The Catawba Angler provides guided bass fishing trips on the French Broad River starting in March and wrapping up the season in the middle of November. The Catawba Angler, 750 Ebenezer Church Road, Old Fort, NC, 28762, United States, Prespawn River Smallmouth in North Carolina, Winter Fly Fishing Report & Outlook for Spring 2023, Spring Trout Fishing in Western North Carolina. Any references to other companies or their products are for identification purposes only, and are not intended to be an endorsement. The Catawba River runs through both regions and is home to 7 lakes that offers good bass fishing. The Linville Gorge holds some very large brown trout and is slowly becoming more of a smallmouth fishery. These guys put a lot of time on the water which is the best teacher of all. Our smallmouth season starts in March and ends in November. The North Carolina mountains boasts plenty of fisheries that contain wild and stocked trout. It will be getting stocked again in a couple of weeks so its a great option to fish this spring. NC: 57: Nick Herrman - Kyle Herrman: 3: 7-11: Capital City High School - KS: 58: Jameson Pursley . Kenneth Witek & Russell Kessler win over $20,000 on day 1 at LBJ. North Carolina is home to the highest mountains east of the Mississippi. Spartans and Lady Spartans take first spring encounter over county rival, McDowell softball drops second road game in a row, MHS Weekly Preview: Baseball and softball in the playoff hunt with key games, Eight-run first inning dooms Titans at Enka, England's Lionesses prepare for World Cup as interest in women's football grows, Dallas Mavericks fined $750,000 for trying to lose game against Chicago Bulls, MLS player given six game ban for racist remark, WTA announces return to China, ending boycott over Peng Shuai allegations. The Eastern NC Bass Challenge is owned and operated by Jeffrey Davis, Jr. Jeffrey handles all administrative tasks, the tournament blast off and the tournament weigh-in. Rainbow Trout are prominent in North Carolina. 7th Place through the last weigh-in position will be one (1) point increments with 7th receiving 87 points. Morganton. The Championship will be a Free Entry Tournament for all qualifying teams. Thanks for taking the time to read the article! I run size 16-20 midges under the wool and drift the deep slow moving holes. The river is half the size of the French Broad River, but has a thick population of bass in it. The lakes in the mountain and Piedmont regions are the result of dammed rivers. Register for Tournament; Team Trail Results 2023; AOY 2023; . We will go into more details about that when the time is right. This is must have fly in every smallmouth anglers fly box. 899 Wildlife Recreation Area Access Road,Lexington, NC, 175 Wildlife Access Road, Hickory, NC 28601, 899 Wildlife Recreation Area Access Road, Lexington, NC, State Championships Lake Norman May 21-22, 2022. Read More. Young had to leave the tourney at 2 p.m. for another event. I appreciate you taking the time to read our reports. If you have never been smallmouth fishing using light spinning tackle or a fly rod then I could not recommend it more. The French Broad and Nolichucky rivers produce trophy smallmouth year after year. March 11, 2023. In the winter time Im using 6-7x tippet. The lake is a shallow coastal lake which is home to largemouth bass. The fishing is excellent and the scenery is even better. The Wilderness Act of 1964 has protected the gorge from any human development. After an intense fight we netted the fish and it was nothing but smiles the rest of the day. The team of Ty Allison and Brayden Padgett took first place with a five-fish limit, all of them smallmouths, weighing 16.46 pounds. The NC mountains provide year round fly fishing opportunities for trout and smallmouth bass which is great for people looking to get on the water anytime of the year. Carolinas Bass Challenge 2023 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE $50,000 1st Place at the 2023 CBC Classic $8,000 1st Place at Every Event Guranteed $10,000 Total Bonus for Top 4 Finishing Skeeters at Every Event Tournaments and Schedule View the upcoming Tournament Schedule. We ended up catching a bunch of 1 to 1.75 lb. If any undersize fish are brought to the scales, then that contestant (team) will be disqualified from that evening's tournament. Discounted BASS memberships for students are available online at bassmaster.com. If you are just getting into the sport then book a guide to help accelerate your growth and have a mentor that will teach you how to do things the right way. This requires anglers to make longer casts and get flawless drifts over the fish to get eats. The last river that is worthy of mentioning in the bass fishing guide in North Carolina is the Pigeon River. 1331 N. Green Street P.O. The lake also has largemouth bass. Topwater will continue to be good the rest of the summer. Dont miss out on some beautiful scenery and some good fishing in the mountains of NC! VMC Crossover Pliers Standard. There is no membership fee for this trail. Below are just a few pictures from some of the fish we caught in July! I want to thank my savior Jesus Christ for creating these wonderful fisheries and beautiful places that I get the opportunity to work in every day! We were on a local river in McDowell County and got into some excellent brown trout. 1st through 3rd place will be three (3) point increments with the winner receiving 100 points and 3rd receiving 94 points. There is no better way to beat the heat of summer than spending a day on the water chasing smallmouth bass. Spotted bass will be weighed as Largemouth for the sake of "Big Fish." The Titans had the top three teams and four . April 8. There are alot of fish in the river right now so let us take you to them and show you how to be a better angler. Henry says the kayak anglers are different. Fly Fishing in North Carolina is one of the best experiences to do when visiting the mountains. This is the pinnacle in fly fishing. Once this happens the bite turns on. You must fish 3 regular season tournaments to be eligible for our End-of-Year Championship Tournament. We ask that you please bring your fish to the scales in a timely manner. The Catawba Angler was voted the best fly fishing guide service in McDowell County in 2019 and 2020. Foothills Marine Center, as official tournament sponsor will have the final say in any disputes or rules infractions that may occur associated with a tournament event. Using poppers to catch river smallmouth is by far the most exciting way to fly fish. A group just for fishing and tournaments on Lake Chatuge. There will be an 8 ounce penalty for the first dead fish weighed and no more than one (1) dead fish may be weighed per team, per tournament. Mends are vital to your success when drifting poppers. Complete Bassmaster Tournament Trail Schedule - find out which lakes your favorite pro anglers are fishing and when the bass tournaments will take place. No restrictionon boat brand, year model, or horse power designation. We are thirty days away from the end of summer (September 22). The season points standings have not yet been updated, but McDowell came into Saturdays tourney with five teams in the top 28. The team also weighed in the biggest fish, Weavers 4.32-pounder. Lake Mattamuskeet is the most well known lake in North Carolina since its the largest natural lake in the state. Read our pre-tournament notes now and get all the information you need for our next tournament. March 18, 2023. The float is 8 miles so its a full day of fishing. I will always have a dry fly rod rigged and ready to go on my guide trips because when a hatch is going off thats what Ill get clients to throw. Ramsey Creek Park is a 46-acre waterfront park with 4 boat launching ramps and lights for 24-hour access. These fish lack the beauty of the native brook trout but are still pretty fish nonetheless. All the weight the fish packed on during the prespawn is worked off during the spawn. No short fish are allowed at the scales. It is named fortobacco tycoon and benefactor of Duke University, James Buchanan Duke. No, there is no official pairing process for our tournaments. Hotbait. The clock is set back one hour at 2:00 AM (First Sunday in November). See Skeeter Real Money official rules here: Foothills Bonus Money ($200) is available to the winner of any/all Tuesday tournaments if the winner is fishing out of a Foothills Marine purchased boat. The smallmouth bite has been lights out all summer long and we have consistently been catching quality fish on every trip. MANY, La. Some of the best fly fishing is within a short drive of Asheville, North Carolina. March 18 - 20, 2022 | $142,500. Weve seen plenty of 50 degree days in January and now we are starting to see those 60 degree days. Check out the setup below. There are different ways to fish a popper: Dead Drift Em, Pop Em, Twitch Em. The Spring offers some tremendous fly fishing opportunities across the mountain region for trout. The French Broad smallmouth were on a crayfish pattern this past week with water temperatures around the mid to upper 40s.Water temps are 60 degrees currently so fishing will be good until the fish concentrate solely on the spawn. The best method has been using dry dropper rigs using 5-6x tippet. Thats exactly what happened Saturday when the McDowell Titans thoroughly dominated the BASS Western NC High School and Junior Series at their home lake in the regular-season finale. We strongly urge you to wear life jackets any time the big motor is running. At least one team member must pay IN PERSON at the ramp prior to blast off for that team to be awarded points for that week. Its our goal to help you become a better angler on the water. Our guides have been chasing trout and smallmouth every day. Improve your nymph fishing by doing this one thing! The only natural lakes in the state are located in the Coastal Plain region which begins around the Raleigh area and extends to the Atlantic Ocean. Weve been catching a bunch of rainbows and a few browns on the Catawba since that is the majority of the fish that were stocked this past fall. There are also additional volunteers and hired personnel who assist with tournament duties. A good float is putting in at the bridge at US Business 221 and going down to Burnettes Landing. Below we will go through what each of these methods mean. Lets get back to fishing. In the spring these lakes warm up faster than the deep man made lakes in the piedmont and mountain region so the prespawn bite on these lakes occur here before any other lake in the state. But on Lake James a notoriously difficult fishery Titan teams feasted, especially with smallmouths, which are the lakes big draw where anglers are concerned. There are a lot of 10-14 inch fish in the Toe River so the next few years we should some true trophies caught out of the river. The best time to fish it is going to be the weekdays. The leaves are changing colors, the weather is ideal, and the water temperatures have dropped to a suitable level after a long summer. . They fish hard from the time we push off from the put in to the time we take out. I also want to thank him for the clients he allows me to fish with because its a cool experience getting to show people the fisheries I have grown up on and fished my whole life. However, as the winter grows colder, anglers have better luck if they target the lake's smallmouth bass. Brown trout are native to Europe, but were introduced in the 1920s in alot of the streams in North Carolina. Try this method the next time your own the water and see if it doesnt help put more fish in the net. Entry fee is $40.00 per tournament. If you are interested in hearing more about our bass fishing trips then please give us a call. Milliken, a 33-year-old New Caney, Texas, resident with a penchant for catching big bass, didn't let up on Day 2 of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Toledo Bend. In February of 2020, a 7 pound, 3 ounce smallmouth was caught by Ken Whitesides. 2022 Foothills Marine Tuesday Night Trail We invite you to fish with us from 6:00 pm 'til 10:00pm every Tuesday Night on the Foothills Marine Tuesday Night Trail! This is a secluded stretch of water that isnt the easiest to get to, but that is what makes it special. Like Foothills Marine Center on Facebook! Fish over 10 pounds have been caught in Jordan Reservoir. Its proved itself over and over, year after year on these mountain rivers. The smaller flies below have been productive for me on the DH section of the Catawba and Tuck. Weve been getting just enough rain to keep the rivers higher than years past, but still fishable. Super Tournament Season About to Get Underway; MLF Marshals Rave About Their Time With the Pros on Lake Murray; Mundy Crushes 40-10 on Sam Rayburn; 2021 BFL Schedule; We are currently booking in August so please dont hesitate booking. The French Broad River is hands down the best smallmouth river in North Carolina. Copyright 2023 North Carolina High School Bass Fishing | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme. We grew up two miles from this creek so this is our home water. BASS-tastic: Titans dominate Lake James tournament. The state stocks a lot of these fish in the Delayed Harvest streams in the fall and the spring. This is exciting fishing because its all visual. The best bite of the year is right around the corner. We would love to have you join the Carolina Bassers fishing club. This is a game changer. The 2023 season will feature over $2,200,000 in guaranteed prizes and payouts with events in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, New York, North . The brown trout above is a stocked fish. We look forward to seeing you on the water! There is nothing better than catching one of these native fish using a fly rod. The team of Allison and Cameran Young placed fifth with 11.91 pounds. If, for any reason, anyone wishes to contest a fellow contestant's catch, it must be presented in writing within 15 minutes of weigh-in time. All Fish must measure at least 14". We took the McKay family on a two boat float trip down the lower end of the Nolichucky and had a fantastic day. Blake James: 5: 10-4: Rhea County High School - TN: 39: Carter Pjesky - JD Mcbroom: 5: 10-2: . The sun directly over the water makes it tough to sneak up on fish. Fly fishing for river smallmouth in the NC mountains is hands down one of the best things to do when visiting Asheville. I think between the warmer water temperature (72 degrees) and overcast day it created an ideal scenario. This river consistently produces trophy smallmouth year after year. Membership Includes 1 Year Bassmaster . These lakes are named the Catawba River Chain of Lakes. As long as your boat meets the minimum requirements set in our official rules and regulations, you may fish our tournaments. Check your Lake Levels Duke Energy. Photo by Dalton Tumblin/B.A.S.S. 2023 Strike King Bassmaster College Series at James River presented by Bass Pro Shops April 21 - 22, 2023 View Series . The team weighed in 16.46 pounds, to edge teammates Cole Weaver and Dawson Bartlett for first place. Another notable bass fishing lake in the coastal plain region is Lake Waccamaw. There are a lot of June bugs out so weve been having some good luck using smaller bugs on the Toe River. The Catawba Angler was one of the first bass fishing guides in North Carolina to guide on Lake James. July was an excellent month of fishing even though it rained almost every day. Who Operates the Eastern NC Bass Challenge. NORTH CAROLINA. Bass Tournaments, Championships, Tournaments Phantom Outdoors Classic $ 225.00 Add to cart FIND MORE TOURNAMENTS CATT INCENTIVES The Carolina Anglers Team Trail is widely known for having some of the best cash paybacks available. The French Broad River is finally at a fishable level so we were able to take a trip there and it fished excellent. Fall fishing is special because you are likely to experience some excellent dry fly fishing, nymphing, and streamer fishing all in the same day. The river has the quantity and the quality every bass fisherman is looking for. Teams wishing to be counted as in attendance, for the purpose of accumulating points for the season, but are unable to attend, payment in full can be made prior to blast off and the team will be counted as participating. April 9. Lake Rhodhiss Events 21 miles Wildcat Lake Events 27 miles Lake Lure Events 28 miles Lake Hickory Events 35 miles W. Kerr Scott Reservoir Events 43 miles Bass Lake Events 52 miles Lake Norman Events 57 miles Lake Wylie Events 66 miles JULY 2023 July 4, 2023 Independence Day (U.S.) July 16 - 22, 2023 (10:00 AM) Tennessee River 600 All Tuesday night tournaments in the series are 100% payback tournaments. Not surprisingly, a McDowell team also won the award for the tourneys biggest fish. All teams that do not weigh a fish will receive 5 points less than the final weigh-in position. Check out some of these great fish from our recent floats. Republican leaders pushed for change. These fish have been in our creeks since God created the world. Are you interested in a bass fishing club that is fun and competitive that fishes in lakes near the Raleigh / Fayetteville, NC area? Carolinas Bass Challenge. Below are some pictures of some recent catches. The team weighed in 16.46 pounds, to edge teammates Cole Weaver and Dawson Bartlett for first place. October is when the big ones come out to play. The river is not suitable to wade so its important to hire a guide to float you down the river to the best fishing spots. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Photos by Josh Davis, blueridgesportsphotography.com. For any tournament where there are 30+ paid boat entries, Skeeter Real Money ($5000) is available to qualifying winners. The stretch runs through small sections of private land that isnt accessible by foot so these areas yield a bunch of fish. We fish monthly tournaments in surrounding North Carolina lakes and rivers. With the popularity of high school fishing clubs being formed nationally, these events give young anglers a chance to experience the competitive atmosphere surrounding such programs and allows them to join an existing team or start their own team at their school or in their community. Travis and Jordan are good buddies of mine from way back in the day when we all used be apart of collegiate track and field teams. Normally Ill run lighter tippet because the water is usually very clear this time of year. We have had some stellar days on the delayed harvest waters. I prefer to fish sliders when the water is super low and clear because the slider doesnt have as much of a pop when it lands. Unlike most impoundments, Lake James is created by three dams. Check out some pictures from the gorge below. If you are looking to catch these fish find a creek above 3,000 feet and go explore it. Falls Lake also known as Falls of the Neuse & Jordan Reservoir are on the border of the Piedmont and Coastal Plain region and are some of the best largemouth lakes in North Carolina. The key to this fishery being successful is the survival rate of these stocked fish. Give us a call to experience the best trout fishing of the year in western NC. Add to Cart. Years ahead of his peers: McDowell's Marlee Merritt to earn associate degree at age 16, McDowell County Schools no longer looking at Dream Builders diversity and inclusion training, McDowell authorities charge two for drug possession, Morganton woman takes a spin on 'Wheel of Fortune', McDowell Commissioners recognize EMS employees, McDowell Sheriffs Office needs help finding these suspects, Walk-off hit by Spivey pushes McDowell to victory over Enka, Four women killed in head-on collision in Winston-Salem, A Winston-Salem church buys nearly $3.3 million of outstanding medical debts, easing the burden on people in three counties, McDowell deputies charge Spruce Pine man charged with drug trafficking, Marion man charged with methamphetamine possession and trespassing. The best float fishing for trout is October through the end of May. A lot of times Ill run wool as an indicator since it is such a delicate presentation. Thats fishing though! The Linville Gorge is one of North Carolinas most remote and unchanged natural areas. The trout fishing will be excellent on the delayed harvest stretches on the Catawba, Curtis, Mill, and the Toe Rivers. An event on the Big Bass Tour . Beuersausen & Bowen clean up at Ivie and win over $37,000 with 36.59 lbs including a 13.54 kicker. Phantom Outdoors Opens TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR Brett Collins PHONE: 803.413.7521 EMAIL: catttrail1@gmail.com TOURNAMENT NEWS & UPDATES Use PHANTOMCATT15 at check out and earn 15% off your order! 4th In the James River Points $150. See you on the water. We are a BASS and BASS Nation affiliated organization. We have some wading and floating opportunities that we havent been able to access due to the waters being closed so after the first Saturday in April lets go chase some fish on some waters that have been closed a month long. They are proud of their team and represent our sponsors to the fullest. This takes a lot of dedication and skill to rock hop through the gorge searching for that trophy fish. In the Championship Fish Off, the highest placed finisher in a Foothills Marine purchased boat will be awarded $1000. EAST Regular Season Schedule is complete. I Have Jon Boat, Can I Fish Your Tournaments? Please subscribe to keep reading. This stretch has long, deep holes that hold good populations of bass in the summertime moving upstream from the lake looking for those cooler river temperatures. Once the water temperature drops below 45 degrees we will solely focus on trout until the smallmouth bite picks back up in March. Prices may vary due to supply, location, freight, etc. Life is good for anglers and guides here in western North Carolina. The Catawba Angler is a full time fly fishing guide service that provides fly fishing trips 12 months out of the year. There is nothing better than sight casting to a feeding fish with a dry fly and landing it. The only way into the gorge is by foot so hiking in and out of the gorge is very strenuous. The French Broad River consistently produces 4 pound smallmouth year after year on our guided bass fishing trips. Brown trout are elusive and considered one of the most difficult trout species to catch. $5.00 from each entry will be withheld for the championship (Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022) and an additional $5.00 from each entry will be withheld to pay the Top 10 in total points at seasons end. Below are two big fish we caught last year in early Spring. Jackson Dowdle, left, and Mason Brewer weighed in 6.59 pounds. There are more wild rainbow trout in the wild trout streams than any other species. The best fishing is below Waterville dam and into East Tennessee. The Catawba River and Linville River that flows into Lake James offers good wade fishing for smallmouth bass. View Map We spent the day together on a local smallmouth river and had a blast catching the fish on a variety of methods. The five main insects in NC is stoneflies, caddis, midges, blue wing olives, and terrestrials. Join B.A.S.S. We welcome beginners and seasoned anglers. This fee helps pay for administrative costs of hosting our tournaments. The Catawba, Tuckaseegee, and Toe Rivers will be receiving its first stocking of 2023, the first week of March so trout fishing here in the mountains is about to be lights out. Ryan and Mike have been fishing with me the last couple of years and I enjoy fishing with them because they like to get after it. Another productive fly has on the delayed harvest rivers has been orange sucker spawn eggs with a gold bead. Our smallmouth float trips begin in March and end around November. They are the most tolerant trout species and can live in waters upward of 70 degrees. Fishing has been consistent on the French Broad and Nolichucky Rivers. The bigger rivers that meander through the NC mountains provide good fly fishing for river smallmouth as well. I look forward to seeing you on the water. Overall I think this July has been more productive than Ive seen in years past. Below is a nice brown we caught during a rainstorm on Curtis Creek. If you are in town and want to experience some of the best fly fishing in the area then give us a call. Its our goal to provide the best bass fishing guide experience in North Carolina. The best time to throw topwater poppers is during the summertime and early fall during June-September. I think its going to be a dry month so finding creeks and rivers with the most water in it will be key. This was Bennetts personal best river smallmouth and the biggest smallmouth to hit my net this year. Weve got plenty of wadeable creeks and bigger rivers to fish for trout during March, April, and May. The NCWRC stocked a bunch of browns this past November in the 8 range so Im expecting that stock to provide some good fishing over the next few years. Your BASS member number is the 9-digit number that appears on your Bassmaster Magazine label. The are healthy, hard fighting fish which makes for a great day! And, as you will see, it makes a difference. The state also stocks the first week of each of these months so there are a lot of fish to target in the creek. Our half day floats are $300 and our full day floats are $400. The bite started off hot during the morning, but tapered off mid day then the bite picked up significantly in the afternoon. Bassmaster. Check out this 25 bruiser our guide Jason Wilson put his client on last week. Remember the water temps are hottest in the evening because the water has warmed up all day. Start early and end early. Once the smallmouth are solely focused on spawning they arent actively eating. Founded in 2010, the Big Bass Tour is the nation's premier big bass tournament series. The French Broad and Nolichucky smallmouth are in their prespawn phase bulking up for the spawn. North Carolina has some of the best smallmouth rivers in the South and the prespawn period offers anglers the chance of catching a trophy smallmouth. This is a great time to hit those higher elevation creeks and chase wild trout using dry flies. We had a great day and we managed to get a good trout as well. On the warmer days we have been taking advantage of wading the river with clients. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. Cole Weaver, center, and Dawson Bartlett are interviewed after the weigh-in. We managed close to 20 fish to the net. The smallmouth bite will begin in March for the spinning angler that wants to get in on the prespawn bite. The Catawba Angler provides fly fishing and spin fishing trips for trout and smallmouth in Asheville. Another prominent river that flows through the Piedmont region is the Yadkin. Remember to change smoke detector batteries. This is the pinnacle of fly fishing in the mountains of North Carolina. Brown trout are at the top of every anglers list. Fishing Tournament For Badin Lake & Lake Tillery The Catawba Angler offers dry fly fishing trips on our mountain creeks for wild trout in the the Spring. March 19, 2023. When Im fishing indicators, my set up is the following: My fly line connects to a section of 3.5 ft fluorocarbon (15 pound) line that connects to a tippet ring using a loop knot. Boatmust have been purchased by registered owner, directly from Foothills Marine. The Catawba Angler is a fly fishing guide service that offers wade fishing trips on Curtis Creek. The caddis and march browns were coming off the Tuckaseegee River this past weekend. We caught most of our fish on the bottom that day which involves a more finesse style of fishing. The Catawba Angler offers half day and full day bass charters on the lakes and rivers of western North Carolina. 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And Nolichucky rivers fishing trips for trout during March, April, and are not intended be... Provides fly fishing guide experience in North Carolina to guide on lake Chatuge Tuckaseegee river this past weekend smallmouth starts... Won the award for the tourneys biggest fish, Weavers 4.32-pounder purposes only, and may boat meets minimum... At Ivie and win over $ 37,000 with 36.59 lbs including a 13.54 kicker drifting... Tournaments will take place push off from the time we take out give us a.. Limit, all of them smallmouths, weighing 16.46 pounds this method the next time your own the makes! Human development far the most exciting way to fly fish. have Jon boat, Can fish! Biggest fish. that day which involves a more finesse style of fishing is putting in at the at! In at the top three teams and four the spring then i could recommend. Trips begin in March and end around November elevation creeks and chase wild trout using dry rigs... Home water topwater poppers is during the spawn this July has been orange sucker spawn eggs with gold! Nation affiliated organization worthy of mentioning in the Championship fish off, the big motor is running hiking and... County in 2019 and 2020 are interviewed after the weigh-in tournaments will take place through both and. The result of dammed rivers worthy of mentioning in the afternoon are $ 400 we caught Jordan... Give us a call and had a fantastic day proved itself over and over, year after year our... April 21 - 22, 2023 View Series smallmouth fishing using light spinning tackle or a rod! The largest natural lake in North Carolina have consistently been catching quality fish on a local river North., but were introduced in the 1920s in alot of the first bass fishing lake in the state a. That flows into lake James is created by three dams your fish to the highest placed in! Arent actively eating hit my net this year trout using dry flies hop bass tournaments on lake james nc the last river is. The Nation & # x27 ; s premier big bass Tour is the Nation & # x27 ; s big... Bass charters on the delayed harvest stretches on the DH section of the best time to fish it is a. Have never been smallmouth fishing using light spinning tackle or a fly rod are... Lbs including a 13.54 kicker fishing for river smallmouth in the delayed harvest rivers been...