I played "Hookie" today for my birthday and went to the North Toe River in Spruce Pine, NC.  The river was up a little from snow runoff?  Yes, there was still some snow on the mountain sides.  The runoff had the water stained some also but, that didn't bother the trout.  I started the day using my Brown Trout bugger, an egg, and a Rainbow Warrior.  I picked up a few fish but I had to work for them.  I decided to experiment a little and switched from the Rainbow Warrior to a blue pickpocket.  From that point, it was ON!  The blue PP and the egg were getting most of the action.  When I noticed my BT bugger was a little tore up I switched to a cream colored bead head bugger.  That got a lot of action too.  If you're looking for some "Pigs" the North Toe is the place.  I had 6 trout 18" and bigger including 18" Rainbows (2), 19" Rainbow, 19" Brookie, 20" Brookie, and the last fish of the day was a 23-24" Rainbow!  It was getting dark and I figured I couldn't do any better than that! (photo attached)

What worked today for me were a size 8 cream colored bead head bugger, size 12 egg, and a size 16 or 18 blue pickpocket. 

Mike White and I both had a 'Grand Slam' on Wilson Creek today.  Brookie, Brown and lots of Rainbows.  Some of the holes and runs that previously trips had fish stacked up in them were bare today but, there was still trout to be found.  We just had to look a little harder.  Mike was the 'Pig' Master today with a 21" Rainbow and another slightly smaller but FAT Rainbow.  I had a real nice Brookie.  Between us we landed 42 fish on a nice day.

The water is still 38-40 degrees, a little lower than last month and clear.  There's no ice now either.

I landed fsih on my Brown Trout bugger, egg pattern, a Tungsten Rojo Midge, pickpocket, and (of course) Barr Emerger.  Mike was using an Olive bugger, pickpocket, and (after watching me) Barr Emerger.

Gorgeous sunny but breezy day with air temps up to hi 30s and water temps mid 30s.
Water flow 178 cfs level 2.38.  I saw only one other fisherman who left at noon.  Judging from the tracks in the snow I was fishing a lot of water that had not been fished since the last snow.  Caught 3 nice fish including a brute with the snagle jaw of the maturing adult. Two of the fish were in surprisingly fast pocket water in the heads of pools and one was in long deep pool.  Was using beaded nymphs and wd 40s.
The other fisherman reported caught two in the fast water at the head of a pool on Wooly boogers

beaded nymphs and wd 40s.

Recent rain has brought water temps into the mid 40s and increased water level to 161 cfs. Clarity slightly murky. Partly cloudy in the morning and rain in the afternoon.  5 fish on beaded copper johns in long moderately deep pools and fairly fast water in heads of pools.

beaded copper johns

Fished the DH section of Wilson Creek all day.  Water is clear, a little lower than it was on Jan 2, and temp is 36 degrees.  There's still good populations of fish although, I found a couple Power Bait jars along the bank and one still had some in it.  They're recent!  The warmer weather brought higher numbers of fishermen out and I had to detour around others a number of times.  The fish have spreadout through the stream more and become a little more selective.   However, that didn't dampen the 'catchin'.

Mike and I had success using olive/brown buggers as a lead pattern (and as weight) followed with a red pick-pocket or egg pattern and a really small dropper below that.  Mike was using WD40's and I was using a size 24 Rainbow Warrior.  It may be hard to see the eye of the hook of that RW but, the two 18" rainbows I caught on it didn't have any trouble seeing it.  It was a good day.

Cold day, high might have been 30 and windy - had to rig in the truck.  Wind and icing guides made line management a little challenging but the fish were cooperative.  Fished ~10-2 and caught > 20.  Fish were fairly shallow feeding in the riffles at the heads of pools.  I saw 1 other nut fly fishing.

#18 Soft hackle and #14 BHPT

If you plan to fish the Catawba below Lake James, check out the stream flow schedule.  Here is the link to Bridgewater   http://www.duke-energy.com/lakes/scheduled-flow-releases.asp?sec=subnav

 

Date is for Squeak's presentation at the November chapter meeting.

Fishing much slower than yesterday.  Caught a couple on nymphs.  Switched to a streamer and managed to catch 2 ~16" bows - very fun!

Ultra Zug (nymph) and Rag Wool Sculpin

Tried fishing Curtis Creek last Sunday.  It had just been stocked, and the fish were visible but not taking flies.  Maybe in a few more days.

On Sunday the water was low and slow and crystal clear. I didn't see much activity. Eventually I found a small run that had trout feeding top water and caught 6.

Black ant, Parachute Adams

Took a short after work trip to the Mitchell today.  Started off really slow.  Barely saw any fish let alone hook them.  Finally started getting some action on Light Cahills at about dusk.  Caught a nice Rainbow and few small brookies and bows.

Light Cahill at dusk

fished 21th  river bank full  caught several fish

copper johns and small bead heads