotherbear]

Take a pontoon boat ride from Fontana marina to Hazel Creek.Both of you would enjoy it.

[HILLIS LANIER]

I like fishing Fires Creek, but I think it was last stocked in early November, and will not be stocked again until early March, so I am wondering how it fishes in February. I read somewhere that fishing can be good on the NC DH streams in Feb., but I don't think they are stocked in Dec, Jan, and Feb.

[freestone1]

I like fishing Fires Creek, but I think it was last stocked in early November, and will not be stocked again until early March, so I am wondering how it fishes in February. I read somewhere that fishing can be good on the NC DH streams in Feb., but I don't think they are stocked in Dec, Jan, and Feb.

I am a huge fan of Fires Creek...may have to alter our route back to Augusta just to swing by Fires for a couple of hours. Based on my limited experience @ Fires, I believe there are a quite a few streamborn fish and holdovers in there so I wouldn’t sweat the stocking schedule too much.


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[Dylar]

If you want to do a Tuck float, Fly Fishing the Smokies runs a 5hr float trip special for $225.

[ferrulewax]

I like fishing Fires Creek, but I think it was last stocked in early November, and will not be stocked again until early March, so I am wondering how it fishes in February. I read somewhere that fishing can be good on the NC DH streams in Feb., but I don't think they are stocked in Dec, Jan, and Feb.

If it fishes in February anything like it has in Late December and January (it should) it isn't too hot. It has been very tough, for a DH. Fished it in late December, had the best luck on a size 18 soft hackle PT, and fished 5 and 6x. Fished it again a week or two ago and, again, saw plenty of fish, caught a decent mix of wild fish and stockers, but nothing like typical. All the fish I caught were in places that looked like most people may overlook them.

The fish have been very pressured, and they act like it.