Asheville Ideas

[Forrest Allen]

Good afternoon folks, 

I'm looking for any suggestions for streams/rivers around Asheville, NC. I plan to give the Davidson a go at least one day, though I know I'll have to be on my A-game to have a chance at landing something. 

Does anyone have any comments about fishing in the area, or suggestions for streams to try out? I'm pretty well experienced on the small Shenandoah streams, so I think Ill be able to handle most of the water there. I've been looking at the reports from local fly shops, and most of the water seems kind of high right now, but producing pretty well. I'm happy to hear any past experiences, and fly suggestions too. I've done plenty of research, but like asking our local group because something always comes up that I hadnt thought about or read on my own!

Hoping to just not get skunked, and to enjoy the scenery of Pisgah in the fall!

Thank you!

Forrest

[Yambag Nelson]

Definitely give the davidson a try.  There are some very large browns below the hatchery that like to eat the food from the effluent.  Kind of cheating but as long as you don't mind, you have a shot at a big fish.  Very small midge pupa can be effective.   Overall, I always found the davidson to be a better nymph river than a dry.

 

I would also look into the tribs (avery, lookingglass ect).  The fish will probably be smaller but they are a bit easier. 

 

I don't know if it is still open, but there is a good flyshop on the davidson. 

 

Honestly though, if you don't mind driving a bit the best fishing in that area is in smoky mountain national park. 

[Rob Snowhite]

If you see any bombers of Foothills Se_ual Chocolate please get me a few for me and Send me the bill. Kristen S may chime in, her dad fishes down there a lot. 

Hunter Banks shop can help too. 

Sent from my iPhone

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[Misha Gill]

There is a stocked stream much closer to Asheville than the Davidson. I don't recall the name but a quick DNR search would turn it up. Supposed to be very pretty.

[Andrew LaVigne]

Fished the Little East Fork of the Pigeon a couple years ago, closer to Waynesville, but only about 45 miles outside of Asheville - I was up in Waynesville for a wedding, snuck out for a couple hours. From Asheville, take 40 west, exit at canton, follow GPS directions to Lake Logan - it's a small dam impoundment. I fished upstream of there, think it was mostly stocked fish, but caught several brook trout up to 12 inches. Not super tiny water, but still easy wading, and enough holding water for some better fish. Never bothered with anything other than a crackleback dry wooly or olive bead-head bugger. 

On Monday, November 9, 2015 at 1:45:44 PM UTC-5, Forrest Allen wrote:

[Rob Shane]

The Davidson River Flyshop is a great resource. 

I was down there in the Summer and the color that everyone suggested is yellow. Nymphs, wets, dries--all yellow. I'm not sure if that changes much as the temps drop but would imagine it would still be a good call if you cant find something else that's working on the top. Specifically the Yella hamma fly, or yalla hamma, or yellow hammer for us northerners. Lots of golden stones throughout the smokies. And second the small midge pupas. Zebra midges, brassies, and the like. 

[Dalton Terrell]

Forrest,

If you hit the upper Davidson by the hatchery, bring your 6 and 7x with size 24-28 midges. Oddly enough the section by the hatchery isn't stocked, but as Yambag said the fish get fed by it. There's loads of pressure up there but people catch plenty of monster fish. The smaller, wild tribs in this area are probably more like what you are used to in Shenandoah.

The river Misha is talking about is probably the North Mills? Not sure, haven't fished that area in several years.

I'd suggest checking out this interactive map: http://ncpaws.org/wrcmapbook/FishingAreas.aspx
That site will show you which waters are stocked and which hold wild fish.

Dalton

[Misha Gill]

I think that's right. From the map you provided it looks like that whole drainage east of Asheville near Old Fort holds fish. 

[Forrest Allen]

Good information. Thanks, everyone. 

That is an awesome map - I hadnt seen something like that before. However, it shows the hatchery-supported waters on the Davidson as starting near the confluence with Avery Creek. When I look at the satellite images, I see the hatchery a bit further upriver, above the confluence with Looking Glass Creek. Most reports I read suggest that fishing near the hatchery is where you'll find the big guys (like yall have said), but that there is plenty of good fish downriver. I'll definitely check in with the local fly shops, but I expect my satellite reconnaissance is more accurate than the map. I'm a bit intimidated by the section below the hatchery, so I'll probably not spend too much time there. 

I loaded up on plenty of midges today. Zebras, pupas, red hots, brassies. Prepared to try some flashbacks, purple hazes, stimulators, squirmy worms, and a few other standard guys. Its interesting that the smallest of midges are recommended for such potentially large fish - I guess because the freestone stream doesnt provide but so much food. 

I also plan to fish with a 9' 5 wt, and possibly break out the 8.5' 4 wt if im striking out on the big holes. Do yall think 6x and 7x is necessary? I have 5x and 6x, but no 7x. 

And Rob, I'll keep my eye our for your chocolate suds. 

Thanks again for your comments folks. If you think of any other ideas or suggestions, keep posting!

[Bryan Lanier]

Looking Glass Falls and creek are awesome. My first trout was caught on a bead head nymph on that stream. Have fun.

Bryan

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[arthur noglak]

Call Orvis in Asheville and ask for Austin tell him Art Noglak told you to call. Hes an awsome dude and very dialed in to that area im sure he will be glad to help.

[Tom Guffain]

You might also want to consider the Trophy Water of Raven Fork at Cherokee, NC. This stream is on Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation land and as such is exempt from State fishing regulations and licensing requirements. You'll need to get their license you can buy locally. This stream is a little over an hour West of Ashville.

[mpc...@gmail.com]

Don't know if you are looking for a guide, but drake whitlock's son of Altamont Anglers took me on great float trip just over the boarder into TN this past summer. Beautiful scenery and constant bites.

[Forrest Allen]

Just a quick recap. I accomplished my goal of landing a nice wild brown trout on the challenging Davidson River! What a beautiful place to fish, but extremely difficult. The water was a little high and fast from heavy rains a few days earlier, but it was still gin clear and I spooked a lot of trout before I had a chance to cast towards them. Only one day was really nice for fishing, because Friday brought some 40+ mph gusts that would have made for a pretty frustrating, cold time on the river. Fortunately, I was out there on a week day, so I hardly saw any other fisherman (aside from my galfriend who was with me) until I went over to the Mills River which had been stocked a day earlier. 

I caught the guy in the attached picture on a brassie which was dropped from a wiggle worm (cant remember the size of the brassie, but a bigger one). 6x leader and tippet was necessary. The rivers there really tested my casting skills - lots of low hanging branches which I found a few free flies in. Definitely makes bringing one to the net that much more rewarding! 

For anyone headed there, the carolina style bbq at Hawg Wild, which is connected to Davidson River Outfitters fly shop, was incredible. Definitely worth an hour break from the river to refuel. And Rob, sorry, no Foothills brews made it back with me. 

[Misha Gill]

Great work on the wild brownie! Thanks for updating the group.

[Forrest Allen]

I was chatting with the folks at Urban Angler the other day, and asked them about the colors on this little 7-8" rainbow from the Davidson. Gave me a pretty neat description of the development of colors on a wild rainbow trout. Thought yall might appreciate the beauty of this fish, albeit small.