North Carolina is home to the highest mountains east of the Mississippi. The Blue Ridge Mountains located in NC are a sector of the bigger Appalachian Mountain range that extends more than 500 miles. The Pisgah National Forest is located within the mountains of North Carolina and is comprised of 500,000 acres of hardwood forests full of trails that lead to wild trout streams. The NC mountains are full of cold water streams and rivers that provide many fly fishing opportunities to the wandering angler. Some of the best fishing in western North Carolina requires a hike to get there, but there are also plenty of fly fishing opportunities easily accessible. The bigger rivers that meander through the NC mountains provide good fly fishing for river smallmouth as well. Fly fishing for river smallmouth in the NC mountains is hands down one of the best things to do when visiting Asheville. The French Broad and Nolichucky Rivers provide great fly fishing opportunities starting in April and ending around October. We do catch smallmouth year round using light spinning tackle, but if fly fishing is your thing then it’s best when the water temps warm up and the bass are most aggressive. The NC mountains provide year round fly fishing opportunities for trout and smallmouth bass which is great for people looking to get on the water anytime of the year. The Catawba Angler is a full time fly fishing guide service that provides fly fishing trips 12 months out of the year. We guide clients in the Pisgah National Forest for wild trout and we float the larger rivers such as the Catawba, Toe Rivers, and the Tuckaseegee Rivers for stocked trout year round. The best fishing on the wild trout streams is March through December. The best float fishing for trout is October through the end of May. Our smallmouth float trips begin in March and end around November. There is always something to fish for when visiting the NC mountains.