1.) I just received an email from one of the coordinators of Project Healing Waters asking If I would mention and put a link up on my blog to the PHW website. Of course I replied saying yes. I've seen PHW on TV (I can't remember where though). It is a great organization and it is all for a great cause. Here is the link and all about what Project Healing Waters is and who they are...

1.) It has been pretty hot across the Carolinas or from a larger view, the southern US. Storms are starting to roll out of the mountains and move closer to the Charlotte Metro area, as of now, they don't look to bad, but they could gain some steam as they rumble across I-77 and the Catawba River.

2.) Fishing is turning out to be outstanding in most places. Delayed Harvest streams are winding to close next Saturday. Us catch and release fisherman call it "Bloody Saturday". The catch and keep fisherman grab their share..."Kill and Grill"...The Roaring Fork in Stone Mountain SP, South Mountain DH streams, the Mitchell River, Tuckaseegee, and all other DH rivers will soon be devoid of trout. Catch and Release portions like the Hatchery Section on the Davidson are an angler's best bet for the rest of the year. I may try to get in one last fishing trip to the Mitchell River DH this Sunday afternoon to fish it for the last time until next Winter. If you want to know what flies are working for the month/next month, check out the updated WNC/Smokies hatch chart over on the left hand column.

3.) I don't now why, but I have seen a lot of snakes around lately. A 3 ft Kingsnake was taking refuge out of the sun and heat in some shade adjacent to the Agricultural Dept. at my school earlier today. We were out working around the barn a few weeks ago and a small brown snake (don't know what kind) slithered through the grass. I'm not the biggest fan of snakes...I don't mind them being there, but I would rather not come into contact with them. They're beneficial in the ecosystem, as they eat all of the mice and rats though.

4.) I'm finally able to start updating more. I just completed the finishing touches on my Business Plan for my fly shop which will be established in West Yellowstone, MT. The name of the shop is Tyler Legg's West Yellowstone Angler...It'll probably be a while until it opens (decade or two!!...)

5.) Thanks for stopping by and reading. Everyone have a great evening and weekend.

1.) It's 80 degrees and pretty muggy outside. Isn't it always this time of year until mid-late Fall? The low pressure that has created a moisture transport for the Carolinas has finally started to move on out of the Midwest. The 10 day for Asheville shows that the weather looks to be perfect for trout fishing. Upper 70's and low 80's for the next week in Asheville means slightly cooler temps up higher. After all of the continuous rain stopped (there is still scattered showers and storms, but not all day) the rivers up in the high country should start to recede once sunny skies prevail.

Here is the latest USGS Real Time water levels:

Davidson River @ Brevard: 594 cfs (average is 135)
South Toe River @ Celo: 1,750 cfs (average is 156)...S. Toe is extremely high currently.
Nantahala River @ Rainbow Springs: 424 cfs (average is 207)
Watauga River @ Sugar Grove: 496 cfs (average is 166 cfs)
Tuckasegee River @ Bryson City: 2, 580 cfs (average is 1,570)
Oconaluftee River @ Birdtown: 488 cfs (Average is 464 cfs)
Cataloochee Creek @ Cataloochee: 111 cfs (average is 100 cfs)
Roaring River @ Roaring River, NC: 943 cfs (average is 595 cfs)
Mitchell River @ State Road: 983 cfs (average is 412 cfs)
French Broad River @ Blantyre: 3, 430 cfs (average is 2,940 cfs) (The French Broad is on the verge of flooding according to the USGS and the NWS Floodstage levels. Gauge height is approximately 15.4 ft. Floodstage is 16 ft. Don't know if the river's gauge is broken or in working order...

2.) With all of the high water, big nymphs and streamers will work best, but Green Weenies, San Juan Worms, and attractor dries may also work in most places. You may get away with 3x-4x tippet.

1.) It's currently in the upper 70's to low 80's across the Piedmont, with lower to mid 70's up in the mountains. The high and swift streams in the mountains are finally receding, and fishing should become increasingly better. Earlier in the week, low temperatures took a nose dive to the mid 30's. The mountains saw a light freeze and to my knowledge a light frost. Frost equals no grasshoppers, so if a frost did occur in some places, the majority of the hoppers are dead now. Early-mid June will probably mark the beginning of hopper season for us fly fisherman. Nymphs have been very consistent, but evening hatches of Light Cahills are making the trout look up. Green Drakes should be hatching out most evenings on many trout streams up in the high country. You may see a few March Browns (especially on higher streams), Hendricksons, Black Caddis and/or tiny Cream Midges. Giant Stonefly Nymphs (Pteronarcys) are also moving around on the stream bottom, so have a few Kaufmann's Stones in sizes of 4-8. As for dries, ants, beetles, and most attractor flies will work. Small streamers may also be effective right now. Yellow Stones/Sallies are just around the corner. The Summer fishing season is just a few weeks away.