The Nantahala River

The Nantahala River is an excellent classroom for beginners.

There are 2 main sections of the river. These 2 sections are separated by a power plant. Above the power plant there are numerous stocked fish at certain times of the year, and a plentiful amount of wild fish year round. 

The upper river is under delayed harvest regulations. That means that from the first of October through the first Saturday of June it’s catch and release, single-hook artificial only! At the powerhouse, a large pipe brings water down from Nantahala Lake. This is a tailwater, so the water is very cold year round, which is wonderful for excellent populations of wild fish. This section holds the current North Carolina state record brown trout at a whopping 24 lbs. 10 ounces!! This section is one of the most technical rivers in the area, and the wild rainbows are some of the most beautiful fish anywhere around. 

While fishing here you will enjoy being surrounded by the steep mountain terrain of the Nantahala Gorge. It is a wonderful setting and one of the prettiest rivers that we fish. 

We would be happy to take you on a guided fly fishing trip to this river. It is located near the towns of Murphy, Hayesville, Andrews, Topton, Franklin, Bryson City, Robinsville, Cherokee, and Whittier. The close counties to the Nantahala River are Clay, Macon, Jackson, Swain, and Graham.