Davidson River Fishing Report

Fishing Report for January 15th, 2025

Just after the first snow of the year, the fish are slow and the temps are cold. If you plan to fish this time of year, sleep in and make a cup of coffee before heading to the river. Around 10:00 the water and the air will warm up and the fish will start feeding for the day. The fish will feed until 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon until the sun goes behind the trees and the air temps start to drop again. Make sure you wear layers so you can add and subtract clothes throughout the day. As always when fishing during the winter, make sure that you have a plan of where you are going and tell others where you expect to be and what time you expect to be off the water, in case something happens while you are fishing. 

Davidson

The lower Davidson is fishing well with the fish left over after the storm. Winter Stoneflies and small midges will be some of the best this time of year. Water will be clear from rain and snowfall, so be prepared with small flies and light tippet. You will find most of your fish in the deeper pools of the river and slower water this time of year. This time of year, and especially after Hurricane Helene, the fish seem to be very bunched up so don't be afraid to fish a lot of water until you find a group of fish, then slow down and pick that area apart. 

Flies:  Girdle Bug 12-14, Tripsaver 14-16, Kevin's Stone 14-18, BWO 18-24, RS2 Midge 18-22, Memory Maker 14-16, Soft Hackle Hare's Ear 14-16 

Wild Trout

Most trails are open to get to wild trout, but if you find yourself a long way from the beaten path, you might run into some fallen trees or washed-out banks from the storm. Fish can still be aggressive this time of year, usually covering water is a solid plan to make sure as many fish see your flies as possible. Fishing BWOs and even Stimulators will work as a dry fly with fish often taking the dropper this time of year. 

Flies:  BWO 18-22, Stimulator 16-18, Sassi Solution, Soft Hackle Hare's Ear 14-18, RS2 Midge 18-22, Pheasant Tail 20-22

Smallmouth/Warmwater

After the storms, we are not sure of the state of the French Broad, While fish might have survived the flood, we are sure that there are many down trees, flooded cars, and small debris that is in the river and will not move for a while. With DuPont State Forest being open, now would be a prime time to hike back into a small lake and throw small streamers for bass and bluegill. Lots of fish will be hugging the bottom this time of year, so fishing low and slow will be your best bet for getting bites from smallmouth and panfish. 

Flies: Slump Buster 1/0-#2, Meat Whistle 6, Wolly Bugger 6-10, Sparkle Minnow 8, Near Nuff Crayfish 4-6

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT

DAVIDSON RIVER & AREA RIVERS

• Rod: G Loomis NRX+ 9ft 5wt
• Reel: Sage Spectrum Reel
• Line: Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Trout 5wt

DELAYED HARVEST

• Rod: St Croix Imperial 8'6" 5wt
• Reel: Redington Run Reel
• Line: Scientific Anglers Amplitude Infinity Smooth

SMALL STREAMS

• Rod: G-Loomis IMX-Pro Creek 2-4wt
• Reel: Lamson Guru Reel
• Line: Amplitude Trout Smooth 3-4wt

SMALLMOUTH

• Rod: Sage Payload 8ft 9in 7wt
• Reel: Redington Run Reel
• Line: Scientific Anglers Amplitude Infinity Smooth

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Regional Rivers and Streams Guide

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Seasonal Hatch Chart and Fly Recommendations

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