Fishing Season: Year Round

Davidson River - NC

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

50

Brown Trout Fly Fishing's Tip of the Week

The Davidson is running a little low today but we have rain coming. Fish should be concentrated in the runs both deep and medium, but definitely around the clearly deeper water. Stay off the fish a little so they don’t spook. Rain is coming so expect flows to get higher. If it gets really big the fish will move to the edges

Directions open in app

Map of Davidson River

Water Flow Data

Tidal Conditions

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

David Hise
Brown Hobson

5-Day Outlook as of 1/27/22

The coming rain should make things interesting. Increased flow will add food to the drift.

Techniques & Tips as of 1/27/22

nymph, dry dropper, streamer

Local Species Available Year Round

  • Fish Icon

    Trout

Brown Trout Fly Fishing's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Tunghead Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail natural 12-16
Tunghead Zug Bug peacock 14-16
Quasimodo Pheasant Tail olive and natural 14-18
Adams Parachute Dry Fly adams grey 14-18
Puff daddy Gray 20-24
Small streamers Black, Olive, Yellow 6-8
Shaky Worm red/maroon/tan 10
TH Zebra Midge all colors 16-20
Girdle Bug Black/Tan 4-8
Walts Worm natural 8-14

Tunghead Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail

Guides everywhere are amazed by these soft hackle Tunghead patterns.

2.99

Item #957P

Buy Now

Brown Trout Fly Fishing's Recommended Gear

Description: About Davidson River

The catch and release regulated section of the Davidson River is known, to many anglers, as one of the top fly fishing rivers on the east coast. This is due, in part, to its excellent population of large trout and regularly occurring hatches throughout the year. In fact, there is a potpourri of aquatic insects evident at all times. The browns, rainbows, and brook trout all take advantage of these insects; however, midges take the reign as the most important food source on a year round basis. The Davidson is a small, freestone stream with sections of fast riffle water, pools, deep pockets, and glassy flat water. The fish are extremely educated due to its size and heavy angler pressure. These finicky fish are difficult to fool on most occasions unless anglers are proficient at sight fishing with tiny midge patterns and nymphs on the lightest of tippet. The fish average 10 to 16 inches but it is not uncommon for anglers to see and fish to trout that range in size from 20 to 30 inches. Productive patterns include zebra midges, pheasant tails, rainbow warriors, disco midges, stripper midges, Pat's rubberlegs, flash midges, RS2's, WD40's, WD50's, Rosenbauer's rabbit foot emergers, Mercer's micro mayflies, stimulators, and pheasant tail soft hackles.

Nearest Airport:

Charlotte, Asheville, Greenville/Spartanburg

Hatches:

Mayfly Stonefly Caddis

Best Time to Fish:

afternoon

Best Stretch:

The Main River from the national forest boundary to Looking Glass Creek, the hachery is not producing as many fish as the lower river is

Best Access:

Any of the pull offs along hwy 270