Fly Fishing in the High Country |

Fly fishing is a different method of fishing compared to the usual rod and reel and can of worms type of angling that many of us learned to do as kids. With many breeds of freshwater fish such as bass, bluegrass, crappie, catfish and more, a spinning reel or bait caster reel is used to throw out either live bait or artificial lures to fool them, catch them and bring them in, depending on the species and natural fishing conditions.

Fly fishing, however, is not necessarily a more refined approach to fishing, yet it is a more precise form of angling due to the nature of the species of choice, the trout. As a result, trout fishing requires a different kind of fishing system that is both easy to learn and fascinating to experience.

The trout found here in the High Country represent a unique species of fish that have to live in certain natural conditions to survive. First, trout is a fish that likes to live in cooler waters. They are a species that does not do well in water that gets too hot in the summertime. Even though the state of North Carolina is located in the South, it is the higher mountainous altitudes that create the cooler waters needed for trout to live in. As a result, brown trout, rainbow trout and native brook trout, the three species of trout found in North Carolina, thrive in the lower temperatures found in our rivers, creeks and streams, most of which have their origins on the top of the surrounding mountains. The optimum water temperatures for trout is found within the 45 to 70-degree range.

The rainbow trout is a species that is native to the Pacific Northwest, yet it was successfully introduced into North Carolina waters many years ago. That is also true with the brown trout, which is a species that was brought in from Europe and Asia. Brook trout, however, is the smaller trout species that is native to the eastern half of the U.S. and Canada. Because this is their original home, they are appreciated and prized by anglers.

What is also unique about trout is what they eat and how they eat it. Smaller trout feed on insects found in the water as well as similar critters found on land and in the air that happen to fall into the water. Older trout still feed on those same terrestrial and aquatic insects, only they add small fish, crawdads and other smaller vertebrate animals to the menu. Brown trout, being the big brutes of the North Carolina trout world, also eat bigger fish than the other species. All trout, for instance, love a good hatch of flying insects, which will undoubtedly hit the water at some point and that is where the trout will ambush them from below.

So, because of the trout’s idiosyncratic traits when it comes to eating, fly fishing rods, reels and baits are what are needed to fish for these wonderful water-borne animals. At the heart of the trout fishing system is the artificial lure, all of which are designed to mimic the aquatic, land-based and flying creatures that trout love to eat. Known overall as trout flies, many of these artificial lures are small and hand-crafted, using various materials to make a furry fly that will land on the top of the water just right, so it will trigger a strike by a waiting trout. To get a floating artificial fly lure to land just right on the top of the water — that is where the distinctive design of the fly rod and reel comes in. Using a large rod, the fly fishing angler learns to cast it back and forth in the air forcibly but smoothly, with the goal of releasing enough fishing line to get to the spot where the trout are hiding.

Many of us have seen fly fish anglers in action, either live or on video. What is fun about the sport is that you can learn how to use fly fishing rods, reels and baits in less than a day. Fly fishing adds a whole other layer to the fishing experience and because of that, many new fly fishing anglers soon develop a passion for the sport.

For those who want to take the plunge and learn a wonderful new way of connecting with nature that will last a lifetime, that is where the many fly fishing outfitters located here in the High Country come in handy. Not only can you buy gear from them, they will teach you how to fly fish for trout and then guide you to the best, secret waterways where the big trout live. The sport is yet another reason why this area is a great place to vacation, visit and to live in.

There is, however, only one fly fishing gear store and guiding service located in the middle of downtown Boone and that is the Highland Outfitters Company.

Housed on the second floor suite of a refurbished and old antique building at 140 S. Depot Street, Highland Outfitters is a full-service company ready to supply all of your fishing gear needs and put you on the water with experienced guides. Some of the prime fly-fishing rivers and streams serviced by the company are found in Linville, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk and Boone as well as the Watauga and the South Holston rivers in Tennessee.

Owner Alex Dale found success with his Highland Outfitters store originally located in Linville. Then, he started a second business with the Foscoe Fishing Company located on Rte. 105 outside of Boone, which is still in business. Then, when he found out that this prime piece of real estate was open to rent in downtown Boone, he decided to take a leap of faith and move his Highland Outfitters operation to town where the tourist and potential fly-fishing enthusiasts were thick.

As fate would have it, however, Dale moved into his new storefront at the end of the summer in 2019. Soon came January and February, a slow period for the guiding business, and then came the coronavirus pandemic a month later in March.

While Dale had to make adjustments due to the crisis, Highland Outfitters has survived the storm and has even come away with some new ways to do business that were influenced by the stay-at-home orders.

“The retail side of the business is why I am here in downtown Boone, plus the fact that no matter where the shop is, we are never far from prime fishing waters,” said Dale. “The New River starts here in Boone as does Winklers Creek, and we also fish as far away as the tailwaters of the Watauga River and the South Holston River, which are some of the best trout fisheries in the Southeast. Those cool waterways and the limestone rock in the water are all a part of good trout fishing. As for this spring, we have been fortunate enough to leave our doors open during the pandemic, utilizing the 50 percent capacity limits for stores. People, however, were and are still fishing during this situation, so that is why we opened up as curbside service at first for our customers.”

Highland Outfitters began to take orders by phone and then bringing the items out to the curb. Phase 2 allowed them open with a limited capacity of inside customers. During the lockdown, Dale also turned his shelf space into a small pop-up grocery store, doing whatever he could to stay open.

By the time you read this, hopefully full-opening of society will nearly have kicked in. Business is picking up now that summer has arrived, however, and Dale is happy for it.

“The thing about fly fishing is we prefer to be socially distant anyway,” said Dale. “We had customers who wanted to support us during this hard time so they would buy our gift cards. Things like that helped to keep our doors open. Fly fishing, especially the guide service side of the industry, took a big hit because of the lockdown as it takes tourism and travel to happen. Even though we have altered our practices a bit, business has finally picked up. We have a lot of folks that come into town to learn how or where to fish. Our fastest demographic is women taking up the sport, and next to that are younger folks who are taking up fly fishing as well, from teenagers to college students to those in their late 20s.”

Dale is an optimist when it comes to the pandemic, his company and with fly fishing in general.

“Short-term, it has been difficult, but long-term is starting to look better,” said Dale. “The silver lining is that I am learning new ways to do business and to help our customers. The engagement with our customers that we have experienced on social media has been surprising. I have always used social media as a place where I like to provide free information and entertainment, a place where people can learn how to fly fish, and to paint a pretty picture of life on the water. But, I never focused on selling much on those platforms. At the same time, social media has been very helpful as people have been forward about buying our products and helping us to keep our store open during this crazy time. It has led to a deeper engagement with our local and regional fly fishermen and -women.”