Copyright 2013 James Marsh
Fly Fishing The Davidson River North
Carolina
The Davidson River is considered one of North
Carolina's best trout streams. From the headwater
section down to Avery Creek, the stream is managed as
a wild trout stream. Fly fishing only is allowed and it's all
catch and release. Below Avery Creek the stream is
stocked by the state on a regular basis. It has a very
healthy trout population and easy access. It is one of
North Carolina's most popular fly fishing destinations.
Fly fishing the Davidson River can be a true pleasure.
This stream is fairly close to Ashville, North Carolina,
and is quite easy to reach from the interstate. It is
heavily fished, especially in the lower section from the
fish hatchery down to Avery Creek. The stocked area of
the stream is also heavily fished. It isn't only fly fishing
that the stream is popular for. There are tubers glore,
canoeists, picnics, kayakers, and people just swimming.
During the summer months, you want find many pull offs
along Highway #276 or the forest Service Road #475
that doesn't have vehicles parked.
The Davidson River is a beautiful freestone mountain
stream. It has a large population of trout and many
trophy size fish. This is mostly due to the year-round
catch and release regulations. The stream has a good
supply of many different species of aquatic insects and
other food for the trout.
The Davidson River can also become crowded in places
with anglers. There's a good reason for it. Anglers catch
and release a lot of trout. It is the great fishing that
makes it crowded. One way to deal with the crowds of
Summer is to fish early and late in the day.
Don't forget that you can fish the Davidson River year-
round. Fishing is often good in the middle of Winter but
certainly Fall and Spring may be the best times to fish
the river. One often overlooked feature of the Davidson
is its headwaters. They are small but well worth fishing.
The section of the Davidson River from the Avery Creek
confluence downstream to the Forest Service boundary
is heavily stocked with trout. It receives month stockings
of rainbows, browns and brook trout from March through
August. Many of the trout are harvested but this section
also has a large number of holdover trout. There are
also some wild trout in this section. During the winter
months you want find many anglers fishing this section
and fly fishing can be rewarding and fun.
Upstream of Avery Creek, it is strictly "catch-and-
release" fly fishing.
The catch and release section has some large pools
where trout can be sight fished. The water is often gin
clear and the fish very wary due to the heavy pressure
but it is still possible to catch trout in this manner.
The main tributary is Looking Glass Creek. The stream
is very small above the falls not far above its confluence
with the Davidson of just over a mile or so. The small
tributary has some rather sizable fish up to the falls
even though the stream is still rather small.
Upstream of the Pisqah State Fish Hatchery, the
Davidson River becomes more of the typical, small
mountain stream. It has a good population of wild
rainbows and brown trout. It is mostly all pocket water.
Most of the trout are relatively small, averaging about six
inches in length but going up to twelve. The water has a
much higher pH than the water downstream of the fish
hatchery. The aquatic insects are mostly clinger
mayflies and stoneflies. Few anglers fish this section of
the Davidson, so you don't have to worry about
pressure.
The section of the Davidson River from the diversion
weir downsteam to downstream of the hatchery receives
almost all of the fishing pressure. It isn't exactly easy to
catch trout in this section of the river. The trout are
large, well educated fish. They constantly see anglers
and flies. As mentioned above, it very crowded on the
weekends. It is much better to fish this section during
the week.
There's a substantial amount of water that's diverted
from the Davidson River through the fish hatchery. It is
common to see large trout. The water below the fish
hatchery is different from the freestone section above it.
The hatchery fish are constantly feed and food is
flushed downstream. It is also the reason the trout grow
to large sizes. The average size trout is probably over
16 inches. Some go up to 20.
Catching these trout is usually difficult. It is far more to
do with the constant disturbance of anglers than
anything else. Sloppy presentations won't cut it. At
times, perfect presentations don't seem to food them. It
is the constant pounding the fish get that's the biggest
problem. The fishing can be much better if you simply
get away from the hatchery and fish further downstream.
There's plenty of large trout downstream all the way to
Avery Creek.
Just to be certain, we are clear on the regulations, from
the Davidson’s headwaters downstream to Avery Creek,
is classified as "Catch-and Release", /Artificial Flies Only
water.
Just below the town of Pisgah Forest, there is a privately
managed "trophy" section of water. Davidson River
Outfitters manages this three mile section of the stream.
Seasons:
Fly fishing the Davidson River is good year-round.
Winter:
Fishing during the winter can be good on warm days.
Midge imitations produce good at times.
Spring:
Spring is considered the prime fishing season on the
Davidson River. The hatches bring good dry fly action.
Summer:
Fishing is good during all but the very hottest days of
summer.
Fall:
Fall is an excellent time to fish the Davidson River.
Some big trout are caught each year during the
spawning season.
Fly Fishing Guide to the Davidson River
The trout in the Davidson River can become very
selective at times. There are plenty of aquatic insects
and lots of fishing pressure that cause that.
(Click Here For More Fishing Information)
Carolina
The Davidson River is considered one of North
Carolina's best trout streams. From the headwater
section down to Avery Creek, the stream is managed as
a wild trout stream. Fly fishing only is allowed and it's all
catch and release. Below Avery Creek the stream is
stocked by the state on a regular basis. It has a very
healthy trout population and easy access. It is one of
North Carolina's most popular fly fishing destinations.
Fly fishing the Davidson River can be a true pleasure.
This stream is fairly close to Ashville, North Carolina,
and is quite easy to reach from the interstate. It is
heavily fished, especially in the lower section from the
fish hatchery down to Avery Creek. The stocked area of
the stream is also heavily fished. It isn't only fly fishing
that the stream is popular for. There are tubers glore,
canoeists, picnics, kayakers, and people just swimming.
During the summer months, you want find many pull offs
along Highway #276 or the forest Service Road #475
that doesn't have vehicles parked.
The Davidson River is a beautiful freestone mountain
stream. It has a large population of trout and many
trophy size fish. This is mostly due to the year-round
catch and release regulations. The stream has a good
supply of many different species of aquatic insects and
other food for the trout.
The Davidson River can also become crowded in places
with anglers. There's a good reason for it. Anglers catch
and release a lot of trout. It is the great fishing that
makes it crowded. One way to deal with the crowds of
Summer is to fish early and late in the day.
Don't forget that you can fish the Davidson River year-
round. Fishing is often good in the middle of Winter but
certainly Fall and Spring may be the best times to fish
the river. One often overlooked feature of the Davidson
is its headwaters. They are small but well worth fishing.
The section of the Davidson River from the Avery Creek
confluence downstream to the Forest Service boundary
is heavily stocked with trout. It receives month stockings
of rainbows, browns and brook trout from March through
August. Many of the trout are harvested but this section
also has a large number of holdover trout. There are
also some wild trout in this section. During the winter
months you want find many anglers fishing this section
and fly fishing can be rewarding and fun.
Upstream of Avery Creek, it is strictly "catch-and-
release" fly fishing.
The catch and release section has some large pools
where trout can be sight fished. The water is often gin
clear and the fish very wary due to the heavy pressure
but it is still possible to catch trout in this manner.
The main tributary is Looking Glass Creek. The stream
is very small above the falls not far above its confluence
with the Davidson of just over a mile or so. The small
tributary has some rather sizable fish up to the falls
even though the stream is still rather small.
Upstream of the Pisqah State Fish Hatchery, the
Davidson River becomes more of the typical, small
mountain stream. It has a good population of wild
rainbows and brown trout. It is mostly all pocket water.
Most of the trout are relatively small, averaging about six
inches in length but going up to twelve. The water has a
much higher pH than the water downstream of the fish
hatchery. The aquatic insects are mostly clinger
mayflies and stoneflies. Few anglers fish this section of
the Davidson, so you don't have to worry about
pressure.
The section of the Davidson River from the diversion
weir downsteam to downstream of the hatchery receives
almost all of the fishing pressure. It isn't exactly easy to
catch trout in this section of the river. The trout are
large, well educated fish. They constantly see anglers
and flies. As mentioned above, it very crowded on the
weekends. It is much better to fish this section during
the week.
There's a substantial amount of water that's diverted
from the Davidson River through the fish hatchery. It is
common to see large trout. The water below the fish
hatchery is different from the freestone section above it.
The hatchery fish are constantly feed and food is
flushed downstream. It is also the reason the trout grow
to large sizes. The average size trout is probably over
16 inches. Some go up to 20.
Catching these trout is usually difficult. It is far more to
do with the constant disturbance of anglers than
anything else. Sloppy presentations won't cut it. At
times, perfect presentations don't seem to food them. It
is the constant pounding the fish get that's the biggest
problem. The fishing can be much better if you simply
get away from the hatchery and fish further downstream.
There's plenty of large trout downstream all the way to
Avery Creek.
Just to be certain, we are clear on the regulations, from
the Davidson’s headwaters downstream to Avery Creek,
is classified as "Catch-and Release", /Artificial Flies Only
water.
Just below the town of Pisgah Forest, there is a privately
managed "trophy" section of water. Davidson River
Outfitters manages this three mile section of the stream.
Seasons:
Fly fishing the Davidson River is good year-round.
Winter:
Fishing during the winter can be good on warm days.
Midge imitations produce good at times.
Spring:
Spring is considered the prime fishing season on the
Davidson River. The hatches bring good dry fly action.
Summer:
Fishing is good during all but the very hottest days of
summer.
Fall:
Fall is an excellent time to fish the Davidson River.
Some big trout are caught each year during the
spawning season.
Fly Fishing Guide to the Davidson River
The trout in the Davidson River can become very
selective at times. There are plenty of aquatic insects
and lots of fishing pressure that cause that.
(Click Here For More Fishing Information)
| Type of Stream Freestone Species Brown Trout Rainbow Trout Brook Trout (wild in the managed section and stocked elsewhere) Size Medium Size Location Western North Carolina Nearest Towns Ashville Brevard Season Year-round Access: Good Special Regulations Fly Fishing Only - Catch and Release Section Non-Resident License State of North Carolina Weather National Weather Service Link Hatch Chart Coming soon Fly Fishing Guide Hatches and Flies Fly Fishing Gear |
Davidson River
North Carolina
North Carolina
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| Options For Selecting Flies: 1. Email us with the dates you will be fishing this stream and we will send you a list of our fly suggestions. Please allow up to 24 hours for a response. 2. Call us 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide which flies you need. 3. Call or email us with a budget for flies and we will select them and get them to you in time for your trip. Shipping is free in the U. S. Orders over $50 are shipped Priority Mail. |
| Options For Selecting Flies: 1. Email us with the dates you will be fishing this stream and we will send you a list of our fly suggestions. Please allow up to 24 hours for a response. 2. Call us 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide which flies you need. 3. Call or email us with a budget for flies and we will select them and get them to you in time for your trip. Shipping is free in the U. S. Orders over $50 are shipped Priority Mail. |