Greetings to all. First time on this forum. Just recently made my first fly fishing trip to the Smokies.
Planning on going back soon. I fish solo a lot due to my ability to find fishing parnters with the same passion and interest, and who can match my awkward schedule. So, hence my question:
I have a one man pontoon drift boat and would like to use it to cover more ground. But this is almost impossible when fishing alone unless I want to try and hide my boat on the bank and walk the 8 - 10 miles back to the truck to come back and pick it up. Are there any drop-off/pick up services in the western NC area? Looking at mostly fishing the Tuckasegee from around Dillsboro. Might head up to Cherokee also.
Thanks in advance for any info.
Kevin
The area you're inquiring about is well off the beaten path for most of us here. I would venture to guess the Tuck has developed shuttle services, and would simply do some google searches. I've utilized bike shuttle enterprises to shuttle vehicles for the purpose of fishing.
The Nantahala definitely has shuttle services, but the gorge does not lend itself to solo drift boat fishing imo, but I may be wrong. The river is very swift at 600-800 cfs, with many class II+ rapids when the water is on. Weekday only river. It is an absolute cluster on the weekends.
If you are pursuing bass, I would hit the Nolichucky downstream of the rafting outposts just upstream of Erwin.
Thanks. Only looking for trout. Plenty of bass and panfish minutes from home. I do a lot of whitewater rafting so not too concerned about the Class 2's. Thanks for the tips.
Couple other areas you may want to try
Hiwassee River in NC just upstream of Rt. 1302. This was designated wild water for a few years some time ago I do believe. Lake Chatuge tailwater.
Hiwassee River near Reliance TN.
BTW, where are you from?
I live on the Alabama gulf coast. I normally fly fish WY, CO, MT and SD. Just started going to the smokies. Always heard the fish up that way were small. I did catch some small fish. Anywhere from 3" - 14". Most of the fish were in the 10" - 14" range, but I did land two nice rainbows that hit the 20" mark and lost a fish I couldn't turn. Well worth the trip and effort. Tons of public access points on the rivers and most of the roads follow the rivers. Looking to go back next month when I get home.
You live on the gulf coast, and you're chasing pune trout? Some of the best saltwater fly fishing is in your back yard.
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
True. I've fished saltwater for over 40 years now. It involves a lot more "work". If you don't have a decent sized rig you're not going to fish that much. Mother Nature isn't very kind down here. Severe thunderstorms come out of nowhere just about year round. If you don't have the size and horsepower to run from it or through it, you're pushing up daisies if they're lucky enough to find your body. Not uncommon around here to have at least a dozen or more weather related boating deaths annually. Having said that, those rigs don't come cheap. Maintenance and upkeep aren't cheap either. Then there's cleaning. That's a monthly thing whether you go out on the water or not due to our high humidity. Unless you're fortunate enough to keep you rig in a climate controlled storage. I just recently sold mine. If you've ever been, you'll know how the salt air, sun, and heat can suck the energy right out of you. After a full day on the water you whipped at the end of the day. For some reason it's not like that in freshwater. I see a lot of young, hardcore saltwater anglers. Guys my age and older are fewer and farther inbetween. And, it's hard on your gear. I don't care how well you maintain it. I'm maticulous about my gear. Whether your grear is stainless steel, aluminum, fiberglass, or carbon fiber, the sun and salt will take it's toll soon. I bought one set of high end fishing gear. After tediously cleaning regularly I still ended up trashing it eventually. Never fun throwing a $300 set up in the garbage. The chlorides in the salt and oxidation are going to get it sooner or later. I switched to the $35 Mitchell reels and $39 Ugly sticks. Got the same life out of them as the $300 - $400 rigs I used to own.
Don't get me wrong. Not saying it's not fun or bashing it. Fishing these mountain rivers and streams is just as much fun with a lot less wear and tear on the body and equipment. And, when I get home from a day of fishing, I'm not spending 2 or 3 hours cleaning my boat and all my gear. More time left for sitting around shooting the breeze and drinking beer after a day on the water.
From one gently aging MF to another, 'c;. Welcome.
Post up a proper intro and show us some of that salty shit. Trout stuff, too. We need to be entertained.
Beer, booze, fire, eats, babes, and botes are bonus points.
http://www.brfff.com/forum/index.php/board,34.0.html (http://www.brfff.com/forum/index.php/board,34.0.html)
Ok, so here's a dumbass question from a newbie. How do you post pictures on here? I'm on another forum that lets you store pictures. I don't see that option on this one. I don't have tapatalk on my device. Had it but it was always a p-i-t-a so I removed it.
Not that dumbass. The bugger's forum is not too user friendly. But it has friendly users?
Saw your early work. Size of pic is an issue.
I use Imgur to upload/store pics. Auto size on that works great on this forum.
And yes, Tapafuck sucks.
Figured it out. Yea, not sure what happened on 4 of the pictures. They're all pretty much the same file size but those four uploaded as thumbnails.
The fly shop that is on or used to be on the Hi runs a low key shuttle service (you leave your keys near they car, they drive to take out). That was a few years ago. Fishing for trout leaves a little to be desired but pretty area.
I would bet my left nuts that there's a Tuck shuttle.
As for the nanny, god speed if you do do it. That being said there was a cool article in SCOF a few months back about running it in a drift boat.
Quote from: sanjuanwormhatch on June 12, 2017, 10:47:44 AM
The fly shop that is on or used to be on the Hi runs a low key shuttle service (you leave your keys near they car, they drive to take out). That was a few years ago. Fishing for trout leaves a little to be desired but pretty area.
I would bet my left nuts that there's a Tuck shuttle.
As for the nanny, god speed if you do do it. That being said there was a cool article in SCOF a few months back about running it in a drift boat.
Not to pry or get personal, but just how many left nuts do you have? :laugh:
That's between me and the devil.
Kevin, if you truly want an interesting experience, perhaps you should try exploring the plateaus of Middle Tennessee. There is a reason why no one here gives two s**** about the Tuckasegee in the Nantahala. I would give an arm to spend the week at the Big South Fork gorge in Tennessee. You couldn't pay me to fish the Tuckasegee.
Hey Kevin.
Although I hate to admit it, I gotta go with Onslow on this one. I used to do two trips a year out there and fish all through Sylva, Dillsboro and Bryson. It really is touron central from May to October. I would seek the water less traveled. Its bad enough I gotta buy licenses in five damn states, I cant see spending large dollars to go hit hatchery fish. There are plenty of good wadable wild streams in that region, some that get almost no pressure. The floatybote thing ain't me. Ask Al.
Tuck is good fishing for doughbellies, but there are plenty of other streams in the area that are just as good or better doughbelly water if that's what you're after, and are small enough to wade and aren't covered with tourists, guides, and navy flotillas of guides in drift boats. It also has some tributaries that are a lot better fishing than the main stem. I live really close to the Tuck and pretty much never fish it, if that says anything. I used to fish the some Tuck specifically for big browns. They're in there, along with the occasional musky. If I'm on the Tuck, I'm usually down toward Bryson after smallmouth, white bass, or walleye.
What about the French Broad or the Pigeon Rivers? Looks like after they cross in to NC the wander through lots of unihabited areas. Most of the other rivers I'm looking at on the satelite photos look like they're lined with houses and such from end to end.
Quote from: KevinD62 on June 13, 2017, 10:45:38 AM
What about the French Broad or the Pigeon Rivers? Looks like after they cross in to NC the wander through lots of unihabited areas. Most of the other rivers I'm looking at on the satelite photos look like they're lined with houses and such from end to end.
You can float wherever you want on the French Broad below Rosman:
http://frenchbroadpaddle.com/
The Pigeon more or less is the same below Canton but you don't have as many designated take outs and such.
The French Broad is more attractive from an ability to camp perspective.
Quote from: Onslow on June 12, 2017, 11:03:20 AM
Kevin, if you truly want an interesting experience, perhaps you should try exploring the plateaus of Middle Tennessee. There is a reason why no one here gives two s**** about the Tuckasegee in the Nantahala. I would give an arm to spend the week at the Big South Fork gorge in Tennessee. You couldn't pay me to fish the Tuckasegee.
Dude you're gonna get some flatlander killed telling him to run the BSF in a pontoon. :laugh:
You ask too many questions.
The French Broad, and Pigeon are smallmouth bass waters.
If you want to catch trout, go to the Hiwassee, Watauga, Clinch, Soho.
BTW, you need to honestly assess you boating prowess, and river knowledge before embarking on random escapades on the river.
Quote from: Onslow on June 13, 2017, 12:03:38 PM
You ask too many questions.
The French Broad, and Pigeon are smallmouth bass waters.
If you want to catch trout, go to the Hiwassee, Watauga, Clinch, Soho.
BTW, you need to honestly assess you boating prowess, and river knowledge before embarking on random escapades on the river.
The upper reaches of the French Broad and Pigeon are trout waters, but they are getting out of the floaty-boat category by the time that happens.
Quote from: Onslow on June 13, 2017, 12:03:38 PM
You ask too many questions.
The French Broad, and Pigeon are smallmouth bass waters.
If you want to catch trout, go to the Hiwassee, Watauga, Clinch, Soho.
BTW, you need to honestly assess you boating prowess, and river knowledge before embarking on random escapades on the river.
(https://i.giphy.com/gl0mkIZOW6Nwc.webp)