Highlands North Carolina Fly Fishing
Highlands Fly Fishing offers an awesome experience for North Carolina Trout. The mountains here offer some of the most incredible views and waterfalls of anywhere in the Southern Appalachians. As such, Highlands has equally impressive and unique Fly Fishing opportunities for mountain trout! Fly Fishing the Smokies offers guided fly fishing in Highlands North Carolina as both Wade Trips and Float Trips. Many of the trips we offer are unique just to the Highlands and Cashiers area.
For Reservations (828)-488-7665 or Book Online
Be sure to check out our Seasonal Specials!
2024 Fly Fishing Outfitter of the Year!
Fly Fishing the Smokies is the region’s premier guide service and fly shop with a well stocked outfitter store in downtown Bryson City North Carolina and an Outfitter location in Gatlinburg Tennessee. 6 time winner of Blue Ridge Outdoor Magazine’s Best of the Blue Ridge for top Fly Fishing Guide Service, and for top Fly Shop and Outfitter (2018-2022, 2024). Fly Fishing the Smokies also won the 2021 Best of the South from Southern Living Magazine.
Highlands Fly Fishing Guides
We guide anglers on Wade Trips in the Cullasaja River Gorge and it’s tributaries. The Cullasaja River Gorge is chocked full of spectacular waterfalls and plunges creating breathe taking backdrops. Here you will find mostly wild Rainbow and Brown Trout, and the occasional Brook trout in the small feeder streams. The resident Brown trout are long known for their unique deep colors and bright yellow bellies. Their wary nature make them incredible targets with a fly rod. Rainbow trout are plentiful and will grab any well placed flies that drift past. Dry fly fishing is great in the Spring through Fall season. Early Winter can be very rewarding when Brown trout get ready for spawning season. Aggressive large fish come up from the deep holes and move out into shallow to fatten up. Many a fine day can be had along the Cullasaja’s paths. The Cullasaja River offers a great place to challenge even the most skilled anglers. If your looking for some refreshing fun while vacationing near Highlands and Cashiers, give us a call. A Wade Trip on the Cullasaja River will fit the bill nicely.
Drift Boat Fishing
We offer special Float Trips tailored just for the water in Highlands. Lake Sequoyah is a beautiful small lake that is full of fish. Lake Sequoyah is home to Rainbow, and Brown Trout, plus Smallmouth bass, Largemouth bass, Perch, Crappie, many varieties of sunfish and the occasional catfish. We catch them all, and we do it fly fishing! The peacefulness on Lake Sequoyah is protected by a motor size limit with a no wake zone for most of the lake. What you don’t see is jet skis and the annoying pontoons cruising the lake. What you will see is eager fish on the end of you flies!
Highlands Trout Fishing
Highlands and Cashiers North Carolina both sit in close proximity to the mighty Tuckasegee River. The Tuckasegee River is home to the highest trout count per mile of river in the US. With 34,500 trout per mile in the Spring, the Tuck is a must fish when you are in the area! Fly Fishing the Smokies specializes in the guiding anglers on the Tuckasegee River offering both Wade Trips and Float Trips. Trout here range from 12-25 inches with the average fish being between 16-18 inches. The river is loaded up with Rainbow, Brown, and Brook trout along with Smallmouth Bass and Walleye among many other species. The North Carolina biologists say the Tuckasegee has more biomass than any river in the state. With 72 species of fish and a smorgasbord of good hatches there is plenty for fish to eat, and grow happy fat lives!
Summer Fishing Trips
We offer multiple seasonal specials for Summer Fly Fishing! Summer is when the Smoky Mountain trout bite hits it’s peak. Fantastic dry fly fishing for wild trout deep inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! These are the prettiest streams and most beautiful trout we have in the entire region! Our 2hr Fly Fishing Fun Trip is perfect for families and people on the go wishing to pack as many activities into their vacation as possible! We get you on the water chasing trout as quickly as possible to maximize your time in the mountains! Back by popular demand, our 5hr Summer Trout Special will have you hitting the top fisheries in the region during the best times of day. Or choose a 5hr Float Trip Special on the Tuckasegee River and catch trout and smallmouth bass from the comfort of drift boats and rafts on a western sized river!