The melting snow in high elevations creates perfect trout habitat, giving anglers some of the best trout fishing combined with beautiful scenery anywhere to be found. This grows plenty of trout, and plenty of trophy sized fish as well. See also: Trout Fishing in Washington (WA)Ĭonsidered one of the best trout waters in the state, the river is trout heaven because of its high elevation and cold feeder creeks that come in from the mountains. It has plenty of easily accessible water with easily caught fish, as well as wild water for anglers looking for a challenge. The Watauga River is an excellent spot for both beginner and veteran anglers because it is a wide river and hatchery supported. Top Locations for Trout Fishing in North Carolina 1. How Much Is a Fishing License in Missouri.Where to Buy a Fishing License in North Carolina.When Does Trout Season Start in North Carolina.Top Locations for Trout Fishing in North Carolina.In deeper ponds, a split shot clamped on the line helps it run a little deeper. If nothing hits it as a top‑water lure, a slow retrieve back turns it into a shallow running (2- to 3-feet deep) crankbait. Cast it out, twitch it, and it dives down and returns to the service. It’s 2-inches long and is made of balsa wood, so it floats at rest. My last little nugget is the old tried-and-true Rapala Original Floating Minnow (model FO5). This is an excellent rig for newcomers to use. Soft stick baits like the Yamamoto Senko can be fished in the same manner, as well as rigged “wacky” style, which is through the middle of the bait and twitched back on the retrieve. If they’re not biting on the bottom I can re-rig without the weight and fish it at various depths as a “floating worm.” I’ll also use the conventional 6-inch Zoom worm in the same manner. My go-to favorite is a Zoom 4¾-inch Finesse Worm in June bug color rigged on a 1/0 offset-shank worm hook and an eighth-ounce bullet weight. I love fishing a Texas-rigged worm, but again, in ponds I’ll downsize a tad. Soft plastic worms and stick baits are versatile baits. When there’s a lot of surface vegetation (including mats of duck weed) a frog bait with a pointed nose like a Booyah Pad Crasher is a good choice. I use a loop knot to allow for more wiggle on the “bloop, bloop, pause” retrieve. Usually it’s a “chugger” type like a Rebel Pop-R. I love to throw a top-water lure early and late in the day. A big fish will eat a small lure, and light tackle makes small fish feel big and big fish feel bigger. I like to use smaller lures and light spinning rods when fishing ponds. In a pond with weeds and blowdowns, I’ll use a small one-eighth ounce or one-sixteenth ounce “safety pin” spinnerbait with one or two willow leaf blades. In a pond with no visible cover or structure, I’ll fan cast an in-line spinner like a Rooster Tail. First, when fishing an unfamiliar pond, I use a lure to “prospect” for them. Largemouth bass (which are actually in the sunfish family) are the most popular gamefish in the state, and I’ll share a few of my tactics for targeting them in ponds. A hook-caught bluegill or crappie can be cut up and used for bait. For catfish and bullheads, a simple Carolina rig and cut bait is fine. I usually put a small split-shot sinker above the hook to get the bait down quickly. I prefer a weighted oval-shaped bobber, as it is easier to cast. If pan fish are your target, a tub of red wigglers, earthworms or a tube of crickets are good baits. The first step in pond fishing is securing permission to fish it, if on private property. From municipal ponds to golf course ponds to country farm ponds, there’s usually one close by. Ponds are pretty ubiquitous across the Carolina landscape. That being said, there’s something about small pond fishing that has a grand appeal. Thousands of miles of mountain trout streams combined with thousands of reservoirs and rivers give Tar Heel anglers myriad opportunities to chase dozens of species of game and non-game fish alike. North Carolina is blessed with some fine freshwater fishing. (Above, left to right) Texas-rigged plastic worm, Zoom floating worm, Rooster Tail, Rebel Pop-R, spinnerbait, Rapala Original Floating Minnow and wacky-rigged Senko
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