Mixing it up in WNC

Smallmouth, trout welcome fall anglers

Matt Evans of the Catawba Angler looks forward to October, thanks to the great fishing available in western NC.

“October welcomes in the fall fishing. It’s personally my favorite time to be on the water,” said Evans (thecatawbaangler.com). “The leaves are changing and the weather begins to cool down after the long, hot summer.”

As welcome as this break in the weather is to anglers, it’s perhaps even more welcome to the fish.

“The fish notice this change and begin to aggressively feed since colder weather is right around the corner,” he said.

Throughout the summer, smallmouth bass have been the hottest target for many anglers in western NC. And this month, it’s just as good, and probably slightly better for big smallmouth. But the trout fishing picks up considerably, so anglers have more options this month than they’ve had since the spring.

“The trout fishing begins to pick up and continues to get better and better as water temperatures begin to drop,” he said.

Evans said non-fishing related tourism picks up in the mountains this month, which can make some areas crowded. But it’s still easy enough for anglers to get away from the crowds.

“The fall is a wonderful time to be on the wild trout streams, and the stocked fisheries throughout the western NC region,” he said. “October is busy on the trout streams since everyone is here for leaf season. But the smallmouth rivers are empty.”

Take your pick

The smallmouth bite is usually very good in October, as long as the area doesn’t experience an early freeze. Dry fly fishing is often surprisingly good for bronzebacks this month, even though many of these fish are on the small side. The quantity of fish more than makes up for that.

The Tuckaseegee can produce some exceptional smallmouth fishing when the water levels are low. That’s when Evans said no matter what you plan to fish with that day, you should always have some dry flies on hand.

“Always be ready to adjust based on what you’re seeing on the water. Paying attention to the small, subtle clues that the fish and bugs give you will go a long way,” he said.

Toward the end of this month, the smallmouth fish will slowly taper off, but the trout fishing will pick up the slack. Evans said the wild trout streams can provide some awesome fishing, but he has one suggestion that many anglers overlook, especially when the water is low.

“Wild trout are prone to spooking much more easily than stocked fish. And it’s even more true during periods of low water,” he said. “The key to success is in lengthening your leader.”

While most anglers use a 9-foot leader, Evans opts to extend that to about 16 feet.

“The advantage is getting your flies out in front of the fish without them seeing your fly line,” he said. “When you are wade fishing, position yourself where you can cast in front of the fish without them seeing your fly line.”

Book your trip with Evans by calling 828-460-2390, or visiting www.thecatawbaangler.com.