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Asheville Fly Fishing Expert: Hunter Banks
29 Montford Ave., Asheville, NC
(828) 252-3005 || hunterbanks.com
Fish The Tuck:
Located near Western Carolina University, (WCU) the
Tuckaseegee is a tailrace formed by two dam-fed forks. From the Hwy 107 bridge at
Love Field to the Dillsboro dam, the Tuck is regulated as Delayed Harvest, which is
catch-and-release from October until June.The river here is as wide as many western
rivers, offering plenty of room for backcasting and the 49,000 trout stocked each year.
Best floated in a drift boat, the Tuck can be waded when only one fork is running for
power generation. Directions from Asheville: Take I-40 W to Exit 27 (Hwy 74 W).
Follow Hwy 74 W to Exit 85 in Sylva. At third light turn left onto Hwy 107 S. Before you
reach WCU, turn right onto River Rd. Look for the black-and-white Delayed Harvest signs.
Guided Fly Fishing Wade Trips:
We are blessed with some of the finest
wade fishing opportunities east of the Mississippi. Whether it’s crawling from pool
to pool casting dries to weary brook trout on the headwater streams or stalking
super selective brown and rainbow trout on the tailwaters of the Watauga and South
Holston, we have it all. Wade fishing is a great way to experience the outdoors without
being confined to a boat. If you are new to this sport, we can tailor a day of wade
fishing to get you started.We typically meet at the shop at 8:00 a.m. and take care of
any last minute items, then proceed to the stream of choice and fish until you have
had enough!
Due to the size and age of the Appalachian Mountains, the width of our water is
measured in feet not yards. We have creeks that you can jump across and streams
that rarely see anglers on the far banks.With this in mind, many anglers find that our
smaller streams and rivers allow for more solitude and relaxation. Take a look at the
locations where we guide and decide what river is right for you. If you’re new to the
area, let your guide choose your river - he’ll likely choose the one that’s fishing best.
Directions from Asheville: Take I-240 to the Montford Exit (look for the huge
mural with a trout) and make your way to Hunter Banks at 29 Montford Ave.,Asheville, NC.
Hook A Hog: Most mountain trout average 9” to 10”, but not on the heavily
stocked Oconaluftee, where trout are measured in pounds, not inches. A 2.2-mile
stretch near the Blue Ridge Parkway offers catch-and-release fishing for hatchery-raised
brook, brown, rainbow, golden and Donaldson trout, some of them weighing more than
6 pounds. Streamers and nymphs catch the biggest fish here, but expect lots of company.
A tribal fishing permit is required. Directions from Asheville: Take I-40 W to Exit
27 (the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway). Continue west on US 74 pastWaynesville, Sylva
and Dillsboro to Cherokee, Exit 74. Follow US 441 onto the reservation.
Madison County Rivers & Streams: Ready to land a beautiful fish
in a scenic mountain stream or river? Look no further than the streams and rivers
found just north of Asheville in Madison County. Whether you are looking to fish for
trout, bass, catfish or muskie, you’ll find a lot of fantastic places to fish in Madison
County. The most popular fishing areas include Hot Springs, Laurel River area,
Marshall and Mars Hill. While wild waters and the great fishing found on the
French Broad River are always productive, anglers can expect to catch plenty
of stocked trout during the right months. Directions from Asheville:
we recommend heading to Hunter Banks to get local insight into what streams and
patterns are fishing best.They’ll also be able to give you directions to one of their
favorite spots.
Guided Fly Fishing FloatTrips: The tailwaters of North Carolina and Ten-
nessee are some of the best in the Southeast. Many of our clients fish Western
tailwaters in the summer months and use our local tailwaters to get an early
start on their season and tune up their techniques after the winter. Depending
on your desire to catch wild fish or stocked fish, we have a tailwater to suit you.
Our float trips are done in either a driftboat or a raft with a maximum of two
anglers and their guide. As fishing from a boat is a bit more difficult than wade
fishing, our guides are more than willing to give you a casting demonstration
before putting in. Those that are unable to wade safely may find a float trip is
a fun and exciting way to still be on the water while catching some nice fish.
Directions from Asheville: we recommend heading to Hunter Banks
to get local insight into what streams and patterns are fishing best.They’ll also be able
to give you directions to one of their favorite spots.
Fish The Davidson River: Named as one of Trout Unlimited’s “Top 100
Trout Streams in America,” the Davidson is a very productive freestone river
that supports many trophy-class fish over 20 inches. About 14 miles of the river, from its headwaters to Avery Creek, are managed under catch-and-release,
fly-fishing only regulations. The lowest mile is hatchery supported. The Catch
& Release section can be technical, requiring small flies and light tippets. Midge
flies rule here. Directions from Asheville: Take I-26 E to Exit 40/Airport Rd.Turn right onto NC 280 towards the airport and continue to Brevard (19.2
miles).At the intersection of 280/64/276, turn right onto Hwy 276, which parallels the
Davidson through the Pisgah National Forest.
Pure Western North Carolina Fly Fishing
Asheville & Waynesville, NC | www.hunterbanks.com | 828.252.3005