Hot Springs, NC Fly Fishing

[HottyToddy]

Headed out to Hot Springs, NC in mid October for a wedding. Have all Saturday (until 5pm) and however long I want Sunday to try to FINALLY catch a trout with my fly rod. I've gone to the Clinch a couple of times out of Nashville and have had 0 luck at all.

Few questions:
- I understand Spring Creek gets stocked with trout, so that'll be my primary target. Any tips/sections/flies/etc would be appreciated. From what I'm gathering on a general search of western NC in October small dries are the ticket.
- Is the French Broad wadeable here? I checked the depth and flows, and it looks like it's sitting around 2-3', but I'm not sure about how much water is moving through it and if it's safe to wade. If it's safe, I'm sure I'll take a stab at smallmouth once I have caught a trout or two

Those are my primary targets due to proximity. I'm willing to drive 45 to an hour to another stream if it's significantly better than spring creek. Any and all tips/flies/sections of stream to focus would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Biggun4214]

I'm not sure you will find many trout in the French Broad around Hot Springs. Paint Creek in Greene County isn't too far from there.

 

[7mm08]

# 14 or 16 tan caddis on a 5x tippet. All you need! Enjoy.

 

[scn]

I was up in that area for many years and never heard much talk about Spring Cr.

If it is in your driving distance, this would be a better bet: https://www.google.com/search?gs_ss...651j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&bshm=rime/1

Or, Deep Cr over in Bryson City or any of the streams on the Cherokee Reservation. I suspect Cosby Cr. in TN would be better than Spring Cr., especially if you are having to buy a NC license to fish.

 

[HottyToddy]

I'm not sure you will find many trout in the French Broad around Hot Springs. Paint Creek in Greene County isn't too far from there.

Agree on French Broad. Seems like that'll be a secondary quest for smallmouth if I figure the trout thing out.

Paint creek looks plenty doable Saturday, or worst case Sunday headed back to Nashville. You've had good luck there?

 

[HottyToddy]

# 14 or 16 tan caddis on a 5x tippet. All you need! Enjoy.

Appreciate it!
Have you fished spring creek itself? Or just a general October E TN/ W NC recommendation?

 

[HottyToddy]

I was up in that area for many years and never heard much talk about Spring Cr.

If it is in your driving distance, this would be a better bet: https://www.google.com/search?gs_ss...651j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&bshm=rime/1

Or, Deep Cr over in Bryson City or any of the streams on the Cherokee Reservation. I suspect Cosby Cr. in TN would be better than Deep Cr., especially if you are having to buy a NC license to fish.

Appreciate all the info! Tuckasegee looks great, and will definitely keep in mind for Sunday on the way out

 

[Antler Daddy]

hot springs is n middle of nowhere...I remember driving out f it to Asheville and Somebody vomited on The curvy Road on the way out.

 

[Biggun4214]

Agree on French Broad. Seems like that'll be a secondary quest for smallmouth if I figure the trout thing out.

Paint creek looks plenty doable Saturday, or worst case Sunday headed back to Nashville. You've had good luck there?

Lots of folks fish Paint Creek, I think it's catch and release starting in October. As far as the French Broad if there were trout in it at Hot Springs then there would be trout in it at Del Rio.
With Paint Creek and some of the other tributaries being stocked very few trout are caught from the FB.
As far as Cosby Creek goes it's fished hardest by n the spring and there's very few access spots due to private property.

 

[redblood]

best of luck.

 

[Hitit9999]

I grew up in Bryson City, on Deep Creek, Fished it almost every day, and on the weekends went to Nantahala. This time of year, a yellow adams is deadly, the caddis like mentioned above, orange palmer and a small thunder head. 5 or 6x tippett. Post some pictures

 

[wildside]

great advice!

 

[7mm08]

Appreciate it!
Have you fished spring creek itself? Or just a general October E TN/ W NC recommendation?

A pattern that will work anywhere in the Smokies , Cherokee, Western NC throughout the spring , summer, and fall.

Trout in this area are opportunistic feeders and not picky like tailwater trout.

Back in the day when I loaded up for a summer of fishing the Smokies. Yes, I tied everyone of these

 

[HottyToddy]

I missed 9 fish before finally getting one, but I finally got one! Trout fishing kicks my ass up and down the street lol. elk hair caddis - size 16. I think it's a brook, is that right? Brook and brown are pretty much the same thing to my untrained eye.

 

[Setterman]

Brook trout. Glad you had some success