Red Horse Sucker WNC Fly Fishing
May jump starts fly fishing season with warmer weather and longer days. May is the month of change when it comes to fishing here in the mountains. This is the last month that delayed harvest streams will be stocked until next October. Delayed harvest streams will change from catch-and-release to catch-and-keep the first Saturday of June.  An advantage that we have here in the mountains of North Carolina are all the tail race streams.

The Nantahala River provides cold water releases all summer long, offering outstanding trout fishing opportunities even during the hottest months of the summer. May through August are some of the best months to do float trips on the Nantahala, and it is not unusual to catch a variety of brook, brown and rainbow trout.  As the summer progresses there are much better opportunities to catch healthy rainbows and browns on nymphs and drys. Late afternoon dry fly fishing just gets better and better as the season progresses. These cold water releases are what makes the Nantahala one of the top 100 trout rivers in the United States.

May through the end of summer is also a great time to fish warm water rivers like the Tuckaseegee River and Little Tennessee River for small mouth bass, spotted bass, brim and red eye bass. There are miles and miles of great fishing either by wading or floating on these two rivers.  Water temperatures are warmer in these streams, so break out the wading shoes and leave the waders at home.May is also an optimal time to fish the mouths of all the rivers that flow into Lake Fontana. The mouths of the Nantahala River, Forney Creek, Nolen Creek and the Little Tennessee River will have hold over trout from the spring runs. They are also gathering places for big bass and carp.

May is here and you will run out of time long before you run out of quality places to fish here in the mountains.  Visit our website for all your options for Fly Fishing with us.