NL Wilson WoolyBlogger®

This was the case on February 14th. The day started out crisp and calm with about 4 inched of snow that fallen two days prior piled on the riverbanks. The morning started slowly and we were having trouble getting a good drift with the about of ice floating in the river. However, in the gin-clear water below, the trout didn’t seem to mind the cold. They were in the feeding lanes and actively picking off passing nymphs. Before noon the sun was high enough in the sky to melt the ice and warm the anglers. Just before we had to get out of the water for lunch we landed a nice rainbow. With angling pressure lighter in this cooler weather the fish seemed less disturbed by our presence and perhaps even more willing to take a well-presented fly. Meanwhile closer to the home office back at the Biltmore Estate, the ponds and lakes are starting to warm up, bringing the fish out of their winter dormancy. As we go into March, our resident crappie fanatic, Kieran, will be spending countless hours searching for these scrappy panfish. The crappie will start to school up during the pre-spawn and readily take small streamers once they have been located. In addition to the crappie becoming active the largemouth bass will start to move, taking baitfish imitations presented slow and deep over structure. There’s nothing like knowing that the next cast might bring a 10lb monster from is cold weather lair. I can’t speak for everyone but this fly angler has spring fever. Come by and check out the year round action to be found in western North Carolina. Fish hard, fish safe, and play by the rules. Tight lines. See you on the water, Nate