Fall/Winter Fishing on Curtis Creek
Curtis Creek gets stocked the first week of October and November so this provides good fishing all fall and winter. Normally when they first stock the first will hit anything flashy in the color of pink and yellow. For fly fishers it’s hard to beat squirmy worms, mops flies, and eggs. Normally I’ll run lighter tippet because the water is usually very clear this time of year. They stock some big brown, brook, and rainbow trout in Curtis so a lot of clients that we take fishing normally catch their personal best here. Check out the fish we caught in October fly fishing Curtis Creek.
When the water temperatures dips below 45 degrees I consider it winter fishing. In the winter time I’m using 6-7x tippet. A lot of times I’ll run wool as an indicator since it is such a delicate presentation. I run size 16-20 midges under the wool and drift the deep slow moving holes. We catch some of the bigger, smarter fish that survive the influx of people during the wintertime. These fish are less pressured and more willing to eat during this time. Check out the two fish below we caught in January of 2021. The best fishing during the winter is going to be throughout the Delayed Harvest Stretch. One of the best holes on the creek is going to be the handicap holes right off the main road. There are always some big fish that hang out in those holes.
Spring Fishing on Curtis Creek
Spring is my favorite time to fish Curtis Creek because we get some excellent caddis, March brown, and Hendrickson hatches throughout March, April, and May. The state also stocks the first week of each of these months so there are a lot of fish to target in the creek. Normally if the crowds are bad you can bounce up to Newberry Creek or the wild water of Curtis Creek and do well throwing dries. Below is a nice brown we caught during a rainstorm on Curtis Creek. Remember to still use light tippet this time of year. The fish are spooky after seeing a lot of pressure on the weekends. The best time to fish it is going to be the weekdays.
Summer Fishing on Curtis Creek
Summertime is terrestrial season. We throw a bunch of cinnamon ants, beetles, and grasshoppers. The fishing is slower in the summertime because they open the creek up for harvest on June 4th, but there are always some bigger, smarter fish that will “make” throughout the summer so this time of year is perfect for stalking big fish. Numbers are low, but the potential to catch a good one is always possible.
The Catawba Angler is a fly fishing guide service that offers wade fishing trips on Curtis Creek. We grew up two miles from this creek so this is our home water. If you are in town and want to experience some of the best fly fishing in the area then give us a call. We welcome beginners and seasoned anglers. See you on the water.