DRO has introduced a 2 hour 101 and a 3.5 hour 201 class aimed at improving your fishing ability on local water. The 101 class is FREE to students and the 201 class is $30 per person.
101 DATES & TIMES
MAY 12TH 9am-11am
MAY 26TH 3pm-5pm
JUNE 2ND 9am-11am
JUNE 16TH 3pm-5pm
JUNE 23RD 9am-11am
201 DATES & TIMES
MAY 19TH 8am-11:30am
JUNE 9TH 8am – 1:30am
JULY 1ST 8am-11:30am
Class Schedule as follows
ONE DAY FLY FISHING SCHOOL
This class will cover basic gear selections, knot tying, fly casting, basic entomology / fly selection, and of course a question and answer session. Class will start at 8:30am and end between 4:30pm and 5pm. Lunch is not included but a 30 – 45 min lunch break will start around 12:15pm. Cost is $135 per person. Dates available are April 6th, May 12th, June 15th, July 13th, Sept 22nd. Call the shop or email info@davidsonflyfishing.com to register.
TWO DAY FLY FISHING SCHOOL
The two day school is a continuation of our one day school. After you have completed the ONE DAY SCHOOL, you will start the next day reviewing knot tying, fly casting, and followed up by how to read water, fish behavior, and wading safety. After lunch you will gear up and spend the afternoon fishing with one of our guides on our private stretch of water on the Davidson River. Here you will apply what you have learning over the past two days and moving on to become more successful on your own. If you do not have your own gear we will provide you with the gear needed to complete the course. Class will begin at 8:30am and end between 4:30pm and 5pm. Lunch is not included but a 30-45 min lunch break will begin at 12:15pm. Cost is $300 per person. Dates available are April 6th & 7th, May 12th & 13th, June 15th & 16th, July 13th & 14th, Sept 22nd & 23rd. Call the shop or email us at info@davidsonflyfishing.com to register.
ON THE WATER WITH KEVIN HOWELL
Learn a variety of tactics from one of the best. These classes are FREE. Dates and ciriculum are as follows:
March 16th 2012 -Nymph Fishing 101-
Join National Champion Kevin Howell for a 4 hour discussion on nymph fishing. Kevin will cover suggested rigs, flies, indicators and then put your waders on and get in the water with him as he walks you through reading water and fish behavior. Class will start at 8:30 and end between 12 and 12:30. Best of all it is totally free to attend.
April 21st 2012 – Sight Fishing -
Join National Champion Kevin Howell for a 2 hour discussion on sight fish. Kevin will cover everything from sight fishing on the flats to casting to rising trout in a mountain stream. Kevin will also cover new casting techniques for accuracy and speed. Class will start at 8:30 and end around 10:30. Best of all it is totally free to attend.
May 11th 2012 –Dry Fly Fishing-
Join National Champion Kevin Howell for a 2 hour discussion on fishing dry flies. Kevin will cover, fly selection, and presentation. Kevin will also cover casting, mending and line management which will allow for drag free presentations. Class will start at 8:30 and end around 10:30. Best of all it is totally free to attend.
July 6th 2012 –Switching from Trout to Bass-
Join National Champion Kevin Howell for a 4 hour discussion on how to switch from trout fishing to smallmouth bass. Kevin will cover, rod, line and fly modifications. Kevin will also cover fly casts for the bass angler as well as reading water. This class will be held on a bass stream. Class will start at 8:30 and end between 12 and 12:30. Best of all it is totally free to attend. You must call the shop register and get directions to meeting location.
October 12th 2012 –Finding Fall Trout-
Join National Champion Kevin Howell for a 2 hour discussion on finding fall trout. Kevin will discuss the migratory patterns of trout in fall and winter months. Kevin will also cover the best tactics for fishing in the fall and early winter. Class will start at 8:30 and end around 10:30. Best of all it is totally free to attend.
November 16th 2012 –Beginning Saltwater Fishing-
Join National Champion Kevin Howell for a 4 hour discussion on how to get started fly fishing in the big pond. Kevin will discuss saltwater rods, reels and lines. Kevin will also cover basic fly selection, best saltwater fish to target with a fly rod, as well as recommended saltwater trips for the beginner and intermediate saltwater angler. . Class will start at 8:30 and end between 12 and 12:30. Best of all it is totally free to attend.
A lot of people look at the summertime as a time to play and in tube in the rivers of western North Carolina. Not realizing what a great fishing opportunity they are missing. While the great hatches of May have given way to hot humid days of June, the fishing is still great, if you fish at the right time of day with the right flies.
The best trout fishing in the summertime occurs in early morning and late afternoon. Stoneflies will emerge most of the summer in the late evenings through the night. Anglers wanting to cash in on large trout actively looking for food need to fish from first light to about 11 am with stonefly imitations like a Kevin’s Stonefly, Bill’s Provider or Superfly. What most anglers do not realize is that a stonefly inhabits the deep clear runs and then crawls out on the surrounding rocks and hatches from its case and flies off. So true stone flies are only available to trout as a nymph or as a dry that gets blown back into the stream. Yet I see countless fishermen using dry stonefly imitations and wondering why the fish are not taking them. The trick to being successful with your stonefly imitations is to fish them on the bottom of the river. If you are not bouncing on the bottom then you are not in the zone where the trout are looking for stoneflies.
If you have to fish in the middle of the day, then terrestrials are the fly of choice. Ants, beetles, and worms are mainstay of a trout’s diet in the summertime. These patterns can be exceptionally effective after a light afternoon thunderstorm when the rain tends to knock a lot of ants and inchworms into the river. Anglers wanting to capitalize on this should cast there flies up under the overhanging limbs and bushes where the trout will be waiting on any morsel to drop into there feeding lane. The best flies are furry foam inchworms, green leaf hoppers, The Hot Creek Special, Texas Piss Ant and Kevin’s Caterpillar.
If you get caught fishing after a large storm and the water is high and muddy. Remember that trout have difficulty seeing your fly in the water so they have to find it by feeling it. Large black or other dark colored flies, with large rubber legs or flies tied out of marabou or rabbit strips are the most effective. The best flies are size 2-4 bunny leeches or bitch creek nymphs. The most common mistake I hear of in muddy water situations is that people try and fish 5-6x tippet. With muddy water trout cannot see your tippet, if you switch to 10-12 pound test fluorocarbon this will save a lot of heartache when you hook that monster trout.
In low clear summertime water trout are especially spooky, anglers should watch their wading being certain not to kick rocks, or run waves through calm holes of water. These vibrations will spook trout well in advance of the angler.
Good Fishing
By Kevin Howell
Owner and Guide Davidson River Outfitters
888-861-0111
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As we change into a fall fishing pattern there are several things that fishermen can do to increase there catch through out the day. That may be slightly different than the techniques that they were using for summer time fish.
Fishing is good throughout the day, you do not have to fish early or late. Trout will feed all day as they are trying to feed up for the winter, and for spawning in late November in our part of the country.
Terrestrials are a very good fly to use in the fall. However fishing an ant or beetle or hopper in the early morning when it is cool and they are not as active is probably not going to produce as many fish as if you fished the same fly later in the day.
Go big or go home, large trout especially browns like to make a good meal out of eating smaller fish this is especially true in the fall a large trout is capable of eating another trout half his size. So fish large streamers yes even in clear water for larger browns and rainbows.
Fishing dark colored mayfly nymphs and caddis pupas in the morning are a good choice. Then transition to the dries as the day warms up.
Do not be afraid to impair action to your fly until the water gets below 50 degrees. Fall trout tend to more aggressive, so skating flies, stripping flies, or adding some type of movement to your fly may result in more aggressive strikes.
Sampler Class September 24th 2-3 hours $20 per person
One day Emerger Class August 21st $150 per person
Two Day Predator School September 25-26 $325 per person
FREE BEGINNERS CLASS August 27th 1 hour 5:30pm – 6:30pm
For more information email us at info@davidsonflyfishing.com
Join DRO in one of the most popular fly fishing schools in Western NorthCarolina. In this school, participants will learn everything from casting techniques, knot tying, gear, and basic fly selections. The second day is spent on the river with guides from DRO learning water safety, mending, and other techniques that can only be demonstrated on the water. After lunch on day 2. you will break up into groups and enjoy an afternoon of guided fishing practicing what you have learned. Cost is $325 per person. For more information or to sign up call 1( 888) 861.0111.
Class Dates: April 24th – 25th at 8am
Scott Bell display’ s his Davidson River Brown Trout full of color
Beginning Fly Tying $40 per person
Dates: January 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th. From 6pm- 8pm.
Join Instructors Bill Strickland & Lou Barlow for our beginners course in fly tying. This class is designed to get you up and started tying basic fly patterns or use this as a refresher course if you have not tied in several years. The class will cover majority of all the tools used for tying and will teach you the basic flies to tie such as the Elk Hair Caddis, San Juan Worms, Egg Patterns, WoolyBuggers, etc. We will supply all the tools and materials while in the class and also provide each person with a DRO fly tying manual. If interested please email Bill Strickland at bstrickland@davidsonflyfishing.com.
Bass Flies $35 per person
Dates: February 10th, 17th. From 6pm – 8 pm
Join Instructor Walker Parrott as he shows you how to tie basic and advanced flies for catching big bass this summer. This class is recommended for those individuals who have some fly tying skills. Flies will include Clouser Minnows, Poppers, Sliders, and various other flies. For more information please contact Walker at Walker@davidsonflyfishing.com
Southern Appalachian Trout Flies $40 per person
Dates: January 23rd
Learn to tie local flies with one of the Masters in the Industry. Kevin Howell will teach you how to tie some of the traditional Southern Appalachian Flies such as the Yallar Hammer, Sheepfly, Secret Weapon, as well as a few other mountain trout flies. Previous tying experience is preferred. Contact Kevin Howell for further information at info@davidsonflyfishing.com
Rod Building $ 75 per person
Dates: January 5th, 19th, 26th….. February 2nd
This class will teach individuals how to build their own graphite fly rod. You will cover all aspects of building a rod from selecting materials and handles to wrapping guides and epoxying the rod. DRO will supply all glues,epoxy,and rod driers. Student swill need to provide 1″ roll of masking tape, a 1/4″ chain saw file, and a pair of sharp fine point scissors. You will also receive a how to manual for rod building and 15% discount for all material ordered through DRO. For more information email us at info@davidsonflyfishing.com
As we change into a fall fishing pattern there are several things that fishermen can do to increase there catch through out the day. That may be slightly different than the techniques that they were using for summer time fish.
Fishing is good throughout the day, you do not have to fish early or late. Trout will feed all day as they are trying to feed up for the winter, and for spawning in late November in our part of the country.
Terrestrials are a very good fly to use in the fall. However fishing an ant or beetle or hopper in the early morning when it is cool and they are not as active is probably not going to produce as many fish as if you fished the same fly later in the day.
Go big or go home, large trout especially browns like to make a good meal out of eating smaller fish this is especially true in the fall a large trout is capable of eating another trout half his size. So fish large streamers yes even in clear water for larger browns and rainbows.
Fishing dark colored mayfly nymphs and caddis pupas in the morning are a good choice. Then transition to the dries as the day warms up.
Do not be afraid to impair action to your fly until the water gets below 50 degrees. Fall trout tend to more aggressive, so skating flies, stripping flies, or adding some type of movement to your fly may result in more aggressive strikes.
