North Central Update (With Pics) - Pre Rain Event

[Swattie87]

Just got back from a week or so in the NC part of the state. Didn't really fish much...hiked and explored mostly. Even "The Pine" was too low to be much fun for Smallies.

All the pics below are before the rain started last evening. All of the streams pictured had plenty of fish alive in the deeper pools, but they were basically stuck there pending higher flows. Water temps in all of them were 59-60 at mid-afternoon. It's rough up there, but in some ways I expected it to be worse.

We were hopeful that we'd be able to fish some today with the rain, but after seeing that Kettle barely budged in response to the rain we packed up and headed home a day early. They need wayyyyy more rain up there than what they got today to improve things in any meaningful way.

(1) - Little Kettle Creek, just upstream of confluence with Kettle Creek.
(4) - Kettle Creek, upstream of Oleona.
(5) - Cedar Run, just upstream of confluence with Pine Creek.
(31) - Stony Fork, upstream of Clay Mine Rd. Relatively speaking this one was in the best shape. Likely due to its steeper gradient and boulder/plunge pool habitat. We actively fished this one. Worked and hiked hard to bring 3 standard issue 7-8" wild Browns to hand.

 

[dryflyguy]

Some bony looking water for sure!
Looks like the guys going to the NC summit timed things pretty well, with all the rain we're now getting

 

[sandfly]

not getting much rain up here

 

[krayfish2]

Did you float or wade?

 

[Chaz]

Good illustration of really poor habitat.

 

[sarce]

Cedar run was almost entirely wet/flowing across the whole stream bottom on Saturday when I was up there. Looked to be in good shape - couldn't figure out those fish though. Slate Run drainage was noticeably lower on Sunday morning compared to Cedar but not in terrible shape either. The rain helped, if the hurricane throws some heavy rain that way, should be sitting pretty for the spawn.