More Trout, No Doubt

N.C.’s delayed-harvest streams offer action starting in October and a chance to catch big trout.

Delayed harvest — what does that mean, and why is it a bonanza for Tar Heel trout anglers?

And, most importantly, where are the best spots?What delayed harvest means is selected N.C. trout streams are heavily stocked during the cooler months, yet harvest of the stocked trout is postponed until warmer months. Delayed-harvest streams have an eight-month period for catch-and-release angling only. Single-hook artificial lures are the only permitted means of angling. No natural bait may be in possession while fishing at these designated streams.

North Carolina’s delayed-harvest period begins October 1 and finishes the first Saturday of June the following year. After June 1, these same streams are changed to “hatchery-supported” waters with a seven-fish daily limit but no size or lure restrictions.

Mallory Martin, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s regional supervisor for coldwater production at its Marion hatchery, said the delayed-harvest program has several benefits not immediately apparent to anglers.

“By using catch-and-release rules, the program offers locations (streams) that contain relatively high numbers of catchable trout for extended periods of time,” he said.

“For eight months under catch-and-release rules, the angling emphasis is on catching rather than harvesting trout. Delayed-harvest streams offer reliable locations for beginning anglers to learn successful trout fishing techniques.”

The WRC stocks delayed-harvest waters during October, November, March and May. As an upshot, while the trout may have become pretty savvy by June 1, during the delayed-harvest period, their numbers increase dramatically in these streams, which is highly pleasing to dedicated mountain and foothills trout anglers, who are more concerned about the angling experience than taking home a big stringer of rainbows, browns or brookies.

“Typical stocking rate is 150 trout per surface acre of water,” Martin said. “Typical size of trout stocked is approximately 11 inches (in length). However, 4 per cent of our stocked trout exceed 14 inches.”

“Typically, delayed-harvest streams don’t get small fish,” said “Squeak” Smith, a member of the National Trout Unlimited Board of Directors. “We call them ‘snits,’ or standard 9-inch trout. Having assisted with numerous stockings over the years, I’d estimate the average fish is around 11 or 13 inches for all three stocked species, and there are opportunities to catch 20 or more fish any given day.”

Not many public places in North America offer a comparative trout population of such sizes.

What criteria are used to determine which streams will become delayed-harvest streams? Eighteen bodies of water are listed as “Delayed Harvest” in the 2006-2007 WRC regulations digest.

“Most delayed-harvest streams are affected in some way by habitat alterations or other factors that limit substantial wild trout populations,” Martin said. “Delayed-harvest streams have suitable habitat to sustain stocked trout during fall, winter and spring months, but typically won’t support high numbers of wild or stocked trout on a year-round basis.

“That’s why there is a four-month harvest season that allows anglers to creel trout and use them for table fare, which is an important component of many anglers’ fishing experiences.”

“I believe the delayed-harvest program has been the most-successful hatchery program undertaken by the WRC,” Smith said. “Additionally, N.C. Trout Unlimited has been actively involved in the program’s conceptual phase, has supported program expansion over the years and assisted with local stream stockings at virtually all sites. Delayed-harvest has had multiple benefits to N.C. trout anglers.”

Tim Wilhelm, President of the North Carolina Trout Unlimited chapter, echoed Smith’s view.

“I think delayed-harvest is a great program,” he said. “The way I view it, the WRC has two roles — to provide recreational opportunities to the citizens of North Carolina and to conserve our natural resources, such as wild trout.

“There was a time in the early 1900s that most of the effort was put into the recreational area. In my opinion a change in philosophy started to occur in the 1970s, and now I feel WRC spends a great deal of effort and resources to the protection of wild fish and recently native brook trout.

“How does that relate to the delayed-harvest program? Well, I think by stocking marginal waters where trout aren’t likely to survive the summer, the WRC is able to satisfy the recreational part of their mandate without compromising the conservation portion of their mandate by making native waters more available for recreation.”

Smith also cited the expansion of trout waters as a result of the delayed-harvest program.

“Excellent accessibility to most delayed-harvest streams as well as a good mix of locations has proven highly beneficial to the program and its expansion, opening stretches of public water that don’t support natural trout reproduction to fishing opportunities,” he said.

Smith and Wilhelm said the delayed-harvest program has served to expand educational opportunities for Tar Heel trout anglers.

“Delayed-harvest has provided an educational component for many anglers who had never experienced catch-and-release,” Smith said. “Surprisingly, many have learned it’s more fun to catch ’em and let ’em go to catch again rather than just the more typical catch-and-keep mentality.”

A Trout Bonanza

Smith said a critical advantage of the delayed-harvest program was the opportunity to catch-and-release significant numbers of trout on a given trip.

“From my records, I typically land 40 or more fish on a delayed-harvest waters versus 20 plus on wild trout waters,” he said.

That’s probably a higher average than most trout anglers, although most anglers have better success at delayed-harvest streams than any other type of stocked or unstocked waters.

And there are some monster trout stocked associated the delayed-harvest program.

“There are quality fish in the delayed-harvest program,” Smith said. “The WRC typically stocks some large brooder trout during each stocking. Two- to 6-pound trout are definitely not the norm for wild or hatchery supported waters.”

A couple of years ago, the author caught a 4-pound brown trout at Helton Creek, one of the delayed-harvest streams. During the 50-plus years he’s fished brown trout waters across North America, that trout is one of the largest he’s taken with a fly rod.

Best Spots?

Smith said he had fished virtually all of N.C.’s delayed-harvest streams.

“I’ve fished some more than others,” he said.

“My favorites are South Mountain State Park (Jacob’s Fork), the Watauga River between Foscoe and Valle Crucis, and the Nantahala River above the power plant.”

South Mountain State Park and the Watauga River are near his home. The Nantahala River is a delayed-harvest stream from White Oak Creek to the Nantahala hydro-power discharge canal. All three, Smith said, have good access, are reasonably easy to wade, and offer an opportunity to catch a large brook, brown or rainbow trout.

A couple of years ago and angler was yelling adjacent to the parking lot at South Mountain State Park. His 18-inch brown trout was “the biggest trout I ever caught,” he said.

Wilhelm, who also fishes many N.C. delayed-harvest trout streams, said the East Prong of the Roaring River in Wilkes County, the Mitchell River in Surry County, Curtis Creek in McDowell County, the Green River in Polk County, Jacobs Fork in South Mountain State Park in Burke County, the Tuckasegee River in Jackson County, the Nantahala River in Macon County, and the East Fork of the French Broad River in Transylvania County are favorites.

He said his favorites — the Tuskasegee and the East Fork of the French Broad — have something going for them in addition to trout.

“My primary reason for liking them is because I generally get to fish them with my son, who is a student at Western Carolina University,” he said, “although the Tuck would be at the top of the list without Mike attending WCU.”

“The Tuck,” Wilhelm said, “is big water and supports a lot of fishermen.

“It gets crowded, but there’s normally room for more anglers. Sometimes it can be tough to wade and you do need to be aware of the (power) generating schedule (of Fontana Reservoir).”

As is true at many streams, when power is being generated, sudden and dangerous flows may occur. It’s a good idea when fishing the tailrace or downstream from big mountain lakes that release water to purchase a collapsible wading staff. It can help when the water rises quickly, and there’s a need to escape to higher ground.

Wilhelm said he experienced a memorable experience last fall while fishing the Tuckasegee River.

“During November, while spending a weekend in Bryson City with some Trout Unlimited buddies from Greenville, S.C., and Arkansas, I easily had a 100-fish weekend,” he said. “Most (trout) were in the 9- to 12-inch range, with some a little larger.

“One of my buddies hooked something a little larger but lost it.”

Wilhelm also has sentimental reasons to fish certain delayed-harvest streams.

“The East Fork of the Roaring River is a favorite because it was one of the first streams I fished when I started 25 years ago,” he said. “I like the park and it’s just nice to park the car there at Garden Creek Church and fish.

“The fish are a little smaller than at the Tuck and the stream is a little smaller as well. You need to watch your backcasts, which is something you don’t have to do at the Tuck.”

Smith and Wilhelm use comparable strategies for fishing delayed-harvest waters — they rely on two-fly rigs.

“My standard outfit for delayed-harvest angling consists of a a 9-foot 3- or 5-weight fly rod, a 9-foot leader tapered to 5X, a 2- to 3-foot 6x tippet tied to a dry fly,” Smith said, “and an 18- to 30-inch dropper tied to the dry fly with a generic nymph attached to the dropper.”

At larger streams such as the Tuckasegee or Nantahala rivers, a 9-foot rod is a good choice.

A 6 1/2-foot 4-weight rod will work well at smaller streams, such as the Jacobs Fork where it’ll help keep flies out of streamside bushes and leafy overhangs.

Smith said he prefers to use a No. 16 dry fly.

“A yellow or tan Elk Hair Caddis is my preference for the dry fly,” he said. “It floats well, represents a common species in our mountains and looks something like a trout pellet.”

Several factors determine which nymphs Smith chooses.

“My nymphs range in size from No. 18 to No. 12,” he said. (His choice) depends on water temperature, water clarity, time of year, and what nymphs are visible or moving among the rocks on the particular stream on that particular day.

“I also tend to put one or more small split shots on the dropper rig, about 6 or 8 inches above the nymph. This makes the dry fly act as an indicator for takes on the nymph.

“Some might say the dry fly served as a ’bobber,’ but no trout fisherman would use a bobber.”

Several years ago Gordon Honey, a British Columbia guide, said the difference between a strike indicator and a bobber was the strike indicator cost $3.95 at a fly shop and a bobber cost 25 cents at a discount store.

Wilhelm agreed.

“I’m a dry fly and dropper type guy,” he said. “Normally I’ll use an Elk Hair Caddis, Adams Parachute or one of Kevin Howell’s Yellow Hammers (dry flies).”

Howell is scion of a long line of N.C. fly tiers and operator of Davidson River Outfitters near Brevard. The Yellow Hammer is a fly which originated in the Great Smokies.

Wilhelm’s nymph choices are also generic.

“For the dropper, I’ll tie a Pheasant Tail or Copper John,” he said.

Actually, any nymph which looks “buggy“ probably will work, though like Smith, it’s a good idea to turn over a couple of rocks to see what kinds of nymphs are common to a stream before making a selection.

“Don’t ever go to a delayed-harvest stream without a few egg patterns, especially during spawning season, and that season, depending on the species, coincides with the entire delayed-harvest season,” Smith said. “Remember, all trout eat eggs.”

How To Get Started

The WRC delayed-harvest program has been a smashing success.

Wilhelm said when the program was merely under consideration, many anglers doubted its prospects. Now they’ve changed their minds.

“It’s become a big success.” Martin said, “Public feedback regarding the delayed-harvest program has been overwhelmingly positive.”

Benefits include lots of trout, including some trophies, and excellent places for newcomers to begin fly fishing for trout in the N.C. mountains.

Delayed-harvest streams are scattered throughout the western portion of the state. To find their exact locations, anglers may obtain the North Carolina Trout Fishing Maps book from the WRC for $12. The map book lists every type of managed trout stream.

To order a map book by credit card, call 1-866-WILDSHOP (1-866-945-3746) or (919) 707-0393. They also can be ordered on-line at http://www.ncwildlife.org/pg03_Fishing/pg3f1.htm