Asheville, North Carolina

As summer fades with the lengthening of shadows, cool mornings and hot dry afternoons predominate the weather patterns in the Southern Appalachian mountains surrounding Asheville, North Carolina. From these mountains flow cold streams teeming with brook, brown, and rainbow trout. As the streams leave their heights and flow down into the French Broad valley trout give way to warmer water species such as Musky and Smallmouth Bass.

On this late summer/early fall morning Doctor Miller and I shoved off an unnamed bank in pursuit of smallmouth bass. A thick mist blocked the first rays of morning sun and filled the boat with the ever present fishing emotions of hope and promise. The water low and clear from the subsiding of thunderstorms, that are a near daily occurrence in these mountains during the summer, allowed the guide and angler the advantage and pleasure of seeing the river bottom in great and rare detail. Every boulder, stone, pebble, ledge, bedrock, and drop-off lay before us. Bait fish swam in nervous groups, frogs chirped on the banks, turtles crawled along the bottom in the sandy or mucky places. Thick lines of foam gathered by the currents drifted downstream of the boat offering strong suggestions in this target rich environment.

An angler hooks up on a later summer smallmouth on the French Broad River. Asheville, North Carolina

An angler makes a long cast with a fly to a likely looking spot on the French Broad River near Asheville, North Carolina.

As cool mornings do, the action started out slow. We offered boogle bugs, Mr. Wigglies, and a few streamers to likely looking spots and picked up respectable smallies at a respectable pace, but this was not why we were here. As the sun broke above the tops of the trees and warmed our faces and shoulders cicadas began to buzz and hum, bait moved to more sheltered areas, and frogs plopped near the banks. Piscivorous birds swooped overhead and threw their shadows on the skittish fish. Along the banks the overhanging limbs of oaks and sycamores offered shade and security for fish large and small. ‘

As we floated searching the bottom for signs of life with a sunken fly a familiar sound broke the mid-morning innocuous conversation. Along the right bank deep tones of smallmouth eating from the top of the water let us know it was time to change flies, tactics and focus. This was why we’re here. Placing an anchor quietly and listening and looking for more action we switch to a deer hair diver that would mimic the sound and commotion we had just witnessed. Moving down river again, Dr. Miller began placing long accurate casts to the shadows along the bank and was immediately rewarded with an aggressive eat from a fine specimen.

Smallmouth bass on top water flies in the French Broad River near Asheville, North Carolina.

Another fine Smallmouth from the French Broad River near Asheville, North Carolina.

The day continued much the same until the excitement of hitting the conditions right gave way to the guilt and weariness associated with catching of far too many, far to0 fine fish in a far too challenging way. Neither Dr. Miller nor I could ever be described as tempered when it comes to the amount of time we want to spend on the water; or the number of large, strong smallmouth that we want to see eat on top and come to the boat. That being said, even gluttons such as ourselves can at times recognize that satiating feeling of enough is enough. We both acknowledged as much and then continued to catch a few more until finally Dr. Miller reeled up his line, clipped his fly from the leader, handed it back to me to return to its place in the box and took a seat.

We pushed to the take out past some fine looking water that I’m sure would have produced a few more.

Heath Cartee is owner of PISGAH OUTDOORS, a fly fishing guide service based out of Pisgah Forest, North Carolina near the towns of Asheville and Brevard. You can learn more about Heath and PISGAH OUTDOORS at https://www.pisgahoutdoors.com

September Fly Fishing on The French Broad River