The interest in the Nantahala River is increasing and that should continue as tourists search for affordable Nantahala River whitewater rafting prices. If you would like more information about whitewater rafting or camping around the Nantahala Gorge check out Brookside Campground and Rafting. Make sure to call Brookside at 1-800-848-7238 and use the promotional code JRW for a discount. Brookside offers rafting trips on the Nantahala River if you would like a fun and exciting outdoor adventure. You can also email wojdylo@webworkz.com for more information.

As you drive through Yellowstone National Park you are going to find many unique sights.  If you are lucky you will have the opportunity to see a Grizzly Bear or Black Bear up close and personal.  Anyone who frequents Yellowstone knows just have exciting it can be to see a Grizzly Bear for the first time.  I would not suggest getting out of your car if you do happen to stumble upon a Grizzly Bear as you do not want to challenge nature.

If you enjoy rivers and fly fishing then the Yellowstone is a treat for you.  Fly fishing for Cutthroat or Brown trout is plentiful throughout the park.  One of the best places to catch some beautiful Cutthroat Trout is in the Lamar River Valley.  When you land a 15 inch “Cutty” you will know exactly what I am talking about.  Expect to see snow in Yellowstone for much of the year and do not be surprised to get a quick dusting of snow in the summer months.

Author: Jesse Wojdylo

If you plan on going fly fishing on the Yellowstone then you will probably want to take a float trip.  The river is extremely wide and is not wade able.  You can definitely fly fish from the banks but this will limit the amount of water you can fish on the famous Yellowstone.  By going on a float trip you can easily fish 15 to 20 miles in one day.  Having access to much more of the river gives you a better chance to hook that big Yellowstone Cutthroat trout.

The trout that you are going to catch in the Yellowstone River include rainbow, brown and cutthroat.  Expect to catch many more brown and cutthroat than rainbows.  If you do not want to take a float trip there are some feeder streams that are wade able and will allow you to hon your role casting skills.  Most of these streams can be accessed from gravels roads so you should not have to hike too far.

There are many fly shops in the Livingston, Montana area should you should have very little trouble getting some advice.  It is also a good idea to stop by the Fly Fishing Discovery Center to check out some of the history of fly fishing.  If you do take a trip to Livingston, Montana you must grab a bit to eat at the Pickle Barrel, it is the best sandwich in the United States!

Author: Aaron White

Most fly fisherman use graphite rods as they are much cheaper.  A top of the line graphite fly rod is usually around $400 or $500 based on the company producing the rod.  Each angler has their favorite fly rod company but most of these companies mass produce rods and do not go into specific details with each rod.  If you ever decide to purchase a bamboo rod you can get it handcrafted with as much detail as you would like, but please understand it is going to cost you.

The look of the bamboo rod is not the reason to make the investment.  The casting ability of bamboo is why all fly fisherman should at least test a bamboo rod at one point.  When casting a bamboo rod it is amazing how well the rod handles the line and allows you to cast tight loops.  It seems that it takes no effort whatsoever to cast 40 to 50 foot tight loops to almost any location on a river or lake.  The bend of the rod is also much more natural so it makes it a little more fun to reel in that monster trout.

When getting a custom built bamboo fly rod there are many options.  By simple doing some Google searches you are likely to find many custom rod builders throughout the United States.  Before forking over several thousand dollars for a custom built fly rod it would be a good idea to at least go cast a bamboo rod and see how it feels in your hands.  Trust me when I say you will be “lured” in as soon as you take a few double haul casts.

Author: Aaron White

Duke Energy has been working with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commision to make the impact on trout as minimal as possible.  Duke Energy has also been working hard to reduce flows on weekends to enable anglers to have a much easier time accessing the river.  When water is being released from the lake at high levels it is very difficult to fish or even gain access to the river as this type of pressure on the Upper Nantahala is very rare.

To find out what the flow levels of the Nantahala River currently are make sure to check out this site.  If you plan on taking a fly fishing trip to the Upper Nantahala in the near future you might want to check ahead and make sure that you will have the ability to fish the river with success.  It is also important for anglers to stay alert to the levels of the river while they are fishing.  Duke Energy could change flows at any time and there is no way to warn anglers who are on the water.

If you see a steady increase in the flow of the river while fishing it would be a good idea to get to a safe place out of the water and see if the increase continues.  Unfortunately, there is very little you can do as an angler when the water flow has drastically increased.  The best option for most anglers is to fish nymphs along the banks as this is where the trout will hang out before the flow levels go back to the normal range.

The delayed harvest section of the Upper Nantahala River is a very popular fly fishing destination as this part of the river is stocked during the winter months.  From October to May this section of the river is catch and release so the population of trout remains high throughout much of the year.  For more information on Mountain Trout waters in North Carolina make sure to check out this site.

Author: Jacob Allen