To me, this is the most exciting thing I’ve done since I started my guide service back in 2010….a new offering….in a new region of the south in the beautiful Southern Appalachian Mountains. About 8 years ago, I fell in love with floating rivers for smallmouth bass. Until then, the only mountain fishing I had ever done was for trout in various mountain streams, mostly for wild fish in small, higher elevation, remote streams. Smallmouth fishing is nothing like trout fishing. It’s bass fishing any way you cut it….throwing big flies longer distances with very little finesse or even accuracy. It’s rough and tough fly fishing, much like saltwater fly fishing. If punching big poppers underneath large overhanging limbs and trying to get that bug within a foot of the bank is your thing, then fly fishing for smallmouth is for you. That’s not the only scenario you might encounter. Just a short distance down the river, I might tell you to grab those spinning rods and make long casts across the river downstream of a whitewater ledge, where dozens or more hungry smallmouth might be waiting in ambush for your 5″ weedless Zoom Super Fluke Jr. or 4″ Z-man Scented Jerk Shadz or big old noisy topwater lure. The variety of techniques that can be used to maximize your catch on a mountain river can be as varied as the river itself, and that is what I love the most about river fishing as opposed to fishing in a lake, where there is no current. The changing character of the river can dictate how you fish and is often the way your float experience is defined. Every float is different, and the same float can be different as water levels change.
For river float fishing in the summer, we utilize a two-raft system. Rafts are the most versatile fishing crafts on mountain rivers, as they are best at accessing optimal smallmouth habitat, which is often rock gardens, ledges, and up to Class III rapids. We have one full size 14′ raft with a fishing frame, rower’s seat, and 2 anglers’ seats in the front and back, each with lean bars for stable fishing while standing. The other raft is a smaller 3 person raft, much narrower and lighter than the full size raft. In the mid to late summer, the base flow in the rivers is often much lower due to less cumulative precipitation. The smaller raft enables us to take advantage of lower late summer flows, more concentrated fish, and more remote, less pressured water with more limited access.
To be most versatile in changing flow conditions throughout the summer, we river multiple rivers across Western NC, East TN, and Southwest Virginia. Some of those include well known fisheries such as the French Broad, Nolichucky, and New Rivers. Other rivers are less talked about, and we intend to keep it that way. You’ll just have to come find out for yourself. Multi-boat trips for groups larger than two can be arranged.
Full Day 8 Hour Trips are $650. We generally start around 8 a.m. and finish up around 4 p.m, although some floats may be longer. They include a full sit down shore lunch, which will surely be remembered and will be one of the highlights of your day.
Available Dates Summer 2024: (I recommend at least 2 days to make the travel time worthwhile)
May 23-24, May 29-June7, June 14-17, 20-23, July 13-17, 22-26, Aug. 9-14, 17-23
I’ve booked about 1/4 of my available dates so far, so it’s never too early to make your reservation for the summer.
