Wilson Creek, NC

[troutguy 0]

Went fishing to Wilson Creek about Lenoir, NC last Sunday. The weather was cloudy, drizzling, heavy rain and sunny. There were a lot of people fishing. Wilson Creek gets a great deal of fishing pressure. I was watching a guide with two guys fish a nice hole. The guide had that guilty look when he saw me, but I did not know why. He was about 30, white male with a beard. He would check the flies of his pigeons often and I thought he was drying them. They missed a couple, did not see them catch any. They acted pissed that I caught several in the rapids above the pool they were in. What really made me mad was after they left, I found an empty power bait bottle. The guide was using bait to try to get his pigeons fish and he littered. They drove off in a red Toyota double cab. Wished I knew what he was doing before they left.

 

The fish were really shy. Presentation was really important. Caught most on a small black nymph, Dark Hendrickson and a sculpin.

 

A nice little Brookie.

This one was a little bigger and had nice colors. The water was so clear. This area had a sandy bottom.

Most of the fish I caught were Brook Trout. I did catch a few Rainbows.

One of the problems fishing the mountains is that thunder storms dump several inches of rain after crossing the mountains from Tennessee and cause flash floods. This summer several people were swept away and drowned in Wilson Creek so they installed flood warning sirens.

[troutguy 0]

Tom lands a fish. Brand new to fly fishing for trout. Nice guy.

[troutguy 0]

The water was so clear. This fish was feeding right near me.

OK it was POURING rain and Tom was just sitting, changing flies and watching the water as if it was a sunny day. He has great patience and really enjoys being out.

Andy lands a fish. Met this guy on the water, great fisherman with a one weight rod and good skills.

The second bamboo rod I made from an Angler's Roost blank. A 7'6" Payne 100 copy. It throws a sculpin head streamer well. For me anyway.

[troutguy 0]

Wilson Creek is a great place to fish a clear freestone mountain stream. It has a times a sandy bottom, next wooded freestone with logs over the flow. DEEP pools, some fast, some so slow that the fish come up look at the fly and painfully examine it and refuse it. I was fishing with Hope and a new fishing buddy Tom.

[troutguy 0]

I hope this gives people an idea of North Carolina fly fishing in one little section of Wilson Creek.

[bamajo 0]

Thanks for sharing. That is some fine looking water. How does your dog do in colder weather? My Brittany is not a year old yet but she loves to play in the water. I'm thinking of trying to find her a neoprene vest.

[troutguy 0]

Bamajo how cold does it get? I do not use one for her. She is very small for the ones I have seen in Basspro and Academy Sports. Mostly Lab sized. I fish and hunt her in December, January and she usually does not mind the water. Once in a while she gets cold and she will warm up running around. Hope is three. When she was a pup I carried a towel (still do sometimes) in my vest. She is a small female about 30 to 34 pounds.

[bamajo 0]

I'm further south so maybe she will be okay then. I have read Brittanies don't do as well in cold water since their coats don't produce much oil. That may not apply below the mason Dixon line.

[J-Kno 0]

We have family out in or near West Jefferson, Asheville and Statesville. The plan is to visit next fall. I wasn't looking forward to the trip until now....I will have to bring a rod with me...