The Best Places to Fly Fish in North Carolina

Fly Fishing is a popular way to fish in many different parts of the United States and the world. It is done by using a lightweight lure that resembles a fly, which is where the name comes from. Many people are active fly fishers in many different states, one of them being North Carolina.

1. Helton Creek

Helton Creek is one of those spots in North Carolina that many people may not know about when it comes to fly fishing. It is located in Ashe County in North Carolina. Also, it is a good trout fishery and has over ten miles of space so you can fly fish there as well. There are many trout in Helton Creek as well, especially during the colder months like October and November.

2. The Toe River

The Toe River is also another one of those lesser-known spots when it comes to fly fishing. It is located in Avery County, North Carolina. The Toe River is actually considered one of the best spots for fly fishing in the United States. It is also considered a year-round fishing destination for all of you fly fishers out there. There are many rainbow and brown trout to be found at this location as well. It has many different fishery locations as well, so you can pick the best place to fish there.

3. Chattooga River

Chattooga River is a spot for expert fly fishers. It has about six miles of river to fish on. Chattooga River has many different varieties of trout as well, having rainbow and brown trout, but mostly has brown trout. There are many trout in the waters as well and has many different Hatcheries to keep the trout well-stocked year-round, and is popular for expert fly fishers.

4. Panthertown Creek

Panthertown Creek is also another fishing spot for expert fly fishers. It is located in Panthertown Valley. There are many trout here, including rainbow and brown trout. There are many different areas to fish in in Panthertown Creek since there are many different streams to fish in. As mentioned before, this one also has many different Hatcheries as well, which will help keep the trout in stock year-round, while there are hundreds of different trout to fly fish. This is a location that is also popular with expert fly fishers, not really for beginners.

5. Watauga River

Watauga River is a very popular spot for fly fishing in North Carolina. It is good for both experts and beginners. Watauga River has many different Hatcheries as well to keep trout well in stock for fishing purposes as well. It is considered a go-to spot for fly fishing, offering miles of river as well as the river is wide enough to fly fish in and change your fishing location as needed. In this location, you can expect to find rainbow and brown trout in the waters, but you'll probably find brown trout most of the time here.

6. Neuse River

This is also another popular fishing spot for many fly fishers. Especially since it is located about ten miles from Raleigh, many people may be traveling to this area. You can find many different types of trout and bass here as well. You can find largemouth bass, striped bass, and tailwater trout here, among many different species and varieties of fish. It is also a great spot to fly fish year-round, finding the different species of fish dependent upon the season you're fly fishing in. And there are many different rivers located around the Neuse River as well.

7. Blue Ridge and the Smoky Mountains

This fly fishing spot is also considered one of the best spots to fly fish at. It is located near the city of Asheville. You can expect to find many different varieties of trout here. Such as rainbow, brown, and brook trout. But you can also expect to find sunfish, crappie, and largemouth bass. Not only is it considered one of the best spots to fly fish at, but it is also considered one of the best places for year-round fly fishing.

8. Nantahala River

Nantahala River is another popular spot to fish at. It is located in west North Carolina. It has many species of trout such as rainbow and brown trout. You'll likely find rainbow trout in different parts of the river compared to the rest, so moving fishing spots would be necessary if that is what you're looking for. They also change the hatches depending on the month and season, which is good and helps keep the trout and other species well in stock.

9. Oconaluftee River

The Oconaluftee River is another good fly fishing spot. It is actually located on the Cherokee Indian Reservation. Here there are many different varieties of trout and other fish to catch. You can expect to find brown, rainbow, brook, and even sometimes golden trout here. It has many different locations to fish at as well, offering over thirty miles of streams to fish at, so you can change your fishing location if need be. It also has its own fishery, so you can expect that the species of fish are kept well in stock.

10. Linville River

Linville River is considered a hot spot for brown trout. It is located by Morganton and Marion. Besides brown trout, you can expect to find rainbow and brook trout. If you want to find many brown trout, you'll want to come during the Autumn season. But if you don't want to do that, it is a year-round fishing spot so you can fish anytime at Linville River, just keep in mind different species of fish come and go throughout the year.

11. Mitchell River

The Mitchell River is an easy to wade small river near the Virginia Line off of Interstate 77.  Conveniently located in the central part of the state, it gets alot of traffic from Winston-Salem, Greensboro, High Point, Charlotte and even Raleigh. Most of these locations are 1-2.5 hours from the stream.  It is hatchery supported and gets a tremendous stocking via the delayed harvest stocking schedule from the State of North Carolina.  Great place for rainbow, brown and brook trout in a variety of sizes.

Summary

We showed you some of the best fly fishing spots in North Carolina. Of course, there are many spots and this isn't a comprehensive list, just some of the best spots you could choose from, so now it is simply your choice and up to you to decide.