Fishing For Smallmouth

The French Broad River in Buncombe and Madison counties is home to some terrific smallmouth fishing.  The River flows north 213 miles from Rosman, North Carolina, to its confluence with the Holston River at Knoxville, forming Tennessee River. One hundred and seventeen of these miles flow through North Carolina.

It is said that the French Broad River watershed is home to the largest Great Blue Heron population in the world and also to the endangered Bog Turtle. A wide variety of river bottom types give the fish more than enough room and variety for both habitation and spawning.  Because of the variety of river bottom types, the French Broad can be a difficult river to wade at times because of the shelf like rock ledges that often run the entire width of the river, wading boots with studded soles are recommended.

The French Broad is naturally low in nutrients, like most southern streams, but with the addition of runoff from agriculture and water and municipal treatment plants, considerable amounts of needed nutrients are mingled in. On average, it takes a smallmouth bass 5 to 6 years to reach 12 inches, and 8 to 10 years to reach 2 pounds in size.