By Steve Deblois
The Historic Green River, NC known worldwide for its whitewater kayaking, recreational tubing, and Fly Fishing community, is alive and well. In May 2018 the Green River, like many others in the region, was flooded by Hurricane Alberto. Fast forward to September 2024 when hurricane Helene dropped over 20” of rain following a 15 – 16” of rain just a few days before. Over 30 homes and several outdoor businesses were lost. Now a little more than a year later many are still displaced, and businesses will not reopen.
One business that did remain is Brookside Guides. https://www.brooksideguides.com has served Western North Carolina fly fishing community for over 20 years with guides on the Green River for much of that time. In collaboration with Wilderness Cove Campground, Brookside Guides will be offering fly fishing instruction and guided trips for trout and smallmouth bass, all while you can stay close to the comfort of newly renovated lodging and hospitality of Birdy and Bear.
Brooksideguides.com guides were among the first to respond to the Green and Big Hungry River communities. From delivering resources, clearing debris, and river clean-ups they were there doing what they could to help people and their beloved “Mother Green”, as she is often known, recover. Once recovery efforts subsided and a new normal came over the area, Brookside Guides began fly fishing the rivers again.
Smallmouth bass and long ear sunfish dominated the Green with some occasional largemouth making their way upriver from Lake Adger. In October, the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission began stocking (over 1800) rainbow, brown, and brooke trout back into the delayed harvest section of the Green, with the help of local guides and fishy people from the area. NCWRC stocked again in November, with a two-month total of over 4,000 trout in the delayed harvest section of the river. Since October the trout fishing has been great, with trout eating “trash” flies and at times selecting only the smallest natural imitations, demanding exceptional presentations. Fish have settled in from their newly stocked phase and are beginning to spread out and be more selective in their diet.
The next 6 months will be a prime time to visit the Green River so don’t hesitate to reach out to Brooksideguides.com and consider the Green River for your next destination. We are close to the towns of Saluda, Tryon and Hendersonville, NC and not only offer fly fishing, fly casting, fly tying instruction and guided trips, we can help you stay warm during the prime winter season. Tune in next time to learn about staying warm on a Green River fly fishing guided trip.