Don’t let the cold keep you from fishing this December!
The fishing in December was the best fishing I have experienced in the past couple of years. Water levels were perfect and the water temperatures hovered around the 50 degree mark which was ideal for trout. There were days where the temperature got close to 70 degrees which isn’t the norm for the month of December, but it kept fishing consistent and we were able to put excellent numbers of fish in the net. I was fortunate to take a veteran out on a half day float and he put close to twenty fish in the net as a complete beginner to fly fishing. These types of days on the water are special to me because it’s such an honor taking veterans out because without their service to our country I wouldn’t have the freedom to be on the water every day.
Tyler just got back from Afghanistan three weeks before our float trip down the Catawba River.
One of our most popular float trips in December is floating the Catawba River in Marion, North Carolina. This float takes you through two delayed harvest sections which are sections stocked by the NCWRC in October & November so there is plenty of action the entire float. We mainly fish under indicators using stonefly and egg patterns. It’s always a pleasure putting novice and even experienced anglers on good trout through this section. The majority of what we catch are 10-14 inch rainbow trout which are supercharged this time of year and make for a fun fight on a four weight rod.
A healthy rainbow caught on an egg pattern while floating the Catawba River.
Our delayed harvest sections in McDowell fished really well this time of year. This is a good time to hit these sections because it is less pressured and you are able to put some good fish in the net. I do believe there are fewer fish in these stretches this year due to the possibility of fishing dying in early October from elevated water temperatures, but I’ve enjoyed the challenge of “hunting” for them.
I took some clients to Curtis Creek which is some of the prettiest water in the county because it flows within the Pisgah National Forest. We offer a unique trip on Curtis where we spend half our time on the delayed harvest waters fishing for stocked trout and then we hit the wild water section targeting wild trout. I tell clients that the wild water is not the place to go if you want to catch a lot of trout, but if you want seclusion and a challenge then this is your trip. Wild trout are smarter and you have to be able to sneak up on the fish unlike the stocked fish that will stay right below your feet. Fishing the wild trout water on Curtis is a lot of fun on the warmer days in December because you can catch fish on dry flies. Colder days can trigger some excellent blue wing olive hatches so I try to always have them on hand.
Wild Trout Water
December Dry Fly Fishing
Wild Brown Trout caught on a dry fly in December.
Wild Water Fly Fishing Trips
Dry fly fishing Curtis Creek.
Dry fly eater!
Taking advantage of those warm December days! The wild trout are always looking up!
Euro Nymphing
This fishing has recently taken the US by storm. It seems as if every fly fisherman is doing it, but I’ve realized that this type of fishing is still relatively new to people just getting started in the sport of fly fishing. This type of fishing involves using light tippet, a longer rod, and a sighter to detect strikes. I tie my sighters out of bright colored mono filament which is easily seen. I’ll use blood knots to connect my sighters to the tippet. Everyone has their go to knots when setting up this rig but the blood knot is the easiest for me to tie. I usually start beginners out with 4x or 5x tippet, but will use 6x or 7x with the more experienced anglers.
The concept of Euro Nymphing is quite simple, but the actual fishing requires skill. This method is good year round, but is preferred in the winter when the water is crystal clear and somewhat low because of how subtle the presentation of the flies can be. This time of year the fish seem to be more spooky.
When Euro Nymphing, the angler casts upstream of where the fish are holding using weighted flies. Keeping the sighter off the water is key so you can detect “strikes”. When the sighter straightens or pauses the angler sets the hook. Our delayed harvest waters are great fisheries to learn this type of fishing because there are a lot of fish in these sections. I was able to take Serge and his father from Raleigh on Curtis Creek and teach them this style of fishing on a cold December day. It was vital for us to get our flies right in front of the fish that day because they were not very active at all. I told them we basically had to hit them on the head and once they understand that concept we start putting fish in the net.
Fooling a good rainbow using a weighted fly.
Euro Nymphing Curtis Creek.
December can provide some of the best fishing of the year without the crowds!
In closing, I would like to thank all the clients who trusted The Catawba Angler to take them on a guided fishing trip this year! We couldn’t do it without each and everyone of you! We strive to give our clients the very best guided fishing experience in western North Carolina. We look forward to taking you fishing in 2020. If you ever have any questions or just want to talk fishing give me a call.
Tight Lines,
Matt Evans
Owner, The Catawba Angler