Trout fishing in the Nantahala River

Winter weather has set-in across the state, but fish still need to eat. Many leave for warmer waters but some stay here for the winter, fish like specks and red drum. Avid anglers pursue these fish all winter long braving the cold for the enjoyment of the catch.

I took a different tack this past week. I went to a colder climate looking for a fish that thrives in the cold water, not just survives. That of course would be trout, freshwater trout that is.

Growing up on the NC coast I was able to spend part of my summers in and around North Carolina’s mountains, the Smoky Mountains, Cherokee Forest, Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests. I learned to fish for the elusive native trout using the same gear I used in the sound. Often I could be found climbing over rocky embankments and dropping a line down into the cool summer waters in hopes of catching a monster brown trout.

Ah, the cool waters on a hot summer day. It seemed logical to me. To go fishing in those cold waters in the middle of winter never crossed my mind. I never thought about how the trout preferred cold water and thus would not become as lethargic in cold water as do their warm water preferring cousins.

On those trips I often would see folks using fly rods. It always looked odd but somewhat intriguing. It seemed kind of scary to me with all that line dangling down at their feet, the long rod slicing back and forth through the air with line whipping around like a snake. Being a clumsy kid who didn’t develop refined motor skills until I was older, I always wondered how in the world they managed not to catch themselves.

Last week I had the opportunity not only to learn how to use a fly rod but to fish for trout in the middle of the winter. Wow! That says it all. I had an expert instructor, Daniel Boone who heads up Nantahala Fly Fishing Company in Robinsville, NC. Yes that is really his name. And like the Daniel in our history books, this Daniel knows a thing or two about wilderness living. He also knows a lot about fly fishing for trout.

Within the first hour, I was not only handling that rod with a bit of confidence, I caught three trout on three casts, a nice brown trout, a brook and a rainbow. They tell me that feat is called a mountain trifecta, along the lines of our inshore slam I suppose.

This time of year I am accustomed to retrieving very slowly and expect a light bite from our specks and drum. I was surprised at how feisty the trout were. They would hit my lure and hold on, first running toward me then heading down stream as fast as they could. Wow. Yup, that says it all.

Looking for some mid-winter action – put on the long underwear and give Daniel a call. You will be in for a treat! Daniel can be reached at 828-479-8850 or through his website.

Catching report

Back in these parts – specks and drum continue to bite in the creeks in deep and on the sandy flats on sunny warmer days. There have been a few reports of the yellowfin tuna action starting up offshore. Grouper and snappers are biting in the 25- 35 mile range Try the artificial reefs from some nice black sea bass and a few keeper flounder.

Tight lines to all!

Winter fishing activity (TA column)

The past few weeks have been unusually warm. Unusual not in the fact that we reached the 70’s in January, that happens in many if not most years around these parts. Rather it is unusual in the fact we have had so many of those days strung together.

A number of fishermen including myself have taken advantage of the nice weather. In the past three weeks we have caught plenty of flounder, black sea bass and grouper on several occasions. Of course every winter these fish are available offshore. What is different this year is that we are fishing for them in short sleeve tee shirts and are able to get out more often.

However we have had a few cold snaps mixed in with the warm spells. In fact, just enough cold weather to remind us that it is January. The latest cold spell finds me in my shop working on fishing gear, lures and tackle. This is the time of year when I sneak in a trip whenever possible but spend most of my “fishing time” preparing for the next season.

Some of my friends make some beautiful flies and plugs. I stick mainly to tying bucktails and pouring some lead molds for jigs and sinkers. I also make most of my terminal tackle – rigs for king mackerel, Carolina rigs, bottom rigs and others.

This year I have decided to learn how to make rods. I’m still gather information and acquiring the tools I’ll need but I’m about to begin my first rod next week. I think rod making will add another dimension to a sport I already enjoy.

Rod building hobbyists tell me that they get great satisfaction in catching fish with something they handcrafted. Plus the rods are built to fit their styles and preferences. I’ve seen some beautiful and unique examples of that recently during my research.

I sure am glad we can enjoy the sport of fishing year round!

Catching report

Specks are being caught in the creeks and channels. They have schooled up with the cooler nights so look for them in deep holes and channels. Try down sizing your bait and retrieving very, very slowly. Puppy drum are also being caught, most of them are sized under the slot but fun to catch none the less. Look for them on the sand flats on bright sunny days.

Black sea bass are being caught in the area 3 to 15 miles offshore. Vertical jigs and cut bait on bottom rigs are working well. Flounder are being caught in sixty to eighty feet of water on ledges and reefs. Grouper are biting in the 20 – 35 miles range. There have been plenty of kings and a few wahoo caught out at Cripple Rock and further east.

So when the weather allows, grab a rod and catch some winter fish.

Tight lines to all!

Floundering around

Well maybe I should call the thread - FLOUNDER TIME!

I decided to head out this morning bent on catching a flounder dinner. I succeeded. Actually I believe you'll agree I caught quite a few flounder dinners.

I caught 14 today, keeping my limit of 8, the smallest I kept was 18 inches, the biggest was 22 and weighed in at 4 pounder 12 ounces (missed that first citation of 2007 by 4 ounces). There is only 7 in picture because I gave one away to my neighbor before I thought to get the camera out. You'll just have to trust me on the eighth

All were caught with bucktails tipped with strip bait in about 60' of water.

Reflections on 2006 & Happy New Year!

I wonder if fish celebrate the New Year. If they do, do they eat caviar?

Like many folks, as I prepared for 2007 to be ushered in I found myself reflecting on 2006. For me it was a fine year from an angler’s prospective.

We had a mild winter which meant that there was no “freeze” kills of drum and trout. Thus many of the fish that would have been killed grew larger and provided some nice catches this fall. I caught more red drum and speckled trout this past year than I have in many, many years. Not only more, but the fish were on average larger. Last year’s spike size specks were this year’s keepers.

Flounder are not as affected with the weather, so mild winters do little to help them. Still I caught my fair share of keeper flounder in 2006. My largest this year was a 4.5 pound fish. Large enough to have been a citation size catch in 2005 but the state upped the citation weight for flounder to 5 pounds in 2006. I even caught a few flounder last week. With that said, the pressure on flounder is very heavy and we as a fishing community need to take care in preserving this important fishery for the future.

I have a computer disk full of fish pictures from 2006. They testify to some great catches and some good times this past year. From king mackerel to red drum and many species in between, I have plenty of fond memories fishing in 2006.

Red Drum, now there’s a success story. Our official state fish was on the verge of becoming a relic of our memories. For so long little was understood about this fish’s life cycle. When I was young, it was commonly thought that puppy drum and red drum were two different but closely related species. Then studies were performed and information that the fish grows slowly and lives over 20 years became available. Once the life cycle was better understood, management of this important fishery could be effective. Today red drum are thriving in our waters. They still need to be protected but they have a chance now.

Speaking of studies, many anglers are hopeful that much of the revenue generated by the new Coastal Recreational Fishing License - CRFL or saltwater license as it is called by many - will be used for studies to protect our fisheries as well as to increase our fish stocks and enforcement of our laws. This is an excellent opportunity to enhance our saltwater fisheries, let’s keep the pressure on our government to use the money wisely.

Regarding the new CRFL, in case you haven’t heard it went into effect on January first this year. In the past you didn’t need a license to fish in North Carolina’s coastal waters. Now you need one for all public waters in NC, fresh, salt or brackish. But they are two different licenses. If you have a freshwater license that you purchased last year, you will still need to purchase a CRLF for 2007. They can be purchased from the same place, at the same time but require 2 separate fees. Of course just a CRFL can be purchased if you don’t plan on fishing in waters regulated by the Wildlife Resources Commission (freshwater).

A couple of important points – in the past you could fish on public waters in your county of residence with natural bait (dead or alive) without a license. This is no longer true. Starting on January 1, 2007 you will need a license for all fishing on public waters unless you qualify for an exemption (see the WRC rules for further details). Also, if you purchased a lifetime sportsman license before Dec 31, 2005 (the date is not a typo) you will never have to buy the CRFL.

Wishing you tight lines and a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!