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North Carolina Trout Quest Trip – May 3-7 2017
Trip Coordinators areMike Redmond & Jim Neckers
Mike: Cell 937-554-2371 email
Jim: Cell 513-254-7901 email
To register for this trip use the BUFF on line registration at () and pay a $145 deposit by April 15. Write your $145 deposit check to “2017”Spring Trout Quest Trip C/O Michael Redmond. Checks only. No cash please. I need your name, Phone No. and/or cell, and e-mail address. Deadline to register is April 15, 2017. Two cabins are reserved with capacity for 16 folks unless couples sign up, then we can handle a few more.
Trip Description / North Carolina Trout Quest (Formerly known as the spring Nantahala trip)We’ll be fishing on our own, self-guided, unless you prefer to hire a guide yourself. The Nantahala and Tuckasegee Riversin the area are stocked and have delayed Harvest regulations. There is a trophy water section on the Cherokee Reservation that you will need an extra permit to fish. Several other streams in the park offer wild trout, such as Deep Creek, Forney Creek, Indian Creek, Noland Creek, Socco Creek, and Oconaluftee River are nearby and accessible. You will likely catch brown and rainbow trout and some brook trout. No shortage of trout fishing here.
The stocking of fish for the month of May is scheduled for the week prior or during the week we are there. We will make sure that any new fly fishermen or folks new to the area are paired up with someone that has experience with both fly fishing and the area. We encourage folks to travel and fish with at least one partner for safety.
A $145 deposit will be required to hold your trip reservation.The accommodations are excellent, reasonably priced and well located, relative to the Tuckasegee and the Nantahala Rivers.
Lodging / The cabins are located in between the Nantahala and the Tuckasegee Rivers, just a short drive off of U.S. Rt. 74, in the Bryson City area. We have two cabins reserved. The cabins are located at Smoky Mountain Retreat (
At this time we have 16 beds available.We can accommodate 16 folks or a few more if couples sign up and share one bed. If we have more sign ups than beds, the folks that sign up late may have to make arrangements for their own accommodation elsewhere.If we have overflow folks, we will try to provide information about alternate accommodations.
The price depends on how many guests actually stay in each cabin. The price is estimatedat $35per person per night depending on how many are staying in the cabins. The cabins are reserved from Wednesday May 3 thru Saturday May 6, and final checkout is the morning of May 7. Each cabin has sleeping areas in somewhat different configurations, a complete kitchen, dining area, great room, fireplace, and a covered front porch.
We have a $150 deposit, and must leave the cabins in good shape, any damage will result in extra cost. There is a change this year. The resort has hired a cleaning service which will clean the facilities and change linens. There are towels and wash cloths provided, and are facilities to do laundry during our stay. This results in a slightly higher cost than in the past, but it is still a great value. This change will allow us to get on the water earlier Sunday morning if we wish to fish on our way home.
Lodge address: Smoky Mountain Retreat Vacation Rentals
51 Green Valley Acres
Bryson City, NC 28713
(828) 488-6347
Directions
To Lodging / To Smoky Mountain Retreat and Settlers Mountain:
Directions: I-75 to I-640 East around Knoxville to I-40. From I-40: Take Exit 27 (to Western Carolina University and Maggie Valley), which puts you on 74 West. Take 74 West as the main road coming to the cabin. Take Exit 64 (Alarka Road) and turn left at end of the exit and cross the overpass. Go up Alarka Road for approximately 1-1/2 miles to a country grocery (it is a yellow building). At the store, give a left turn signal as the road turns left in the curve just past the store (East Alarka Road). Approximately 0.4 miles on East Alarka Road to gravel drive, turn left on gravel drive (Green Valley Acres) and then take the next drive on left, which is their drive. Office is located in their house. The total time depends on the route you take, but the travel time is approximately 6 hours. Once we know who is attending, we will e-mail you a map to the cabins.
Schedule / Wednesday is a travel day unless you wish to travel at on a different schedule. You can fish on the way to the cabins or check in and then do a little fishing. Thursday through Saturday pick the stream you want to fish, and go for it. Sunday morning is check out. If you are new to fly fishing or to this area and want an experienced partner, we will make sure someone is available to help you.
Meals / Everyone is on their own for meals! Use the kitchen, go out, or bring in Pizza or KFC, it’s up to you. Bryson City is nearby and offers some local eateries, and fast food chains. There is a supermarket in Bryson City, about a 10 minute drive from the cabins. We can coordinate for evening meals, and or breakfast as desired. Lunch is usually somewhere on a riverbank, so plan accordingly. We will have one group dinner on Saturday evening. We will develop this plan and advise as we near the trip departure.
Registration / If interested, please contact Mike Redmond at:
- 937 554 2371
Equipment / Waders, Rain Jacket, Fishing Hat, Sunglasses, Landing net, Nippers, Hemostats, Split shot, Strike Indicators, Floatant, Camera, etc. Bring clothing suitable for fall, and items that will layer well. The weather could be very nice or cold and wet. The mornings will likely be cool and crisp. Afternoons may be sunny and warm. Anything from long johns under your waders, to shorts at the cabin in the afternoon is possible. Wading and accessing these streams can be very tricky, felt soles are advised, a wading staff is a must, and even inflatable “SOS are advisable.
Rods: 3-6 Wt. rods will fish well. Bring two if possible, just in case one gets eaten by a screen door or ceiling fan. Floating line and 8’-10’ leaders are adequate to fish these streams. Tippets of 5X-7X are recommended.
Suggested Flies:
Nymphs: in sizes 14 & 18; Bead Head Prince, Gold Ribbed Hares Ear Ear’s, Zebra Nymph’s, Sow Bugs, Scuds, Golden Stonefly, Small Black Stonefly, Caddis Pupa, Copper Johns in copper, green, red, black, etc.
Streamers: in sizes 6 thru10; Muddler Minnows, Mallard Minnow’s, Black, White or Olive Bead Head Wooly Buggers with flash and rubber legs, Grays White, Girdle Bugs, Bitch Creek, Clouser Minnows etc.
Dry Flies: in sizes16 thru 20; Parachute Adams, Blue Wing Olive, Elk Hair Caddis, Deer hair Emerger, McGinty’s, Quill Gordon’s, etc. Griffiths Gnat in size 18-22. “Hi-Vis” parachute dries are recommended.
Soft hackle Wet Flies often work well especially as a dropper beneath a dry fly. Orange or green are good colors.
Terrestrials: Ants, Beetles, Hoppers, Foam Spiders, June Bugs and San Juan Worms.
Fly Tying / There is ample room for fly tying, so bring your stuff, and don’t forget a tying light if you have one. The lighting at the dinner table is not very good for tying.
License / To purchase your North Carolina Fishing License on line, Visit can look at or download a copy of N.C. Hunting/Fishing license regulations at You will need anInland, non-residence fishing license and a trout stamp. Annual license are valid for one year from date of purchase. Short term license are valid for dates listed on license. There is a Wal-Mart in Silva, NC that will also have North Carolina Fishing License. The North Carolina license is also good in Smoky Mountain National Park including parts that are in Tennessee.Don’t forget a Trout Stamp!
Flyshops / Last minute supplies can be purchased at the Tuckasegee River Fly Show in downtown Bryson City, the Orvis shop in Pigeon Forge, the Waynesville Fly Shop (new shop in the heart of old Waynesville) or at a couple of gas stations on US 74 between Bryson Cityand Silva. There are also a couple of fly shops in Cherokee, NC. But, it is best to have what you need with you when you come.
Revised: Feb. 16, 2017 File Name: 2017N.C. Trout Quest Spring Trip Description