Delayed-harvest streams revert to catch-and-release rules October 1 with two streams joining the popular fishing program, bringing the total of delayed-harvest streams to 20 in 14 western counties.
Streams also have been added to the catch-and-release/ artificial-lures-only program, giving anglers access to two streams at private properties previously closed to the public.
Streams added to the delayed-harvest program include a portion of the North Toe River in Mitchell County and the Reddies River in Wilkes County. The North Toe section is from the U.S. 19 East bridge to the bridge at N.C. 126. The Reddies River section is from the town of North Wilkesboro’s water intake dam to the Yadkin River.
All delayed-harvest waters will receive their fall stockings during October and November. Streams won’t be stocked again until spring.
Additions to the catch-and-release/artificial-lures-only program are streams at private property in Watauga and Wilkes counties. These streams include portions of Dugger Creek in both counties and Laurel Creek in Watauga County. The streams are at the Laurelmor development.
Anglers are required to check in at the Laurelmor security office at Triplett Road before fishing the streams.
As more streams are added to the delayed-harvest trout fishing program and more and more anglers fishing these streams, proper catch-and-release techniques must be followed to protect the resource.
Try fishing delayed-harvest streams during the catch-and-keep portion of the fishing season and about all you’ll find are sucker fish. Proper catch-and-release practices are imperative on wild-trout streams because what’s there is all that’s going to be there.
For catch and release to work, it must be done properly. Anglers can’t horse a trout to the bank, drag it over rocks and sand, jerk the hook out of its mouth, keep it out of water for an inordinate amount of time and expect it to survive when it’s finally put back in the stream. If you fish that way, you may as well stick the trout in your creel; it has about the same chances of surviving.
Jerry L. West, an avid trout fisher and professor emeritus of biology at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, said studies show trout definitely undergo physiological changes when they’re hooked.
“Their stress hormones shoot up and their blood sugar increases,” he said, “and the longer the trout is kept on the line, the more it’s adversely affected by these physiological changes.”
To reduce stress for a fish, West said, keep fight time to a minimum and return the fish to the water as quickly as possible.
Jim Borawa, WNC fishery research coordinator for the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, suggested using a net only when it’s absolutely necessary.
“The ideal situation,” he said, “would be never to touch the trout, but to keep it in the water and gently remove the hook with forceps or needlenose pliers.”
If you must handle a trout, West stressed the importance of wetting one’s hands first or using a special glove designed for handling trout. A trout’s protective slime covering easily can be disturbed by dry hands or a net.
Proper handling of fish also is important. Don’t hold its head up; gently cradle it in the hands, taking care not to squeeze throat or body cavity areas which can damage vital organs. Keep fingers away from gills. To minimize wiggling, hold the trout upside down. It usually will remain still enough for an angler to remove a hook.
Sometimes, the most careful angler will hook a trout deep in the throat or deep in its flesh. If it’s apparent the hook can’t be removed easily, West and Borawa said the best procedure is to snip the line close to the hook and release the trout, rather than risk further injury by trying to remove the imbedded hook.
“If the hook is left in the trout,” Borawa said, “it’s sort of like having a splinter in your hand. It’ll eventually work its way out.”
When you’re ready to return the fish to the water, grasp it gently, point its head into the current, make sure the gills are working properly, and let the fish swim out of your hands. If the fish is exhausted after a prolonged fight, you may have to move it to still water to revive it.
Occasionally, though, no matter how hard you try not to, you might kill or severely injure a trout.
“If you’re at a stream that allows harvest, that would be a good time to keep a fish,” Borawa said. “But if you’re at a catch-and-release stream, leave the trout in the water. You’re just accelerating the natural course of events.”
Catch and release doesn’t have to be applied to all streams, of course. North Carolina has numerous streams that are regularly stocked with hatchery-raised trout, and these streams have generous creel limits and no size or lure restrictions. Catch your supper in these streams and enjoy it guilt free.
The streams that need consideration are, first, native brook trout streams, and second, wild brown and rainbow trout streams.
No brook trout should ever be killed — they’re too beautiful and they’re N.C.’s only true native salmonid. As for keeping brown or rainbow trout, think of the consequences before you put anything in your creel.
If every angler takes a limit home, how long will the resource last?
West said he has no doubt that fishing pressure affects trout populations — especially brook trout.
“If you closed a stream to fishing, it would eventually be full of fish.”
We can have plenty of fish and protect them, too, by practicing proper catch and release.
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With the arrival of cool weather, at least a nights, look for trout to become more active Terrestrials (grasshoppers, caterpillars, beetles, inchworms, crickets, black ants and flying ants) are still very effective for catching big trout. They’ll be around at least until the first heavy frost.
Also keep an eye out for sporadic midge hatches for some fast action.
Best dry fly bets are Blue-Winged olive (16,18,20), creme midge (18,20), small white Mayfly (16) and black or white Trico (16,18,20).
Also effective are light Cahills (16,18,20), Dun Variant (12), Sulphur (14 to 20), and Tellico nymph (10 to 18).
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