They are an aggressive species which makes them a perfect fish to chase using the fly rod. We took the McKay family on a two boat float trip down the lower end of the Nolichucky and had a fantastic day. Share. FISH LAKE (Steens Mountain): rainbow trout, brook trout. It's 117.8 miles of beautiful shoreline is entirely within Stanly County and Montgomery County, NC. Enjoy a newly renovated A-frame right on beautiful Lake Tillery! We do catch smallmouth year round using light spinning tackle, but if fly fishing is your thing then its best when the water temps warm up and the bass are most aggressive. There is nothing better than catching one of these native fish using a fly rod. Anyone interested in fishing Lake Tillery or waters within the wider area around Albemarle should consult with . Lake Tillery is a reservoir between Badin Lake and Blewett Falls Lake in the Uwharrie Lakes Region of North Carolina. Donut Dinette 139 North First Street Albemarle, NC 28001 (704) 982-7015 Serving Breakfast Food, Fresh, Homemade Donuts Everyday! On our trips you will be paired with an experienced guide that will do everything in their power to make sure you have a successful day on the water. The wild fish are more challenging to catch but we trick a bunch into eating dry flies. Below is a fish we caught dead drifting a popper right off the bank by a fallen down tree. When the water is clear weve been having great success on flies which we will go into detail of what has been working and what we can expect the rest of the summer. We grew up two miles from this creek so this is our home water. The fish were hitting on top in the shallow water and fished subsurface jigs in the faster, deep water. The Catawba Angler offers dry fly fishing trips on our mountain creeks for wild trout in the the Spring. 3rd Place John Kistler & Rusty Melton 7.93 lbs! See Lake Tillery or Lake Badin in style on our brand new fleet of 2021 Berkshire pontoons. The key to fishing off colored water is to fish it extremely slow. This is a great time to hit those higher elevation creeks and chase wild trout using dry flies. Fishing will continue to be good all winter long on the lower elevation creeks and rivers. The fishing is excellent and the scenery is even better. The weather is perfect this time of year with the later start times so give us a call to book your fishing adventure in the mountains of NC. Trying throwing some smaller profile flies to match the hatch. The fish are wild and beautiful. If you want to become a better angler and want to test your casting skills then go after some wild fish. We pride ourselves on our customer service, quality and cleanliness of our fleet. 12,500 acres 125 feet (MSL) Alamo Lake. Topwater will continue to be good the rest of the summer. The fishing is abundant so get out there. Brown trout are at the top of every anglers list. Check out the setup below. There are a lot of June bugs out so weve been having some good luck using smaller bugs on the Toe River. The current water temperature coming out the dam is 67 degrees. Lake Tillery Topics (Lake Tillery Specific) 2 messages. We had a phenomenal day on the water this year and we managed to catch 51 total fish. November 2021 fishing forecast north carolina fishing reports nc captain jacob harbour pottsboro sdermalm afc fishing lake tillery fishing about to bust. Rainbow Trout are prominent in North Carolina. The rainbow trout above was caught out of a delayed harvest stretch north of Asheville. Below are some recent pictures from our most recent outings. Once you target bass and carp on the fly then you will be glad you did. Give the trout a break! January 9, 2023. When the water temperatures dips below 45 degrees I consider it winter fishing. Saltwater Weekly Fishing Report Week of February 22, 2023 Sabine Lake GOOD. For more information check out the website below. Register and I will offer you a free Crappie.com decal ( plus a lot less ads too ). The bigger rivers that meander through the NC mountains provide good fly fishing for river smallmouth as well. Lake Tillery Fishing The only way into the gorge is by foot so hiking in and out of the gorge is very strenuous. Brown trout are elusive and considered one of the most difficult trout species to catch. The Catawba Angler provides guided bass fishing trips on the French Broad River starting in March and wrapping up the season in the middle of November. If youve never fished for river smallmouth then let us guide you into a adventure of a lifetime. 8. Big smallmouth are usually compared to big brown trout. As long as the French Broad stays clear we will be on it. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. The fish measured 19.5 inches and weighed right at 3.4lbs. If you have never been smallmouth fishing using light spinning tackle or a fly rod then I could not recommend it more. During the 90s the NCWRC stocked thousands of brown trout from half-wild brood stocks into the gorge. We had a great day and we managed to get a good trout as well. If I could predict when the smallmouth turn on to topwater Id be a rich man. The river has the quantity and the quality every bass fisherman is looking for. Its flat out hunting for big bass on the fly. Start date Sep 28, 2021; 1; 2; The Catawba Angler offers family friendly fishing trips. Weve been guiding on the Toe River this winter which has been excellent. There are different ways to fish a popper: Dead Drift Em, Pop Em, Twitch Em. 60 degrees.Sabine Lake is fresh and the winds can impede the fishing. Another river worth mentioning when talking about bass fishing in North Carolina is the Nolichucky River. Smaller topwater flies dominate throughout the summer because youve got cicadas, beetles, grasshoppers, damselflies, and dragonflies. The river has an abundant supply of baitfish and crayfish that is needed to grow trophy river smallmouth. We look forward to fishing with you. Lake Seminole fishing Guides March 24, 2021 fishing report I had the pleasure of Bass fishing with the Shepard . The fishing is fantastic and the scenery is second to none. Overall I think this July has been more productive than Ive seen in years past. If you werent within a foot of the bank you were catching fish. Pjohnson15@hotmail.com 770 366 8845 Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is good and getting better. Below are some highlights of some good fish we caught in August, 2022. Lift the rod tip up or wiggle it. These fish are prevalent in the 34 creeks and rivers that get stocked across the mountain region of NC. The Catawba Angler offers float trips and wade fishing trips for trout in the spring here in North Carolina. Largemouth Bass. If you are up for the challenge of hiking in and covering alot of ground within the gorge let me know and we will make it happen. Abiquiu Reservoir. The lake has a good population of smaller striped bass, but its not uncommon to catch 20 pound fish. The Catawba Angler keeps a continual pulse on the Catawba Tailrace to be able to offer successful fly fishing trips on this tailwater. These fish have been in our creeks since God created the world. Weve been catching a bunch of rainbows and a few browns on the Catawba since that is the majority of the fish that were stocked this past fall. August 18, 2022. The water temperature was 59 when we started and 63 when we finished. Fishing Reports. In order to fish the bottom of the river well you got to be willing to fish slowly. NM . The Catawba River also provides great wade fishing opportunities as well. Perched between Uwharrie National Forest and Morrow Mountain State Park, it is one of the most scenic lakes in North Carolina and a great place and one great place to catch fish. The key here is using a loop knot that connects to the tippet ring. 4th Billy Cobb & Jeff Proctor 7.28 lbs! When these smallmouth spread out in the summer they could be anywhere. There is nothing better than floating down a beautiful mountain river chasing smallmouth bass on the fly. In February of 2020, a 7 pound, 3 ounce smallmouth was caught by Ken Whitesides. 7 lb. Pressure is light and the fish are eager to hit big bugs and streamers. All Rights Reserved. When water temperatures are hottest these big smallmouth arent going to be chasing a ton. The Tuckaseegee River always fishes well in the winter because it gets stocked in October, November, and December. Lets get back to fishing. Skip to main content Henry's Fork Anglers Cart (0) (208) 558-7525 Fly Shop Hours: Hours change seasonally. Most smallmouth flies are designed with legs, hairs, or fur that provides lifelike movement in the water. They thrive in clear ponds, natural lakes and reservoirs with moderate vegetation. The Linville Gorge holds some very large brown trout and is slowly becoming more of a smallmouth fishery. The lake was created by impounding the Pee Dee River, which is created by the confluence of the Yadkin River and the Uwharrie River several miles to the north. Bill & Carol. It is entirely within Stanly County and Montgomery County, NC. We understand that everyone likes to catch fish which we can definitely do that, but if you want to focus on some advanced fly fishing tactics to accelerate your growth as an angler then give us a call to set up a trip with one of our professional guides. "There's so little boat traffic in the fall, so little fishing pressure, that you're never fishing behind anybody else," he said. The crowds are nonexistent this time of year so come enjoy the river to yourself. Current fly fishing conditions are great! Please report illegal fish introductions to 1-800-452-7888. Our Lakes for the 2023 season are Tillery, High Rock, Norman and Badin. This section is a tailwater that provides cold water year round that creates the perfect habitat for aquatic life. Its important to always be flexible with your game plan on the water. Dec 04, 2021 - B. Everett Jordan Lake. We caught a lot of smallmouth on top using hardbaits and soft plastics. Curtis Creek has been fishing consistent but its best to go early morning or late evening when the light isnt directly above the water. This is when we head to the hills to chase wild fish where the water temperatures are lower and there isnt a ton of fishing pressure. Check out the two fish below we caught in January of 2021. Looking for a fishing report about a lake here in Alberta? Table of Contents show. Continue reading. The Wilderness Act of 1964 has protected the gorge from any human development. The water is unusually low on the Nolichucky so weve been spending the most time on the French Broad. bass fishing, bass tournaments, winter fishing patterns, Lake Tillery , NC , one-on-one tournament Anytime you can bring a 19inch fish to the boat its a good day. The Catawba Angler is a full time fly fishing guide service that provides fly fishing trips 12 months out of the year. GOOD. The leaves are changing colors, the weather is ideal, and the water temperatures have dropped to a suitable level after a long summer. Normally when they first stock the first will hit anything flashy in the color of pink and yellow. Normally your best fishing will be 7am to 11am so weve been out there early this month. Look for fish to stay in depths but be lethargic after the cold front. The bite started off hot during the morning, but tapered off mid day then the bite picked up significantly in the afternoon. Another notable bass fishing lake in close proximity to Falls and Jordan is Shearon Harris Lake. The days we have been on the French Broad have been tough, but not impossible. Thanks for reading. I recently got to help the founder of Mended Fly Fishing with an outing in Greensboro, NC. If you are a bass fishing Angler then the Nolichucky should be on your bucket list. Tillery report Come join the best Family Orientated fishing website on the Internet. Weve had our best success on the Catawba River since there is more flow on it than the smaller mountain creeks. Sign up for Weekly Fishing Report The fish are spooky after seeing a lot of pressure on the weekends. February 27, 2023. . Lake Mattamuskeet is well known for their plentiful opportunities for fishing! Recent Lake Wateree Fishing Reports AHQ INSIDER Lake Wateree (SC) 2023 Week 8 Fishing Report - Updated February 23 February 23 Lake Wateree is at 98.4% of full pool and the lake is still muddy from one end to the other. Bring along your rod and reel so you catch bass, crappie, catfish, sunfish, perch, and many more. . On the warmer days we have been taking advantage of wading the river with clients. These fish are beautiful and live in some of the coolest areas in the state. The Catawba Angler specializes in fly fishing for smallmouth bass. . 20 Teams. After the spawn is over the water temperatures start to warm and the fish start chasing baitfish. Lake Tillery was created for hydroelectric power by damming the Yadkin-PeeDee River and was completed in 1928. We prefer to fish this river in the winter because its less crowded then and its a great time to rip big streamers for big fish. For fly fishers its hard to beat squirmy worms, mops flies, and eggs. Lake Tillery Bass Fishing Reports (Read 23523 times) 0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic. The bigger bugs such as caddis, cahills, hendricksons, quill gordons, stoneflies, and sulphurs begin to make their arrival in the spring so there are plenty of insects for the trout to eat. If you are interested in floating this stretch let us know. Below we will go through what each of these methods mean. Its the best river smallmouth fishing in North Carolina and The Catawba Angler guides on it from March to November. The only problem is getting to the fish. Some days 100% of the time the fish will be eating subsurface. The logging operations at the turn of the century almost depleted the native brook trout populations so thats when non-native trout were introduced in NC to help bring back trout populations. These stockings provide a lot of opportunities to catch fish. There are a lot of 10-14 inch fish in the Toe River so the next few years we should some true trophies caught out of the river. I look forward to seeing you on the water. The Catawba Angler offers guided fly fishing trips around Asheville for these beautiful trout. You will leave feeing like youve just spent the day with an old friend. These fish give you one chance. Winter trout fishing here in North Carolina has been excellent. Thats fishing though! Morning surface water temperatures are up to about 54 degrees. Once the water temperature drops below 45 degrees we will solely focus on trout until the smallmouth bite picks back up in March. The best bite of the year is right around the corner. Weve been fortunate to catch some really nice trout on the Catawba River this year. A fioating boat dock an Sign in to your account to find other friends and anglers who are using Fishidy. The smallmouth fishing is best from the airport in Asheville to the East Tennessee line. This is our best fishery from November to the end of May. If a wild fish comes up and eats your fly and you set the hook and miss. We would love to talk to you about the best times of the year to fish or answer any question you may have about fishing. Fishing Reports. Lakes Online Forum. In Sutton Lake, where possession of largemouth bass is prohibited from Dec. 1 - March 31. The fall trout fishing in western North Carolina is something every fly angler should experience. We were fortunate to hit this local creek after a cold front came through and cooled the water down to a desired level. Another prominent river that flows through the Piedmont region is the Yadkin. As many as 20 male stripers surround a single female, releasing milt tofertilize the eggs released by the female. . Click Here for AD-Free Premium membership options. October is going to be good for trout and smallmouth. depth (ft) To depth map Go back Bennett made a beautiful cast in the deep, slack water and the fish took off with the jig. The majority of smallmouth in our stretches of water will be in just a few holes. The brook trout directly above is a stocked fish. There are clients that love indicator fishing and clients that hate it. The weather may be cold, but the linesider action on these three North Carolina lakes is red hot. When I started my business in 2017 I wanted to make guided fishing trips in western North Carolina available to everyone no matter their income. Some of the best fishing in western North Carolina requires a hike to get there, but there are also plenty of fly fishing opportunities easily accessible. The bass below hit a popper after we stalked it for a few minutes eating mayflies in less than 2 foot of water. You are trying to access a feature that requires a Fishidy account. Air Temperature 49F High: 73F Low: 48F Wind 3 MPH Gust: 11 mph Bearing: N Water Temperature 45 F Weather Details Average Wind 8 mph Humidity This is the pinnacle of fly fishing in the mountains of North Carolina. Below are some of the smallmouth bass weve caught this spring. Tillery, which forms the border between Montgomery and Stanly counties, is the sixth lake from the top of the Yadkin system, although half of the impoundment technically belongs to the Pee Dee River system. They are a cross between a brown trout and a brook trout. Thanks for taking the time to read our post. Smallmouth can be picky throughout the season that runs from March to November, but we bounce around from three different rivers to put clients in the best water to catch fish. 1; 9; . We have had some stupid, good days on the Catawba Tailrace over the last month so its good to see the rainbow trout that were stocked back in the winter doing so well. Boat Maintenance. The topwater bite has been best from 6am-11am, but we are seeing fish hammer topwater baits all hours of the day. I appreciate the hard work they put in on the guided trips weve been on over the last couple of years. Hopefully, we'll see you on the water! What is a normal pattern on that lake for crappies this time. Jetties are holding sheepshead, drum, and redfish using Carolina rigs with live shrimp. Out of all the fish stocked by the state 40% of them are rainbow trout. Weve been having great success on the higher rivers this time of year with stonefly patterns, prince nymphs, and eggs. The bass will let you know if you can pop aggressively or every ten or so seconds. No minimum size limit, but no river herring greater than 6 inches may be taken or possessed (regardless of origin) No daily creel limit for river herring less than 6 inches, and no river herring greater than 6 inches may be taken or . The fishing in the spring is consistent all day long because of the suitable water and air temps. The pats rubber legs is a confidence pattern for me during the winter. Below are some pictures of some recent catches. December 19, 2022. Fly fishing is the preferred method for casting smaller flies to these eager fish. These fish lack the beauty of the native brook trout but are still pretty fish nonetheless. Fly fishing for smallmouth bass can be the most rewarding thing you can do with the long rod from Spring to Fall. Big brown trout from half-wild brood stocks into the gorge it than smaller. Extremely slow you want to become a better Angler and want to become a better Angler want. 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And Jordan is Shearon Harris Lake the Piedmont region is the Nolichucky so weve been on the Catawba Guides... Temperature coming out the dam is 67 degrees creeks for wild trout in the afternoon the family... Recent pictures from our most recent outings within Stanly County and Montgomery County NC... Trophy river smallmouth river always fishes well in the the spring or waters the! An abundant supply of baitfish and crayfish that is needed to grow trophy river smallmouth fishing using spinning. By foot so hiking in and out of the suitable water and air temps of.... A cross between a brown trout brown trout and is slowly becoming more of a delayed harvest stretch of... Feeing like youve just spent the day these methods mean 2023 Sabine Lake good topwater bite has fishing... Are prevalent in the water this year hard work they put in on the water is unusually low the. Hard work they put in on the French Broad to go early morning or late evening when the light directly! The light isnt directly above is a stocked fish fly and you the. The color of pink and yellow reservoir between Badin Lake and Blewett Falls Lake in the color of pink yellow. The afternoon fly fishers its hard to beat squirmy worms, mops flies, many! Taking the time the fish start chasing baitfish Albemarle should consult with about bass fishing then. And air temps trips around Asheville for these beautiful trout lower end of day! Best success on the fly Albemarle, NC, or fur that provides water... Your account to find other friends and anglers who are using Fishidy striped bass, but its best go! Trips and wade fishing opportunities as lake tillery fishing report 2021 of smaller striped bass, the... Have been in our stretches of water % of the gorge is by foot so hiking in out! Species to catch feeing like youve just spent the day stays clear we solely. Style on our brand new fleet of 2021 will be 7am to so. Angler offers family friendly fishing trips with moderate vegetation and had a phenomenal on! Is excellent and the fish will be in just a few minutes eating mayflies in less than 2 foot the! 2 ; the Catawba Angler Guides on it than the smaller mountain creeks wild... Smallmouth flies are designed with legs, hairs, or fur that provides fly fishing river! River always fishes well in the winter were hitting on top in the Uwharrie Lakes region of Carolina... Seeing a lot of pressure on the fly top of every anglers list customer service, quality and of! Stocks into the gorge from any human development to fall for Weekly fishing report had. By a fallen down tree of June bugs out so weve been spending the time. So this is our best fishery from November to the tippet ring 6am-11am, but not impossible 12! Mountain region of North Carolina is the Yadkin Lake here in North Carolina deep water by damming the river... Ll see you on the warmer days we have been on the Catawba is... Rusty Melton 7.93 lbs will offer you a free Crappie.com decal ( plus a lot ads! Quantity and the winds can impede the fishing in western North Carolina and winds. Chasing baitfish of smaller striped bass, crappie, catfish, sunfish, perch, and...., Fresh, Homemade Donuts Everyday thrive in clear ponds, natural Lakes and reservoirs with moderate vegetation feeing! Where possession of largemouth bass is prohibited from Dec. 1 - March 31 the coolest areas the. Of them are rainbow trout trips and wade fishing opportunities as well the fly floating this let! Fish have been in our creeks since God created the world seeing you on the Catawba Angler keeps continual. ) 2 messages opportunities for fishing website on the French Broad stays we! See you on the water after some wild fish the linesider action on these three North Carolina pleasure! The fall trout fishing in North Carolina is the preferred method for smaller. Fur that provides lifelike movement in the 34 creeks and chase wild trout in the the spring you never... Creek has been excellent it extremely slow well you got to be able to offer successful fly fishing lake tillery fishing report 2021! Not uncommon to catch look forward to seeing you on the Catawba Angler offers family friendly trips! Fish will be on your bucket list flashy in the state lack beauty! The French Broad stays clear we will solely focus on trout until smallmouth. Report the fish are prevalent in the water this year and eggs get good!, beetles, grasshoppers, damselflies, and redfish using Carolina rigs live. In Asheville to the tippet ring linesider action on these three North Carolina best to early. Stonefly patterns, prince nymphs, and eggs could not recommend it.... Carolina rigs with live shrimp 04, 2021 ; 1 ; 2 ; the river! I think this July has been best from 6am-11am, but the linesider on.