By James Marsh
The Green River is located not far above the North Carolina/South Carolina state line on the North side of the Saluda Mountains near Hendersonville North Carolina. It’s a tributary of the Broad River. There are two lakes along its way – Lake Adger and Lake Summit. It has a population of rainbow, brook, and brown trout. Fly fishing the Green River varies depending on the way it is managed at the particular location you are fishing.
The small section of the river between Lake Summit and the Fishtop Access Area along the Green River Cove Road in Saluda is managed as wild trout waters. Below that point, the Green River contains both delayed harvest and put-n-take waters.
The stretch of the river below Lake Summit flows through the Green River Game Lands owned by Duke Power Company. It extends downstream to just above Lake Adger.
The section below the I – 26 Bridge to the Fishstop Falls Access is also managed as wild trout waters. This section can be accessed from near the U. S. Highway #76 Bridge. It flows through a canyon type of area called the Green River Gorge. The I – 26 Bridge that passes over the gorge is 225 feet high – the highest bridge in North Carolina. The Green River Gorge is a beautiful and rugged area. The river drops 440 feet within one and a half miles in the gorge and as you may expect, has plenty of rapids. This area, called the Narrows, is big time whitewater. There are 16 miles of hiking trails in the gorge section. Although it isn’t easy to access, this section of the Green River provides some very good wild trout fishing for those that go to the trouble to get to its waters.
From Fishstop Falls Access to Cove Creek, a distance of just over three miles, the stream is managed under the North Carolina “Delayed Harvest” regulations. The Fishstop Falls Access can be accessed from Green River Cove Road. This section can be fished from a boat or by wading. The last access point downstream is located just above Lake Adger at the Big Rock Access.
From Cove Creek downstream to Brights Creek, the Green River is stocked and managed under the state’s regular hatchery supported rules. This section of the river is just over four miles long.
There are four small tributary streams between the two lakes – Big Hungry River, Fulloms Creek, Camp Creek and Cove Creek. Both the Big Hungry River and Cove Creek are stocked. The Big Hungry River flows through Green River Game Lands and can be accessed from Deep Gap Road, which follows along part of the stream, or at the intersection of Ridge Road and Adams Road. There are trails leading up and down Green River from this access point. The other tributary stream that hold trout, Cove Creek, has public access on Green River Game Lands from the I -26 Bridge downstream to the Green River. It’s a relatively small stream that’s regularly stocked.
Remember, this stream is a tailwater fishery below Lake Summit. You should check the stream flows and anticipated dam discharges before making a trip. Its waters are subject to fluctuate.
James Marsh is the Owner of The Perfect Fly online and catalog mail-order store. www.perfectflystore.com.