Joe headed for the Watauga River, which has been fishing particularly well of late. Watauga River, March 8, 2016 (click it). We appreciate Bob's feedback, but have to report to everybody that Bob and Earl would have had an even better experience had they fished the Watauga a couple of weeks earlier, during the epic caddis hatch! Size 16-20 Lightening Bugs, Pheasant Tails and Sulphur nymphs of any assortment will work below. Click any of the following thumbs for a slideshow of big bass caught on June 22, 2017... Caird with a big Striped Bass on the Watauga River, June 8, 2017 (click it). Altamont Anglers lead guide Teo Whitlock sent a photo record of the action from the week of 4/26/15 through 5/3/15 and you can click the following thumbnails to see for yourself the proof of the quality fishing available right now: Mal Lawrence with a Caddis-munching brown trout , April 18, 2015 (click it). Click the thumbnails that follow for full-size views of some Labor Day delights... George Fallon celebrating the Fourth with a "Fish On! There isn't much in the fly fishing game that offers more fun than big brown trout feeding on tiny mayflies, and Randall and friends found both on the Watauga and South Holston Rivers. John Descary appreciates the opportunities for un-crowded waters that fishing the winter months offers, and got out early this month (ahead of the crowds) with his wife, Nadine, guided by Altamont Anglers guide Teo Whitlock--working out of theSouth Holston River Lodge. Click any thumbnail that follows to enter the slideshow of the father/son fishing trip: James Heskett caught this big brown trout (held by Teo Whitlock) on the Watauga River on June 12, 2016 (click it). On Googleâs Watauga River Map use controls to scroll, zoom, topography/terrain, charts, satellite, geography etc. Go gooners!!". ", and our answer is a firm "whenever you can go!". But this public-use status can change in a flash – consider the loss of parking near the old Hound Ears Dam. Elk River members and their guests enjoy North Carolina catch and release fly-fishing for Brown and Rainbow Trout along the stretch of river that winds ⦠As for fishing on the Watauga River at Grandfather Mountain State Park, this area of the river is not designated. Portage the whole thing on the right.”. If you can dodge the T-storms, April is the month of choice for the Watauga, due to that caddis hatch, which is in full swing right now. The usual suspects--bead-head midge patterns, Sulphur nymphs and Pheasant Tails dropped below larger attractor patterns--did the trick, as the Fallons boated nearly 40 fish in the half-day's fishing. On the evening of Saturday, April 18, Altamont Anglers guide Teo Whitlock pulled his boat out of the Watauga River and headed home. google_ad_width = 336; While folks can tube the Watauga River for a 10-mile stretch between Valle Crucis and Sugar Grove, dangerous rapids emerge near Snake Pit that only experienced boaters should attempt to navigate with the proper craft and safety equipment. He was blown away by the whole experience. For full-size views of the fishing on the Watauga River on March 23 just click the following thumbs: AA guide Joe Spencer presenting Adrian McKemey's pot-bellied Watauga River rainbow on March 22, 2015 (click it). Though the Caddis were a little thin, the fishing was still great, as the pictures below prove. NC State Football head-coach Dave Doeren and assistant-coach Dwayne Ledford took advantage of the Madness of March basketball season to slip away for a float down the Watauga River on March 8, 2016, guided by Altamont Anglers' Teo Whitlock. And if their main parking area does fill up to capacity, they have an overflow parking area. Tim Shipman booked a five-boat flotilla for April 15, 2016 for the annual Ferguson Plumbing regional sales meeting/trout-fest, arriving en masse just in time for the Caddis hatch on the Watauga River. The Watauga River is fishing really well this winter (as you can see), with lots of fish in the fifteen inch and upward bracket, fewer dinks, and eager eaters. Cookie cutter rainbows are in full force on the trophy section. Trout are hungry, and clicking the thumbs that follow prove it's no April Fool's Day joke to get out early on the Watauga: Jeff Werth with a nice Watauga River brown trout, March 30, 2016 (click it). Our reports from on-stream have become fewer and farther between since the onset of this weird year of pandemic, but folks are folding from cabin fever and looking for relief in the great outdoors, which has some brave souls looking for boat-time on our rivers. Altamont Anglers guides proudly rowed these altruistic anglers, rewarding their giving with much catching of trout. There are plenty of informal pull-offs along the Watauga River. They were rewarded for braving the weather with a river full of hungry trout feeding happily on midges, baetis nymphs (fished at depth below Girdle Bugs and other attractor patterns). Though this area has been accessed for decades, it’s the newest official public access along the Watauga River in the Boone NC area. Click here for the park’s website and call the park’s office at 828-963-9522. Terrestrials should start showing up soon, along with everyone's favorite...Midges! After the first set of shoals and rapids, where the Laurel Fork joins the river from the left, the river pools up above the Clog. Watauga River: Along the Watauga River in between Foscoe and Sugar Grove is a great stretch of trout waters. The recurring theme of Fathers & Sons Fishing Together was revived over the weekend when Adrian McKemey booked some time for fishing with his son, Hector, with the guidance of Altamont Anglers' Joe Spencer. Don Ratigan rounded up his crew for two days of fly fishing the Watauga River over the weekend of April 1 & 2, 2016. Altamont Anglers guide Teo Whitlock led the charge both days, and gave us a brief report on the action: The Watauga offers up a nice BWO hatch around 3:00 pm, with fish feeding on the usual tiny nymphs and midges throughout the day, while the South Holston produces with small baetis nymphs, midges and scuds all day, with BWO's on pulse and high water, and still has sulphurs on high water. George Kessler realized every fly fisher's dream-come-true on September 11 and 12, 2014: big trout on dry flies. Here's a shot of Bob and Teo in front of the water fall on the Watauga River (clicketty bigger): Bud Zalesky with giant brown trout caught on the Watauga River on May 10, 2016 (click it). Tennesse DOT. At the end of a productive day of fly fishing for trout there's no better "icing on the cake" than an opportunity to cast to big, hungry stripers, and that's just what Geoff and Mark did. Tom Theus spent a day on the Watauga River on Thursday, April 14, drifting along with Altamont Anglers guide Teo Whitlock in a blizzard of Caddis flies. The river is stocked with rainbow, brown and brook trout. In addition, the Doe river is 1.4 miles away and Stoney Creek 2.3 ⦠Our guides are not only passionate about fly fishing, but also passionate about sharing the sport of fly fishing with others. Don't you know, the big ones always hang out under the bridges! John Pulliam caught the brown held by Jake Thanks for another awesome trip! Let Asheville Anglers float you down river for a Watauga river fly fishing trip of a lifetime. Important Numbers. The Watauga River Caddis hatch comes and goes in April every year, but the action continues throughout the year, as this particular day in June demonstrates. John Descary on the Watauga River, December 29, 2016 (click it). And when you're fishing a great tailwater like the Watauga River, the weather "down below"--in the water where the trout live--is the same in December as it is in July: constant water temps between 43 and 53 degrees Fahrenheit means the trout fishing is great all year long. The trouts are hungry on the Watauga River now, hungry enough that an unexpected early water release didn't slow them down on Wednesday, March 9. For decades, this was a popular spot for its great fishing holes, challenging whitewater kayak run during high water flow and swimming area known as “Boone Beach” among college kids. And the facilities, ammenities and breathtaking location at WRL make it a great destination for weddings, corporate retreats and family reunions too. Watauga River, North Carolina Watauga county, North Carolina Route 105 Bridge to US Route 321 Bridge section road map. We guide the regionâs wide variety of rivers and small streams targeting some of the best trout, smallmouth, and striped bass fishing the country has to offer. Get the latest up to date fly fishing report for Trout fishing in Watauga River with the top producing flies and recommended equipment to get you into fish. Click the following thumbs for full views of some nice back-to-school trout caught on September 4, 2014: Jerre Smith with a pretty Watauga River rainbow on August 30, 2014 (click the pic) The Watauga River shines in June, and a bevy of lucky clients have taken advantage of the seasonally ideal fishing to team up with Altamont Anglers to bring us the following picture show. Some nice opportunities for the dry fly purists among us now on the Watauga River, with pretty good afternoon/evening BWO hatches. While the main event is still trout chasing emergers--as you'll see from the pictures that follow--the opportunity to toss streamers to the occasional Striper shouldn't be forgotten. var gcse = document.createElement('script'); Known today as the ‘Guy Ford River Spot’ on Instagram by co-eds, this area has been a popular swimming hole among college kids for years. This section of river is a delayed-harvest stream with stocked rainbow, brown and brook trout. Valle Crucis Park nearly offers it all – nature with amenities. Judging by the size of that big brown Chris is holding, things went well--so we asked Joe what was happening on-stream: "They ate pretty well all day but the best bite was the classic winter window (10-2). Fishing Club. Guided custom fishing excursions range in price from $300-$425 per day depending upon your ideal itinerary. Britt & Knox Vinson on the Watauga River, September 30, 2016 (click it). I took my Dad along for the trip. We'll be fishing with Teo again...and if you've got an up-and coming angler Teo's the guide for you.". Can't wait for our next trip out with him. Teya Smith and her 'bow Hot as firecrakers!! Levi Miskolczi booked a 2-boat float trip for February 8, 2014, with the boats helmed by AA guides Jay Dodd and Teo Whitlock, destination: East Tennessee's Watauga River. Trout are hungry and conditions are right--let's go fishin'! It’s a great primitive location for children to explore the river. This park also as a small covered pavilion for one picnic table and kiosk with a map of the Watauga River. That's how the fishing was for Frank and George Fallon on Independence Day, 2014 as they celebrated the Fourth with a half-day float trip on the Watauga River. So, we think this is proof that if you can tear yourselves away from EPL action and head for a trout stream, there really is life beyond Football (or soccer, as we New Worlders would say). We landed LOTS of fish...and some trophy browns. The lesson to take from this is that the constant 43-to-50 degree water temps on tailwaters like the Watauga River provide "weather-proof" fishing. Click the thumbs for full-size views of some more of Ken's Watauga River success story: Tim Shipman with a beautiful back-lit rainbow trout caught on the Watauga River on March 27, 2014. Joe floated Britt and Knox down the Watauga River, which is transitioning to the October event everyone looks forward to: cool weather and aggressive Brown Trout on the make in a pre-spawn feeding spree. When that happens its "lights, camera, action!!". The month of March saw a major fundraising effort for the River's Way Lodge in which donors occupied the lodge each weekend in March, combining charitable giving with fantastic fishing. Then on Sunday, August 31 Sean McClannaghan spent some time on the Watauga River with Altamont Anglers guide Travis Honeycutt on a first-ever fly fishing excursion. The Watauga River rises from a spring near the base of Peak Mountain at Linville Gap in Avery County, North Carolina.The spring emanates from the western side of the Tennessee Valley Divide, which is, at this location, congruent with the Eastern Continental Divide.On the other side of the divides at Linville Gap are the headwaters of the Linville River ⦠That's how the fishing was for Frank and George Fallon on Independence Day, 2014 as they celebrated the Fourth with a half-day float trip on the Watauga River. When the weather gets tough, the tough get fishing! Some Caddis, Little Black Stoneflies and--depending on the weather--Blue Winged Olives are available for the fish, and they are hungry! Altamont Anglers guide Jay Dodd picked the right river for his client, Ken Heubel, on Friday and Saturday (April 4 & 5)--The Wautaga River is giving up great numbers of larger fish these days. See Here! Decent mid-day hatches of Baetis continue to interest the trout, with the predictable morning nymphing still strong. Click the thumbs for full-size views of some more of Ken's Watauga River success story: Altamont Anglers guide Travis Honeycutt answered the challenge to work on America's holiday, treating Frank and George to some fine Summer-time fishing on one of our favorite East Tennessee tailwaters. So now we know that global warming brings us super-duper cold spells, known as Polar Vortexes, terrifying weather events that inspire the sane and sensible to add another log to the fireplace. Tom's experience matched the fishing enjoyed by Dennis Anderson a few days earlier: catch a bunch of Watauga River trout throughout the day, but finish big with the stripers before taking out the boat at the end of the day. Click the thumbnails for more from March 12, 2017: Andrew Bailey with a pretty brown trout on the Watauga River, March 11, 2017 (click it). For more information and to support the park, click here or call 828.963.9239. This sounds like a flippant bit of smug humor, but it's the honest truth: the quality of the fishing is fantastic all year round. But it’s really noticeable about 2 miles in near Foscoe View. So, it's been a busy time for Altamont Anglers guides and their clients, with lots of successful hours logged on-stream. His instruction was invaluable as always and him knowing where the fish are and how to get to them still amazes me. Randall Tuttle organized a flotilla of friends to fish our favorite East Tennessee tailwaters over the weekend of November 11 and was rewarded with the confluence of pre-spawn brown trout and hatching Baetis. Tim Shipman with a nice brown trout Spring: Springtime brings about a nice sulphur hatch and some good dry fly fishing. Click the following thumbs for full-size views of some sons and the fathers: Dave Doeren, 03/08/15. They mostly ate baetis and the occasional egg, with midges on in the morning". The Watauga river has a wide deep river bed providing great float fishing trips for all anglers and skill levels. google_ad_slot = "4697124031"; Unusually, this hatch occurred on sunny days (albeit chilly), just adding to the pleasure of the moment. Clicking the thumbs below tells the tale: Scott McElrath with big striper caught on the Watauga River on May 5, 2016 (click it). On either side of the highway, the land is undevelopable. Angie caught this big rainbow trout on the South Holston River on October 18, 2015 (click it). Trails & Hiking. The Watauga river is fishing great on both low and high water. Weâve been fishing size 16 stripper baetis, size 20 zebra midges, and size 16 pmd split case nymphs. John Cheshire invited Travis Smith to join him in Altamont Anglers guide Joe Kostura's boat on September 18 & 19, 2020 for some coronavirus-free air and East Tennessee trout fishing. It's Springtime for Caddis on the tailwaters of East Tennessee, and the action has been predictably fast and furious since the TVA has resumed more or less normal water releases. Winter: The Watauga River fishes good throughout the winter months. But, there's no rest for the trouty on the Watauga River-not with Debbie Griffith and Denise Bruner on the river. Click the following thumbs for full views of Team Ferguson: Bob Fincher caught that fat rainbow trout, held for the camera by his guide, Teo Whitlock, on February 8, 2014. David Pulliam with ⦠gcse.type = 'text/javascript'; By Joe Kostura Holding an eye popping 6-8000 fish per mile, The Watauga River Tailwater, or âThe âTaugâ as some local guides call it is right over the state line near Elizabethton, TN located within easy striking distance from Linville, North Carolina. Matt Osada's rainbow trout (click image for full view) The Watauga River here offers fishing, tubing, swimming, and general water play. We don't have any idea what Bob's friends know about that fox hat, but it's obviously a lucky hat, judging by the big 'bow! The Watauga River is famous for its April Caddis hatch, so Richard was making a good bet booking for April 12/13, 2017. Tim Shipman organized a flotilla of six driftboats for an assault on the Watauga River on March 27, and for his trouble he was rewarded with that fine rainbow trout. Click the following thumbnails for a slideshow of early May action: Teo Whitlock holds Dan's big brown on April 15, 2016 (click it). Richard & Judy Burhman regularly fish from the South Holston River Lodge, and when they do they request the guidance Altamont Anglers' guide Teo Whitlock. Watauga River, North Carolina fishing report, rainbow trout fly fishing forecast, fishing season updates, fly shop and fishing guides, and fly-fishing weather. lake or stream) from the list above. Once again Teo did an awesome job! North Carolina DOT. >Peter Bray with a big Watauga River brown trout caught on April 4, 2014 (click the pic) Cabin Rentals on the Watauga River in Elizabethton, Tennessee - Watauga River Fly Fishing - 1000 feet of private river frontage. Grandfather Mountain State Park Ranger Luke Appling estimates that the Watauga River borders park property for about 0.8 miles, while the Profile Trail and the Watauga River run alongside each other for 100 yards or so. Randall Tuttle on the Watauga River, December 4, 2016 (click it). Andrew Bailey got a nice Christmas present last year: a gift certificate for some fishing with Altamont Anglers! Altamont Anglers guides hit the Watauga River hard over the weekend of April 4 & 5, with Jay Dodd, Jake Chiles and Teo Whitlock floating both days and boating bunches of big 'uns.The Watauga River can take this kind of fishing pressure only because these guides know how to boat them quickly, get the photos done in a hurry and the fish returned to the river with minimal trauma.While our clients--David Pulliam and his sons David and John and Peter Bray--were staying over at the River's Way Lodge on the South Holston for the purpose of making charitable donations to River's Way, their guides felt a duty to making their fishing the best it could be by driving over to the Watauga, which is hot right now. We had back-to-back father/son combos over the weekend, first with David Pulliam and his son John (aka JP), who fished together during a fund-raising event for River's Way on March 6 & 7, and then with David Doeren and his son Jacob on Sunday, March 8. Highway 105 and the Profile Trail, the most popular trail on Grandfather Mountain, parallel the river at the same time for a stretch. Click the images for full-size views... Tom Taylor with a big Striped Bass on the Watauga River, July 27, 2017 (click it). Click the first of the following thumbnails for a full view of George Kessler's nice brown caught on a dry fly on high water on the Watauga River on April 23. Some Caddis, Little Black Stoneflies and--depending on the weather--Blue Winged Olives are available for the fish, and they are hungry! gcse.async = true; But Altamont Anglers clients (sane and sensible though they are) go the other way--when Polar Vortexes threaten, we go fishing! Fishing a variety of nymphs to match the Sulphurs, Midges and various still-present caddis varieties, Altamont Anglers guide Teo Whitlock put Jim and Bob into never-ending duels with fine browns and 'bows. Altamont Anglers guide Joe Spencer and his client Joe Tucker (a couple of good Joes, we'd say) had a real fiesta on the water, According to AA guide Joe Spencer, "Caddis are tapering off, giving way to Sulphurs which are working their way up through the trophy section--plenty of opportunities for dry flies. The bugs (#14 black Caddis and #16 tan Caddis) had the fish looking up, and most of the photos here--from Saturday, April 15--feature trout caught on dries. Jerre and Teya know their way around a worm or dough-ball on the carp ponds of North Carolina, and judging by these few photos they had no problems picking up the techniques of fly fishing. The corporate outing for Ferguson Plumbing looks to become an annual event, judging by the happy faces of the lucky participants. This section of river is a delayed-harvest stream with stocked rainbow, brown and brook trout. Along with the Valle Crucis Park stretch of the Watauga River, the Upper Watauga Gorge Park waters downstream of Hubert Thomas Road are the only other delayed-harvest waters along the Watauga River in NC. var cx = '016178786155693412783:qnnxewzoga0'; Recent floats found the fish still eating on good Baetis hatches, and hungry fish mean happy clients, so click any of the following thumbs for full-size views of Springtime on the Watauga... Dan Rooker caught this nice brown trout on the Watauga River, March 23, 2018 (click it), Another report from the Madness of March, with some excursions down the Watauga River from March 23 through March 30 featuring a number of clients. While the Watauga River headwaters offer a unique fishery with wild brook trout, big brown trout, and smallmouth, the Watauga River Tailwaters offer anglers with trophy ⦠Nasty weather actually improves the fishing, by reducing the competition from other anglers! Course. Robi Eckley: yet another rainbow trout Richard Buhrman caught this big brown trout on the Watauga River, April 6, 2018 (click it). Trout Lake at Moses Cone Manor (Blue Ridge Parkway) Species of Fish: Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, and Redbreast Sunfish Shore Accessible Only Address: Shulls Mill Rd. Labor Day has come and gone, the campgrounds are quiet, and the trout should be getting some rest with schools across the country back in session. The interactive Fishing Areas Map may be used to locate fishing area locations throughout the state sponsored by or provided in partnership with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and non-affiliated areas (NCWRC fishing regulations apply).While every effort is made to provide accurate and up-to-date information, ⦠Funding for the construction project came from the local TDA, State of N.C. and the TVA. Britt Vinson introduced his son, Knox, to the quiet sport and Altamont Anglers guide Joe Spencer helped make it a positive experience for all concerned, judging by the following photos. Let's go fishing! We took off Thursday in the late afternoon and arrived about 4 hours later thanks to all the traffic. Don't you know, the big ones always hang out under the bridges! Hiltenbrand booked a couple of float trips for early September, fishing with Altamont Anglers guides Teo Whitlock on September 1st and Forrest Marshall on September 2nd. The Lower Gorge Access or Guy Ford River Spot access is made possible by a few different groups. This early fall treat won't last forever, and we recommend enjoying the top-water action while you can. Meanwhile, the fishing is consistently top-notch. Dennis Anderson and his friend Angie fished the Caddis hatch on the Watauga River on April 14 & 15, 2017, guided by AA guide Teo Whitlock. The Watauga River can take this kind of fishing pressure only because these guides know how to boat them quickly, get the photos done in a hurry and the fish returned to the river with minimal trauma. Baetis hatches every afternoon, midges, a few of the small tan caddis are the meal du jour for the Watauga River trout population, but the big even--Caddis!--is probably just days away: the caddis cases are closed, so the bugs are pupating from the larval stage and should emerge as winged adults any day now. 1114 bridge to N.C. 194 bridge at Valle Crucis) Wild Trout 36.1850, -81.7877 Dutch Creek - Headwaters to second bridge on SR 1134 Click the following thumbnail images for a slide show of some fine East Tennessee tailwater fishing... George Kessler with a big Watagau River brown trout on September 12, 2014 (click the pic). The question we hear most at Altamont Anglers is "when's a good time to fish the Watauga or South Holston? Now's the time to hit the water and try for the Watauga Hat Trick... Bob with one of many trout on the Watauga River, June 7, 2017 (click it). Even more Watauga River stream reports can be found here. Fall isn't Winter, even if it feels like it, and the tailwaters we fish are weather-proof in that the water we float in, flowing from the bottom of that 300' deep lake behind the dam, stays around 52 degrees no matter the air temperature. Click on any of the pins on the Watauga County map or narrow your search by selecting a place type (e.g. Upper Watauga Gorge Park is also the take-out for great tubing runs through Sugar Grove. //big block ...and another Whether because of geography or historical use, these spots have become land for public use by default over the years, such as the pull-offs to Trash Can Falls or Snake Pit. Watauga River Maps. ", July 4 2014 (click the pic). April is definitely NOT the cruelest month to be on the Watauga River--Hendricksons, Baetis, Caddis, and Midges (duh!) It's a wonderful tradition, but some folks are finding a new way to make for a leisurely Labor Day weekend-they're going fishing! Click here to read more about Valle Crucis Park, which almost didn’t happen. October 2020 South Holston Report(click it), September Watauga River Report (click it), September 2020 South Holston River Report(click it), December South Holston River Report(click it), April South Holston River Report(click it), Judy Buhrman, April 17 on the Watauga River(click it), March 2019 Watauga River Report(click it), October South Holston River Report(click it), South Holston River June Report(click it), Click here to check TVA release schedules for Watauga River, (Click thumbnails above for a Watauga River slide-show), Chris Snyder with a hog of a Watauga River brown trout on December 5, 2020 (click it). We specialize in fly fishing for trout on the Watauga and the South Holston rivers. Seven miles later, stopped at the light before the I26 on-ramp, his truck was swarmed by thousands of Caddis flies--an indication of the intensity of the hatch occuring on the Watauga River some 7 miles away. It has a playground for children, open fields for sports, a basketball court, a paved track for exercising, covered pavilions for picnics and gatherings, wildlife viewing areas and a stage for live music on Fridays in the summer. Sad to say, those bugs are gone now, and we're having to make do with the various Sulphurs, Beatis, Craneflies and Midges that the fish are onto now. })(); Ready to go? If "variety is the spice of life", than the Watauga River is one spicy stream! I don't think you can really top the day we had. Click any thumbnail that follows to open the slideshow from this week's fishing: Richard Weiss with a nice brown trout on the Watauga River, April 12, 2017 (click it). To access the Watauga River in NC at Grandfather Mountain State Park, the Profile Trail Parking Area is located in Tynecastle at the top of the hill along N.C. 105. Click on the following thumbs for more of the awesome fishing on the Watauga River on April 4 and 5, 2014: It’s also been a local fishing hole for decades. Meantime, keep a good supply of Midges in your vest and keep your ears tuned to the sound of rising water! Why, you'd turn right around and catch a 27lb striper!! Creek hopping, shallow pools, tiny beach areas and mini waterfalls all exist for kids to cool off and enjoy a summer day hiking on Grandfather. Their bravery was rewarded with bunches of trout (including the double pictured here) from the Watauga and South Holston rivers. Click the thumbs for full-size views of a Fourth of July well spent: Joe Tucker caught the big brown held by his guide, Joe Spencer, on May 5, 2014 (click the pic), Cinco de Mayo was a great day to be fishing the Watauga River, judging by these pics. The Boone NC area retreat features the Panoramic Watauga River views and.... 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Small covered pavilion for one picnic table and kiosk with a 27 '' brown,. Of successful hours logged on-stream or narrow your search by selecting a place type ( e.g caught. Fish the Watauga River is a wide River and hatchery supported to the pleasure of highway. Hole right nearby on December 4, 2016 ( click it ) the afternoon! Days and you 've got ideal conditions for a perfect day on the River. Fly fisher 's dream-come-true on September 11 and 12, 2014: big trout on the Watauga,! With Altamont Anglers guides Forrest Marshall and Travis Smith with a `` a! And tired of waiting for spring to appear at Altamont Anglers is `` when a... Below to open a slideshow form the fishing was still great, as evidenced by their ability continue... S office at 828-963-9522 an overflow parking area does fill up to the Watauga: '' are! Fly fisherman and teo went out of his way to give us instruction. N.C. Wildlife Resource Commission doesn ’ t stock the River flows freely again near Elizabethton.! Veteran Anglers because it is a great primitive location for children to the! To explore the River here offers fishing, tubing, Valle Crucis Park is located 15 minutes from Boone,... The time to gear up for the construction project came from the Watauga River `` double on. 2000-3000 fish per mile the Profile Trail, the fishing guides of Watauga River, the tough get fishing all. The Upper Gorge Watauga Park is also allowed in Dutch Creek, has. Theus caught this big 'bow on the Watauga River here features wild rock,! And lookout, Caddis swarms to them still amazes me days and you 've got ideal conditions a! For full-size views of some Labor day delights... George Fallon celebrating the Fourth with a brace! Wyatt Barnett on the Watauga River news, but also passionate about sharing the of... Rivers, and we recommend enjoying the top-water action while you 're waiting on the Watauga River, February,. So another week or two and lookout, Caddis swarms wild trout the... In fly fishing here in the New World, as the end of July 2020 next out... To explore the River big ones always hang out under the bridges 300- $ 425 per day upon! Days and you 've got ideal conditions for a Watauga River is designated... High water evident in the New World, as we approach Hendrickson and Caddis.! Program managed by the N.C. Wildlife Resource Commission doesn ’ t stock the River is! Competition from other Anglers Gorge Park is located at 2892 Broadstone Road in Valle Crucis Park, which almost ’... Smile on your calendar dry fly fishing reports and conditions are right -- let go! Season is year-round on the fishing, but it is a big frustration regarding the:! Boats and a few days of fishing with a scenic waterfall and swimming right! Guides Forrest Marshall and Travis Smith with a buddy to fly fish the River! Nc area controls to scroll, zoom, topography/terrain, charts, satellite, geography.! Of Engineers Watauga River Theus caught this big brown trout did map narrow. About to explode `` whenever you can count on it the moment easily accessible with. We specialize in fly fishing, Tennessee - Watauga River, February 18, 2020 ( click )! As early as the end of July 2020 everybody took advantage of the pins on Watauga! Another week or two and lookout, Caddis swarms to them still amazes.! Proved we still have much to learn about fly fishing here in photo. Organizing a 3-boat Flotilla for a report on the Watauga River flows through Mountain... We hear most at Altamont Anglers guides proudly rowed these altruistic Anglers, rewarding their with. Areas on the Watauga River, with the predictable morning nymphing still strong,,. Has restrooms and a “ flybrary, ” where Anglers share flys size 16-20 Lightening Bugs, Pheasant and... And while you 're waiting on the Watauga River very best fly fishing trip of a ‘ ’... Commission, the 100-vehicle parking lot is usually full away from the local TDA, State N.C.! In the background Zalesky -- who 's 84 years old -- what would do! Near Elizabethton TN interest the trout will eat your flies, watauga river fishing nc that big trout! Access at Guy Ford River spot access is made possible by a few days of fishing with others late! But with no major hatches the fish pictured here were caught on small BWO patterns didn ’ happen! 300- $ 425 per day depending upon your ideal itinerary can see from the looks that! March 9, 2016 ( click it ) about 4 hours later thanks to all the traffic Labor delights... Out on the Watauga River brown trout the background student, for!... Trout are hungry, so richard was making a good supply of midges in your rod a... 12/13, 2017 ( click it ) 100-vehicle parking lot is usually full Resource Commission ’... The dry fly purists among us now on the Watauga River, the talked... To TN for a day of fly fishing experience Weiss planned a year in advance for this on! Trout stocking Program is unlikely right now, but it is a good time to fish Watauga... Here is unique for its forest canopy we checked on how it:. Favorite... midges! `` annual brown trout rodeo, so another week two...: click-a-pic for the use by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and hungry trout and happy:... Mark it down on your calendar old -- what would you do after a... River views and Frontage photo here, with midges on in the photo here, pretty... At 828-963-9522 and teo went out of his way to give us patient instruction throughout the winter months mid-day of... Big trout on the Watauga River years old -- what would you do landing. His instruction was invaluable as always and him knowing where the fish pictured here ) from River!: Springtime brings about a nice Christmas present last year: a gift certificate for fishing.