Delayed Harvest Fly Fishing

My fishing partner takes a step from the swift boulder-littered shoal into the waist-deep water of the pool’s back eddy. Deliberately he moves to place himself in the best casting position to reach the head of the pool. Sitting atop a mossy rock, I look up from my fly box in time to see him make the first cast of the day upstream into the current. It is a late autumn morning and wisps of mist are rising from the upstream riffles and swirling through the rustling leaves in the treetops. I lower my hand into the water and let the coldness run through my fingers. Fifty degrees, I guess. It’s a game I always play – estimating the water temperature before taking an actual thermometer reading. Across the river, my friend is now into a fish. He brings it to his hand quickly while glancing my way to be sure I am watching. As the trout slips from his fingers and back to the water a smile spreads across his face. He says nothing. It’s not necessary.

More fly anglers than ever now find themselves looking forward to autumn mornings like these. If you are someone who considers wading a trout stream in November a surefire prescription for hypothermia, the shorter days and frosty nights conjure visions of football games, hunting season, or roasting chestnuts on an open fire. But fly fishing for trout? The popularity of delayed harvest trout waters with fly anglers in North Carolina would suggest an emphatic “Yes”.

The delayed harvest regulations occur from October 1 through the first weekend in June. Ample stockings of rainbow, brown and brook trout take place in selected waters during the autumn and spring months by the NCWRC. The regulations stipulate that during this time only single hook lures or flies may be used and all fish caught must be returned to the water unharmed. Thus, harvesting is delayed until the first weekend in June, when general hatchery supported regulations go back into effect and trout may then be harvested with no restriction on bait or lures. The harvesting of trout by anglers during the summer months do not adversely affect any ecological balance of the waters since it would be unlikely that the fish would survive the higher summer temperatures anyway. There are currently fifty-two miles of trout streams in North Carolina that fall under delayed harvest regulations.

The NCWCR began these regulations in 1992 on an experimental basis with the stocking of 18,000 trout into four western North Carolina streams. This year, 224,000 catchable-size trout will be stocked in 17 different bodies of water in 14 different western North Carolina counties. Angler surveys have validated these efforts year after year – giving the NCWRC high grades for offering anglers of all skill levels a high-quality fishing experience.

Delayed Harvest Fishing On the Green River

From the Fishtop Falls access on Green Cove Road downstream to its confluence with Cove Creek, the Green River in Polk County has approximately three miles of delayed harvest water. Access is very good throughout this entire section, as the river never wanders far from sight of the road. Maple and sycamore trees dominate the banks as the river’s guardians but the river is always plenty wide for fly casting, giving it the feel of a Western river.

After exiting Summit Lake via the Tuxedo Hydro Station, the Green traverses a rugged gorge on the Blue Ridge escarpment. The spectacular vertical decent through the Green River Game lands aids in the dissolved oxygen levels downstream that makes it superb trout habitat - not to mention world-class kayaking whitewater. But the river changes character by the time it reaches the delayed harvest water at Fishtop Falls. With gentle shoals and long slow pools, most of the water here can be fished and accessed easily.

But water flows here are still influenced by generation schedules at the hydro station at Summit Lake as determined by demand for electricity and other factors. When electricity is not being generated, the river is benign and easily waded. Fish can be found in almost any part of the river during these low flows. During high flows when electricity is being generated, however, wading is treacherous and the fish hard to locate. Only the most experienced anglers and strongest waders should attempt to fish during times of high water. It is recommended that anyone planning a trip to the Green River call 828-698-2068 to receive an updated recorded message on the generation schedule for that day.

Fly Fishing in South Mountains State Park

There are just over two miles of delayed harvest water in South Mountains State Park just south of Morganton, North Carolina. Along this stretch of the Jacobs Fork River you will find large boulders and swift moving water through a canopy of oak, maple and rhododendron thicket. From its confluence with Shinny Creek downstream to the boundary of South Mountains State Park, delayed harvest regulations apply.

The South Mountains range rises sharply from the Catawba Valley and creates a geological transition between North Carolina’s piedmont and mountain regions. The State Park was officially designated in 1974 and covers approximately 18,000 acres. An additional 20,000 acres are also under protection from development by the NCWRC. The three river systems - Jacobs Fork, Clear Creek, and Henrys Fork – all get their cold, clear water – a trout necessity - from the high country at the remote center of the South Mountains range. This rarely visited wild section of South Mountains is characterized by a mixed hardwood conifer forest, spectacular waterfalls, and abundant wildlife. For the adventurous angler, there are miles of wild trout water waiting to be explored. It requires some hiking and extra effort to reach, but a day spent on wild mountain water without seeing another soul is simply priceless.

Conversely, being the closest trout water to the city of Charlotte, the lower sections of the Jacobs Fork River and the more easily accessed South Mountains tributaries get lots of visiting fly anglers, especially during the spring and autumn months. The two miles of delayed harvest waters on the Jacobs Fork are ideal, however, for kids or beginners learning to fly fish. The river is generously stocked with larger fish and the fishing is not technical or especially difficult. There is also handicapped access to a portion of the river and two fishing piers as well.

A North Carolina fishing license with a trout stamp is needed to fish anywhere within the State Park. For more information on South Mountains State Park call 828-433-4772.

by Richard Bernabe