Rivers We Fish

The Oconaluftee, considered “sacred waters” by the Cherokee, and known as the “Luftee, ” is a beautiful, freestone river that drops 2,000 feet over 10 miles. It flows through downtown Cherokee and Qualla Boundary, the homeland of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, before joining the Little Tennessee on the way to Lake Fontana.  The river is heavily stocked, 300,000 trout per year, by the Cherokee Fisheries & Wildlife Management. The easily accessible streams on the reservation are stocked twice weekly. Although a special fishing permit is required from the Cherokee Reservation.

The “Tuck” offers something for everyone with many deep pools, rocky sections, riffles and runs. This popular Delayed Harvest section is five miles long and located between the small towns of Dillsboro and Sylvia North Carolina. It is heavily stocked by the state with brown, rainbow and brook trout. There are numerous parking pull offs along the North River Road that follows the stream closely. Access isn’t a problem. The Tuckasegee River was one of the first North Carolina streams to be put under Delayed Harvest regulations and one that has certainly proven the program to be not only successful from a fish management standpoint, but one that’s highly popular Like any good stream, it can become crowded at times but that only serves to show the fly fishing opportunities are good.

This awesome place is located in Panthertown Valley, which is known as the “Yosemite of the east” because of its bowl shape and rocky bluffs. The regulations here are specified as catch and release year-round. Wild streams like Courthouse Creek or the streams of Panthertown Valley offer some of the best native Southern Appalachian Brook trout fishing in the region. The fish are small in size, but their beautiful colors more than make up for it. These small streams often give the angler a chance to hike in, get off the beaten fishing path and find adventure in these cold mountain streams that still offer fantastic fishing.

From headwater elevations of about 5,500 feet at Mount Hardy just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, the West Fork of the Pigeon River falls nearly 3,000 feet over about 18 miles to its confluence with the east fork and the formation of the Pigeon River. Along this course, and up the river’s tributaries, there is every type of trout water, from brook trout in tight and tiny high-elevation trickles to hatchery supported and delayed harvest stretches. The water is extremely clear under normal conditions, and it is a pretty place. It is also the most heavily managed fishery in Haywood County, North Carolina. The best public access begins upstream of Lake Logan at the boundary of Pisgah Game Lands. North Carolina 215 parallels this entire stretch, about 8 miles of water.

Big Snowbird Creek has three different characteristics that provide the angler ample opportunity to catch a rainbow, a brown and a brookie all in one day. This is known in the mountains as the “grand slam”. Big Snowbird Creek lies in the southwestern portion of North Carolina with its headwaters located in the Snowbird Mountains in Graham county. From the headwaters, Big Snowbird Creek flows through a rugged portion of the Nantahala National Forest and over three very scenic waterfalls before it empties into the Santeetlah, not far from Robbinsville.

Moses Creek is one of the best small stream, pool hopping, back country fly-fishing destinations we guide. This creek is full of native wild brook trout. If you’re looking for a secluded backcountry adventure look no further.