Cast to prime targets and twitch the lure gently, then let it rest. Rivers are home to some of the best smallmouth bass fishing on the planet. The French Broad River is a smallmouth anglers dream. If you want to go a bit lower in the water column—bridging the gap between surface and shallow—try thin minnow plugs such as the Rapala Floating Minnow. Like a lot of areas in North Carolina and the southeastern US, the French Broad River received record amounts of precipitation in 2018 and 2019 has started out … Downsize Soft Plastics. Working these baits in slight current near rock rubble and other cover is very effective. The French Broad is a freestone river which starts south of Asheville and narrowly winds through Asheville City Limits and on North into Tennessee and into Lake Douglas. Don’t miss a chance to fish undercut banks, fallen trees, weed beds, deep holes, and eddies. The action picks up again around mile marker 20 with a put-in at Hap Simpson Park. With mild to wild water, it has all types of scenic floats- including a smallmouth section that floats through the whitewater section of the river … French Broad River | Smallmouth Fishing | Late Fall - YouTube Smallmouth Lures; Fly Fishing; Tackle Shop; Habitat; Bass Pros; Ev Smallmouth Store; Home. Probe deeper pools, runs, undercut banks, and ledges, bouncing the lures off rocks and logs to draw instinct-strikes from bass waiting in ambush. Family Friendly Float Trips down the French Broad River. The Catawba Angler, 750 Ebenezer Church Road, Old Fort, NC, 28762, United States. Burning these baits along rock piles and weed edges is very effective. Bright colored jigs, grubs, and lures work great for this tasty and sought-after species. 17” Rainbow Trout. He has won many awards for his writing. Top colors include pumpkinseed, smoke, watermelon, motor oil, and chartreuse. Top Rated Seller Top Rated Seller +C $26.30 shipping estimate. Gerald Almy has been a full-time outdoor writer for over 35 years, with articles published in over 200 publications. He has written hunting and fishing columns for many newspapers both in Virginia and Texas, as well as the Washington Post. Stock a few that specifically imitate crayfish—a prime smallmouth food. All rights reserved. Surprise catch on the French Broad. With some of the most beautiful scenery in the Appalachians, the French broad river provides some of the greatest smallmouth bass fishing and Muskie fishing in north Carolina or Tennessee. Dr. Hata which a big smallmouth from the French Broad. We here at watermanatwork.com do a lot of smallmouth bass fishing on the Columbia River and it’s tributaries and have a pretty good idea what works and what doesn’t. Our guides are industry-leading professionals that have helped design the perfect guided fishing experience for both musky and smallmouth bass. The secret to consistently catching smallmouth from rivers is being comfortable fishing in current. Our guides are prepared for any water situation so YOU will be successful on the water. Favorite Bass: Largemouth & Smallmouth Favorite Lake or River Turning out to be a lifestyle of chasing whatever is available wherever I end up, spent time on the Mississippi, the Columbia, Toledo Bend, Lake Fork, the Tennessee River, a crapload of little lakes in MN, don't often get to fish the same spot very often, so I can't really claim a "favorite" body of water really. Big Summer smallmouth You don’t have to “match the hatch” for smallmouth, but simply find out if the fish are in the mood for topwater, and then present them with one of a few favorite offerings. Thick monofilament and large lures might have worked in the spring, but now it’s time for 4- to 6- pound line, light rods, and down-sized baits. Twitch it again and wait. Other shallow running baits include stickbaits from XCalibur, Smithwick, Bomber and Rapala. Boat control is the key factor in being able to present rigs properly and naturally, as well as adding weight to reach the desired depths for bottom-contact baits. A modest selection of lures will serve you well on smallmouth water throughout the country, anywhere from the Susquehanna in Pennsylvania to the Snake in Idaho. North Carolina Smallmouth Bass Christopher Smith Aug 25, 2013 1. The largest smallmouth I've heard of in the north measured 23 inches. Every year since the floods in 2004, the French Broad River has seen its Smallmouth Bass population grow in both size and numbers. Spinner baits can be productive and fuchsia, black or red are good colors to try. When the sun bears down relentlessly, few types of fishing offer more soothing relief than casting to river smallmouth. Freshwater Shrimp (Orange & Black) 1 - 1/16 oz. Don't forget The 5 Lures Smallmouth Can't Resist. Grubs work best of all. Fishing from shore can be just as productive. Habitat & Distribution. An average Northern Ontario smallmouth bass weighs from a pound to two pounds, and will measure 15 or 16 inches. Also be on the watch for fish swirling. While anglers can fish for smallmouth bass in reservoirs and lakes, fishing streams and … The French Broad River provides an excellent habitat for growing large smallmouth. I heard there's lots of smallmouth in the French broad. Learn How to Battle Florida Cold Fronts. The river never fishes the same two days in a row so we enjoy the challenge of figuring out what the bass are keying in on. This is the home for muskies, suckers, and a few smallmouth bass. Check out some of our best catches on the river in 2020! The French Broad is the largest and most productive smallmouth bass and musky river in North Carolina. Try them on top first, twitching and darting the lure chaotically like a minnow in its death throes. Competition days will be Oct. 29-31 with daily takeoffs from TVA Cherokee Dam Boat Launch at 7:45 a.m. Smallmouth Bass on French Broad River – April 27, 2012. But it’s important to customize the offerings to suit the low river levels and glassy water typical of summer and early fall. The French Broad River flows out of western north Carolina for 213 miles winding through downtown Asheville along the way and eventually into east Tennessee into the Holston river. 17” Rainbow Trout. Home / Fly Fishing Products / Rods / Smallmouth Bass on French Broad River – April 27, 2012. If you’ve never fished for smallmouth join us on the French Broad River. This is one of the oldest rivers in the world and holds some of the best smallmouth bass fishing and musky fishing on the east coast. Heading South to Fish? Fluke. ET. Even large dry flies will catch smallies during some of the significant mayfly hatches on the French Broad. River smallmouth often seem to be everywhere, but you’ll draw more strikes and bigger fish by concentrating on certain types of cover during summer and early fall. Packing a variety of sizes and colors is the best laid plan. Not all the lures below will work everyplace, everyday, but as a fisherman, what lures to use where and when is what it’s all about. French Broad River Fishing Forecast 2019. Time left 6d left. Rig them on a 1/16- to 1/8-ounce round jighead or Carolina-style … There is a lot of water to cover in the French Broad so a fast action rod and heavy lures for long casting can … How To Catch Fall Smallmouth Bass 101 Fall is here and it’s one of my favorite times of the year because it’s transition fishing time for fall smallmouth bass . Beyond mile marker 5 the river takes on a different character. This includes learning how to read a river, understanding the influence of current on smallmouth location and being able to effectively fish flowing water. Trophy smallmouth fishing here in western N.C. 4-5 pound smallmouth aren’t uncommon in the French Broad. If that doesn’t produce, reel back slow and steady. This is a given, and we know you’ve been waiting for it! A slamming strike is likely. Smallmouth Fishing in Western North Carolina During your smallmouth guided trip you will fish for smallmouth using light spin tackle and/or fly fishing. The French Broad River Fishing Forecast for 2019 looks excellent. White Bass feast mostly on baitfish, crayfish and the offspring of other predatory fish like the largemouth bass. Both cities are very close to where we will be fishing and provide an array of fun things to do after our trip. Rig them on a 1/16- to 1/8-ounce round jighead or Carolina-style on a size 4-8 hook, 18- to 24-inches behind a split shot and swivel. What? Planning to pursue smallmouth in your local lake? Stream Report for Asheville and WNC: UPDATED EVERY FRIDAY: April 2012. These fish put up the best fight on light tackle. JEFFERSON COUNTY, Tenn. — Smallmouth and largemouth bass both abound on Cherokee Lake, but Bassmaster Elite Series pro David Mullins believes it’ll take a mix of both to excel when the Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open visits this Holston River reservoir. The French Broad is suitable for beginners and experienced anglers. One fish as was 22″ and 5lbs and the other a 20″ smallmouth that was 4lbs. Only experienced boaters should try these cold, turbulent waters. Grubs work best of all. White Bass can be found in a large distribution ranging from the Mississippi drainage in the northern United States to central Canada through the red river into Lake Winnipeg. Host Nathan Light and Pro Staffer Barry Loupe fish the French Broad River, just below Douglas Dam, in Sevierville, TN. From United States. It has a North and a South Fork. Bass of 18 inches are very respectable and a bass of 20 inches is definitely trophy material. Urban Smallmouth Fishing in downtown Asheville. Brand New. Best Part of the French Broad River for Smallmouth This is a common question we get as fishing guides. Soft plastic jerkbaits work great for summer and fall smallies because of their erratic, life-like motion and pliable feel once a fish grabs them. How Mike McClelland Turns Cold Water Fish Into a Hot Bite! The river is full of smallmouth and you always have an opportunity at catching your personal best here. Fishing for bass in current is a whole new ball game in comparison to where I typically spend my days, targeting bass on lakes. Natu- ral baits such as hellgrammites, salamanders, minnows, and crayfish fished in stream current breaks and back eddies under a small split-shot weight are highly effective presentations. The Catawba Angler was voted the best fishing guide service in McDowell County for 2019 and 2020. If you are looking to book a smallmouth float trip down the French Broad River it would be best to stay in Asheville or Black Mountain. The smallmouth bass is highly concentrated in the Frenchbroad River, Nolichucky, Tuckasegee and Little Tennessee rivers. All pages © 2012 – 2020 BPS Direct, L.L.C. Probe deeper pools, runs, undercut banks, and ledges, bouncing the lures off rocks and logs to draw instinct-strikes from bass waiting in ambush. We’ve been devoting a lot of time here the past few years and we’ve seen how special this river can be. New Listing 9" ERC Double D Suspending Smallmouth Bass Musky Crankbait Lure. FBM holds private guided trips on the French Broad River in Asheville, NC and the Nolichucky in Erwin, TN. french broad river. Pause next to rocks, ledges, or logjams so the lure sinks briefly. Hellgrammite (Brown) 1 - 1/8 oz. The French Broad River below Douglas Dam has long been the place to be for sauger, walleye, and crappie. French Broad Musky is a year-round guide service for musky and smallmouth anglers. When smallmouth are hovering on or near the river bed, few lures can top a soft plastics rigged with enough weight to crawl over the rocks and ledges. Typical bass flies such as poppers, clouser minnows, and crayfish patterns work well on this river during specific times of the year. Finally, when the French Broad pushes north and west toward its terminus, the more plentiful smallmouth are joined by catfish and white and spotted bass. Trophy smallmouth fishing here in western N.C. 4-5 pound smallmouth aren’t uncommon in the French Broad. We get a lot of requests asking what smallmouth bass lures we use. Because of the variety of river bottom types, the French Broad can be a difficult river to wade. Smallmouth Bass Fishing on the French Broad River near Asheville has picked up recently due to water and weather conditions stabilizing. He has written two books on fishing and contributed chapters to a number of hunting books. The French Broad River fishes best from downtown Asheville all the way to Hot Springs, North Carolina. The South Fork is the more popular. The most popular smallmouth bass fisheries are the New River, French Broad and The Little Tennessee. I found a decent put in at riverside business park, but there's one that goes through the Baltimore estate, but it flows a little fast for me. french broad river. Rigged them Texas-style or with multiple exposed hooks if snags aren’t a problem. Browsing Tag. 0 bids. Although very different in appearance, we put these two lures together because they are both power fishing lures. Smallmouth bass in the Carolinas?Heck yea! Hellgrammite (Crawfish) 1 - 1/4 oz. You can use a canoe or johnboat to get into fresh, untapped stretches, but plan on wet wading at least part of the day to keep the heat at bay. We enjoy catching these river bass on a variety of different methods which can be jigging soft plastics or throwing topwater lures. C $23.04. June, July, and August on the French Broad River offers the best time for fly anglers to catch smallmouth on poppers, and larger dry fly patterns such as cicadas and grasshoppers. I heard October is the best, but summer is good too. Smallmouth bass favor rock ledges, eddies, grass beds and log james. The French Broad River fishes best from April to October! The river presents ledges, eddys, and boulders that create the perfect habitat for big bass. But an assortment of soft bait and grubs and 1/4-1/2oz heads is a must for any season. You can also try small versions of the same lures you use for largemouth, as well as the mini-crankbaits made by Rebel and Yo-Zuri. Crankbaits and spinnerbaits are very popular smallmouth lures when fish are active. On a recent trip Appalachian Bronzeback Adventures boated 2 citation smallmouth. In a nutshell, that’s what fishing for smallmouth on the Broad River is all about — looking for changes, whether it’s eddies near current, boulders dispersed across a flat bottom, rapids near slack water, wooden cover, weeds along the bottom — any place where one meets another is an ideal spot to fish. Bronzebacks often feed on top when water temps are high—chasing damsel and dragonflies, nabbing grasshoppers, sipping in large mayflies, and slashing at baitfish. French Broad River. Poppers sometimes work, too, and a small black Jitterbug can be deadly at night. Ugly Bug (Chartreuse) 2 - 1/4 oz. Crankbaits and Spinnerbaits. Hellgrammite (Brown) 10 pieces hand-selected as the best Gapen river fishing lures, jigs that go down and bring up the smallmouth. The white fluke is probably the most … Crank baits in a crawdad pattern are always a staple, and jointed Rapala and stick baits are always a good bet in the warm seasons. If this doesn’t produce, try the same tactic a few feet below the surface. 1 - 1/4 oz. Weigh … It could be a single bass nabbing a shiner or a school of three-pounders waiting to do battle. Family Friendly Float Trips down the French Broad River. If you’ve never fished for smallmouth join us on the French Broad River. Slow moving water and sand bottom make for marginal at best trout fishing but an occasional smallmouth bass or chain pic kerel can be found holding on structure like down logs and trees. Strike King Rage Single Curly Tail RGGRUB4-83 Hot Chartreuse 4 Inch Lures… Surprise catch on the French Broad. When smallmouth are hovering on or near the river bed, few lures can top a soft plastics rigged with enough weight to crawl over the rocks and ledges. In 2008, a feature he developed for Field & Stream and wrote for five years called “Best Days of the Rut,” was nominated for…, 12 Best Trout Fishing Flies That Go-Anywhere (video), 10 Things to Know Before Building a Fishing & Hunting Farm Pond, Dependable Early Spring Crankbaits for All Game Fish (video), Dawn-to-Dusk Summer Smallmouth Bass Strategies. While there are many different access points and multiple variables to consider, our guides have put together a quick list of best places to fish for smallmouth, musky and trout on the French Broad river. This big smallmouth from the French Broad River fell victim to a spinnerbait in high, stained water. A wide variety of river bottom types give the fish more then enough room and variety for both habitation and spawning. Four-inch plastic worms are another great choice. North Carolina smallies. Weighted flukes and swimbaits can become deadly offerings as … Two top picks include a prop lure such as a Heddon Tiny Torpedo or a stickbait like a small Zara Puppy. Our float trips are specifically customized to our anglers preferences and we are dedicated to making your trip enjoyable. When the water starts to cool down in mid to late September, the fall smallmouth start to feed up for the winter months. The New River is one of the most well known North Carolina rivers for smallmouth bass. Best from April to October to some of the most well known North Carolina rivers for smallmouth and. Chaotically like a small black Jitterbug can be deadly at night a single bass nabbing a or... Small black Jitterbug can be jigging soft plastics or throwing topwater lures trip. Again around lures for smallmouth bass in french broad river marker 20 with a put-in at Hap Simpson Park darting lure! 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