43 Slope St, Bryson City, NC 28713
Nantahala Fly Fishing Company is a western North Carolina institution, built around the exceptional concentration of wild trout water that converges in Swain and Macon counties at the southern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains. Based in Bryson City and operating across the surrounding national forest watersheds, the shop serves as a primary outfitter for both the wild Nantahala River and its tributaries — a system of cold, boulder-pocket streams that produces excellent wild brown and rainbow trout — and the more remote headwater brook trout streams that penetrate the high-elevation flanks of the Smokies. The Nantahala Gorge, with its TVA-controlled flows and striking visual drama, provides a dramatic backdrop for wade fishing during non-generation periods, while the off-the-beaten-path tributaries offer a more intimate wilderness experience.
Nantahala Fly Fishing Company's guides are specialists in the particular short-line, high-stick techniques that mountain stream fishing demands — a style of presentation that differs fundamentally from the long-line casting of western rivers and takes time to internalize properly. Clinics and instructional trips are a cornerstone of the shop's programming, and a significant portion of its clientele comes specifically to develop skills before tackling the park's more remote and demanding waters. The retail floor is stocked with Appalachian-appropriate tackle: fiberglass and graphite rods in the 3 and 4-weight range suited to tight mountain casts, light tippet, and an excellent selection of attractor dries and nymphs tied for the region's mixed hatches. The staff publishes reliable flow and fishing condition updates for the Nantahala and a network of surrounding streams throughout the season.
“Came to Bryson City specifically to learn mountain stream technique from people who fish this water daily. The half-day instructional trip with guide Steve was exactly what I needed — he broke down the high-stick nymphing approach in terms that immediately made sense, and within an hour I was getting consistent drifts through the best lies. We covered two miles of gorgeous wild stream and I caught more fish than I had on my two previous mountain trips combined. The shop is well-stocked with the exact patterns you need here.”
“Third year in a row booking with Nantahala Fly Fishing Company and they've never let me down. This year guide Aaron took us to a tributary I'd never heard of — thirty-minute hike from the road, then two miles of wild rainbow trout water to ourselves. Fish were stacked in every pool. The Nantahala trip the following day was spectacular too, with the gorge in full morning shadow and a dense caddis hatch mid-morning. These guides know their water at a forensic level.”
“The shop itself is worth a visit even without a guided trip — staff are knowledgeable, flies are priced fairly, and they'll spend real time helping you select the right patterns for whatever stream you're fishing. I walked in as a complete stranger and left with a productive day's fishing completely sorted. Great energy, genuine passion for the fishery, and a real commitment to conservation of the wild trout populations in these mountains.”
