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 16^th 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 21^st 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 11^th 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 6^th 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 12^th 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 16^th 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.

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.

The 2012 Southeast Regional Qualifier for Team USA has been announced on the Davidson River and surrounding waters for February 17th,18th,19th 2012. This is a great opportunity to come watch some of the best anglers in the country compete for a spot on next years Team USA. This event is being hosted out of Davidson River Outfitters in Brevard, North Carolina. Venues to include the Davidson River, East Fork of the French Broad, Tanasee Creek Lake, and the Davidson River Private Waters. For more information please visit the website www.usnffc.com

Five Helpful Tips For Better Success With A Nymph

I often here people say that they do not like to nymph fish, that they prefer to dry fly fish. I agree that it is AWESOME to catch a lot of fish on dries; however 85% or more of a trout’s diet is what it finds under the surface of the water to eat. I feel that most people do not like to nymph fish because they are not successful with it. Here are five tipes to help you become a better nymph fisherman.

1. Add a lot more weight. Most anglers thank that a small shot or a bead head is often enough weight. This will rarely sink more than a few inches in the turbulent current found in most rivers. For instance, last week on a trip we were fishing a number 4 shot above two tungsten bead nymphs and a number 6 shot in between the nymphs.
2. Add weight between your flies. If you fish two nymphs and the lead fly is not weighted, be sure to add weight in front of it and between the flies. If you do not add any weight, the lighter fly will oftentimes get washed ahead of the weighted fly and a fish can eat it without ever stopping the drift. With weight in front of the second fly, it seldom gets washed ahead of the first fly and you will miss fewer strikes.
3. Watch for the strike. If you try and fish without an indicator, you will feel only about 1 out of every hundred fish that strike your fly. You need to have a way to visualize your strike. Most commonly used are strike indicators. However the really good fishermen have learned to watch their line or the knots on a knotted leader just as if it were an indicator for a strike.
4. Set the hook. When I am guiding I am amazed by the number of fishermen that tell me it was the bottom when their indicator bobbles. Sure sometimes it is, but I see countless times on a trip that I know it was a fish and when I yell “set” the client says no it was the bottom. Usually when you hook the bottom it does not turn loose until you force it to do so.
5. Wait on your cast. The other factor a lot of people do not like is that they tangle up a lot more with nymphs. This is due to the weight of the flies that you are throwing. You have to make your self slow down and wait on your back cast.

Beginner Fly Tying with Lou Barlow
Jan 6, 13, 20, & 27 Cost $25
Feb 3, 10, 17, & 24 Cost $25

Tying Streamers For Trout with Kevin Howell
Sat Jan 8th at 8:30AM to 4PM
Cost $30 with a limit of 10 people

Rod Building with Kevin Howell
Cost $50 You will be required to bring a blank, reel seat, & guides.

Tying Midges & Micro Flies with Landon Lipke
Jan 19, 26 Cost $25
Feb 2, 9 Cost $25

For more information email us at info@davidsonflyfishing.com or give us a call at 888.861.0111

How to tie the Improved Yaller Hammer from Bill Strickland on Vimeo.

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.

Kanuga Conference Center gets local recognition on News 13 for their annual flyfishing trip with Davidson River Outfitters.  Over the past few years Kanuga has coordinated groups of 30 people from aroound the country to enjoy serenity and spirituality.  To see the video see link below.

http://www.wlos.com/shared/newsroom/features/absolute-le/videos/wlos_vid_248.shtml

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