Type of Stream
Freestone
Species
Rainbow Trout (wild and stocked with
holdovers)
Brown Trout (wild and stocked with
holdovers)
Size
Small to medium
Location
South Central North Carolina
Nearest Towns
Highlands
Season
Year-round
Access:
Good to none, depending on the
section
Non-Resident License
State of North Carolina
Weather
Season:
The fishing season runs year-round
Winter:
Trout can be caught on most warm winter days.
Spring:
Fly fishing the Chattooga River during the Springtime is
the best time to fish it.
Summer:
Summertime may get a little slow due to warm water
temperatures.
Fall:
Fall is a great time to catch a large brown trout
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
4, 5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five
or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 4/5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Options For Selecting Flies:
1. Email us (sales@perfectflystore.com)
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. Email us (sales@perfectflystore.com)
with a budget for flies and we will select them to match the budget and get them to you in time for your fly fishing trip.
All orders are shipped free in the
U. S. Orders over $100 are shipped via Priority Mail.
Copyright 2016 James Marsh
Fly Fishing The Chattooga River In
North Carolina
The Chattooga River begins on Whiteside Mountain and flows from Cashiers Lake into South Carolina/Georgia at Ellicot Rock. Ellicot Rock is a rock that was placed to indicate the intersection of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. From that point on for forty miles south, the river becomes the border of South Carolina and Georgia.
The Chattooga River from state road #1100 bridge downstream to the South Carolina border is under the state of North Carolina’s wild trout – natural bait regulations. The lower part of the Upper Chattooga River lies within the upper part of Ellicot’s Rock
Wilderness Area. Just as a side note, this huge wilderness includes parts of three states. The Upper Chattooga is known for its Chattooga Cliffs and its gorge called the Upper Narrows.
The river can be reached via the Bull Pen Road off of state highway #107 south of Cashiers. A few miles out this road (#1178) you will find the old metal or iron bridge over the Chattooga River. The river can also be reached from Highlands North Carolina from taking U. S. highway #64 to state highway #109 and then south to Whiteside Cove Road. That puts you in the Nantahala National Forest where you can find the Chattooga River trailhead. For those that want to stay in the area can do so at the Ammons Branch
Campground that is located nearby the river on the small Ammons Branch tributary to the Chattooga.
The best way to access the stream in the gorge or in the Upper Narrows of the Chattooga River is also from the trailhead on Whiteside Cove Road, or the opposite end of the trail at the Iron Bridge on Bull Pen Road. The gorge section is as narrow as six feet in places. You
cannot fish through the gorge. The trail is above it and it is an impossible area to handle unless your a combination rock climber and angler.
This is a beautiful small to medium size stream that’s full of wild brown trout. It also has some rainbows but the brown trout seems to be king of the river. Most of them average about ten to twelve inches. The smaller ones do take dry flies quite well although I’m sure you would do better fishing wets or nymphs, especially for the larger ones.
The upper Chattooga River is lined with rhododendrons and mountain laurel. The river flows mostly over solid rock and where it doesn’t, the bottom consist of pure sand. It is full of boulders of all sizes including some that are huge. It is continuous short plunges and/or runs and pools usually about ten to not over twenty feet long. Unless there has been a heavy rain, the water is usually crystal clear. This makes it more difficult to
catch its brown trout on a clear day. Cloudy days are best. Fishing early and late in the date is also best if you want to catch its beautiful brown trout.