Three stars for the Lake Thickety Fishing Rodeo. I hope you take time to see my video of this…read moreevent. As I predicted; there were more people fishing than the public access area could handle. There were several game wardens onsite and a couple of deputies. What I was surprised about most was the cordiality between of the grownups . Strangers helping each other untangling crossed fishing lines. Grownups weren't allowed to fish but they could help their youngsters do so. I saw a lot of catfish being caught. No shocker there as the lake had been the day before stocked. To their credit the officials in charge were very helpful and mingled with the people fishing. Also to their credit the first 100 participants got a nice rod and reel combo I estimate to be a fifty dollar value each. Not begrudging any but that's where a lot of hard earned tax dollars got spent.

We do pools...a lot. I am not opposed to a public pool though so after some research, I thought we…read morewould try this one. We couldn't have been more pleased. It's true, there aren't a ton of chairs but if you are willing to be patient, you'll get one. One thing to note is that they close the pool with lightning on the radar within a 10 mile radius. You just have to get out of the water for a minimum of 30 minutes. Lots of lifeguards and great decorations for July 4th. You can tell that they take pride in the pool. It was clean and the chairs were comfy, although the armrests do get hot in the sun so you can't always rest your arms on them. It certainly wasn't a dealbreaker. Great pool with the backdrop of the mountains and lake!

This park is urban in the relative sense, being surrounded by the residences of the town of Black…read moreMountain. It was a quality park. While views of the mountains are likely majestic, even on a cloudy day the misty sights were intriguing. A clean path runs around the lake, connecting bathroom facilities, tennis courts, and several other amenities. There were some dedicated parking spaces, but it was an easy walk from the town's business stretch as well. And why not, if you have the time?

Tyler took us out for a full day float trip on the Watauga River. We had a wonderful day landing 34…read moretrout in the boat. Tyler provided expert fly fishing guidance, was quick to tie on the best suited flies, and quickly untied air knots and tangles for us with a positive attitude. His Sage rods and reels and hand tied flies performed perfectly. Tyler worked hard in the wind to put us in advantageous spots to catch fish. We had a fantastic day on the river.

Awesome day wade fishing with Paco and Owen. Both guys were great with the 10 and 14 year old boys…read morewe had with us. Super patient and knowledgeable. Went out of their way to coach up the young boys and work with them all day. Nice guys and a great experience. Will definitely be back. Caught about 20 fish. Browns, rainbows and brook trout.

I absolutely LOVE this park. Hands down one of the best hidden gems in the area. Don't let the…read morespooky warehouse scare you away, you'll see gravel parking on the left, keep going to the paved lot. There is a beautiful gravel walking trail that goes along the Swannanoa River + the two lakes. There are some walking trails around but you'll have to look for those. They have basketball courts, a playground, BBQ grills, picnic tables, covered areas, baseball fields... you can also fish in the lake but swimming is not permitted. I have seen people swim in the river/creek I would just advice you to be pretty careful because sometimes it's moving pretty fast + has deep areas with currents. I'm pretty sure you also need a fishing license or permit. There are signs posted all over with the rules. There are also some signs with nature information to make it fun for the kiddos! Plenty of poop bags + places to drop them off so please clean up after your doggo! Everyone walking the trail is pretty nice, they mostly stick to themselves since COVID. But there is plenty of space for everyone and most do wear mask. Beware of the geese! They are feisty and not afraid of anything. They have gone after my dog Lucy several times, now she goes after them. Really love having this place in our back yard!

This hidden park is not a bad area for a early morning or afternoon walk. There are two lakes in…read morethis park with a river that borders the far side. The out side walking trail is 0.83 miles. And if you look closely for the hidden hiking trails you could have a good afternoon adventure. This park has plenty of tables for summer day cookouts. It also has a basket ball court which could use some work. Is really hard to replace the netting on the hoop? Also this park has a baseball field. The park is lacking in the playground department. It looks like they made the playground for a toddler, which is ok but I'm sure older kids wouldn't think to much of it. Which is a shame. A park should have something to do for all ages. The park is maintained decently well. And even the on site bathrooms where clean. 4 stars for the crappy playground and the Basketball court.

My wife and I fished with Zach Davis this past week on some private water they manage. June heat…read morewas in full force. We fished in the morning (1/2 day outing) and had great success. Around 20 nice rainbows between the 2 of us. Zack was excellent. Patient, encouraging and gave lots of great advice. We came down from VA to Ashville and could not have been more pleased. It's a beautiful area. Our first trip down that way. When we come back, we will definitely be using Brown Trout Fly Fishing as our guide. Totally worth it.

My wife, another couple and I had a half day fly fishing trip two weekends back with Brown's team,…read moretwo guides Zach and Jamie. This was the first fly fishing trip for all of us - despite the cold weather at the time (bad planning on my part!), we had a great time - the guides were so helpful, courteous, we had everything we needed in terms of gear, their knowledge and patience was incredible. Would highly recommend Brown Trout - thanks to Hannah for coordinating this all as well!

Great personal service! Great selection and a convenient location. Highly recommended for all…read moreyour fly fishing needs.

Just back from a half-day fly fishing. As a novice I was hoping to actually catch a fish on a fly…read morerod. I was also hoping to improve on technique. I've had multiple lessons and trips but none exceeded my expectations as much as today's trip. Weather was forecast to be hot which I love, but later learned the fish like it on the cool side. My guide was amazingly helpful in answering all the big and small questions. His help with my cast was also great as he actually took the time to show me how to make corrections in my cast (4 previous guide trips in other states did not). The location was remote and the beauty impressive. My guide, Forest, was extremely versed in the stream and we hit more than a few spots and actually got a winner of a rainbow as well as brook n brown to round out the species. I highly recommend. Well worth the fee. Can't wait for my next visit for a repeat adventure !

The camp host was unprofessional, rude, and threatened to call the sheriffs department because he…read moresaid we were talking too loud. We were not loud and are filing a complaint. We have been coming here for years but will not pay to be treated this way.

Our family loves North Mills River! If you're looking to hike, fish, ride horses, picnic, camp,…read moreetc. this is a solid spot. The picnic area is very well maintained and each picnic table typically has a charcoal grill to go with it. We really love fishing out here! If you're lucky enough to outsmart the elusive fish out here... you can expect to catch rainbow, brook, and brown trout!

This is my favorite Buncombe County River Park. Even though there are no restroom facilities here,…read morethe beauty and serenity of the location more than make up for it. In addition to the various natural dams and rocks in the River, someone has created a little kiddie pool to keep the little ones from floating downstream to Marshall. The river splits with part of it going down a channel to the right, forming walnut island. That little section of the river is just absolutely gorgeous, and the county maintains an easily traversed path the Full length of the island. It could be the perfect location for a small informal wedding, with the bride coming down the path from around the bend, a natural canopy complete with beautiful gurgling sounds of the river flowing over the rocks. The park is equipped with barbecue grills and picnic tables, although the tables look pretty uncomfortable. I suggest bringing your own canvas or folding chairs & blanket if you're going to be here for a while. There is plenty of gorgeous grass, and the park seems to be pretty well maintained. This morning, I saw two people fly fishing, in their waders, as well as a couple more people fishing from a small boat on the river. Really, an idyllic scene. No one else was in the park for the entire 30 minutes we were there, so if you want a little privacy and a gorgeous spot, Walnut Island River Park is the place to go. At least until it gets discovered by the masses.