Interested in catching muskies on the fly? Give us a shout at the shop and learn more about our muskie trips and how you can land one of these monsters right here in WNC!

DRO Guide Bill Strickland fishing the Davidson River on a cold winter day with temps not breaking the above freezing mark. All in all, the fish were on their usual feeding habits and Dr Yates managed to have a pretty good day.  Read more about the day on the water with Bill and Dr. Yates at www.castawayblog.wordpress.com

DRO Guide Jeff Furman shows how winter fishing on the Davidson River is a great time for big fish!

Winter lake fishing has been fishing really well lately with the mild weather we are having  thus far. Break out your sinking lines and take advantage of your local hatchery supported lakes in Western North Carolina for some great trout fishing. For more information on lakes to fish or guided trips call the shop and ask for Bill.

Trout have to eat to survive. While we all stopped fishing because the weather got cold, the fish still have to eat; therefore fishing can be even better in the cold. I enjoy winter fishing probably more than any other time of the year. There are fewer people on the river and the fish I catch are generally larger.

1. This is the clearest water of the year. You will need to approach holes cautiously. Fish will spook easier this time of year than any other time. Watch so that your shadow does not fall over the fish you are fishing for.
2. S L O W down. While most anglers fish just as fast as they do in warm weather, the fish are lethargic and will not run the length of the pool to attack a fly. You may literally have to drift the fly over the fish three times to make him eat it.
3. Know what the fish are feeding on. There are not a lot of insects available to the trout in the cooler water, mainly midges, stoneflies, and a few baitfish or crayfish. There are also some worms available after it rains.
4. Larger flies are the key. Fish either large flies that imitate stoneflies, or fish midge larva and pupa, generally sizes 20 and smaller. I typically fish a size 8 Kevin’s Stonefly, with a #20 chocolate WD 40 trailing the larger stonefly.
5. While it is tempting to fish very small tippet, don’t. There is usually increased water flow, so I typically fish 4x fluorocarbon to my lead fly and 5x to my dropper. This results in fewer lost fish, and fewer lost flies on the bottom.