The French Broad river is coined the 3rd oldest river in the world! Winding through Asheville’s mountain valleys, it is a beautiful river to see. The question SAA fishing guides get asked a lot is, what fish are in the French Broad river? With the river being one of the oldest in the world it is chock-full of many warm and cold water species of fish.
Starting With The Most Popular
The most popular kind of fish found in the French Broad river is going to be the smallmouth bass. The river consists of a rocky and sandy bottom, perfect for crayfish. Smallmouth bass primarily rely on the crayfish population to keep their bellies full. For the most part, smallmouth will sit in deeper holes where they can ambush crayfish that get washed down with the current. Smallmouth bass in the French Broad river vary in size. Many bass can be found in the 1-2 pound mark, but giants lurk beneath the surface as well. Most bigger fish are going to be found during high feeding times of the year. Some of those times are before cold fronts, low-pressure weather systems and before high water flows.
Musky, Really?!?
Wait… what fish are in the French Broad river? Yes, musky or muskie are present in the French Broad river. Musky can be found up and down the French Broad river and can grow in lengths over 50 inches. A majority of musky are found south of Asheville, while bigger fish are being caught north of downtown Asheville. Musky are the biggest predators in the river and can live in the same 5 mile stretch for over 10 years! While still being the fish of 10,000 casts, our multi-species fishing guides have found great success fishing for these Jurassic predators.
Trout Fishing the French Broad
Most fly fishing anglers turn their head when they hear someone talking about trout fishing the French Broad river. Not us! Trout fishing the French Broad river is a different ball game. With wild brown trout being some of the smaller fish in the river system, they are just as fun to catch. These fish usually tend to group up and chase bait around in bigger holes. Many trout can be found using streamers and other minnow imitation soft plastics such as Zoom flukes.
Other Species
Some other species that are found in the French Broad river are walleye, crappie, largemouth bass, perch, white bass, sturgeon, and pickerel. While many species can be limited, they are still living below the surface. Some warmer conditions provide anglers with different warm water catches, while colder months, the cold water species begin to move in the river.
Southern Appalachian Anglers’ professional fishing guides have been fishing the French Broad river for over 25 years. Our guides have been the industry-leaders for many years in Asheville, North Carolina. Anglers worldwide have been trusting our guides to put multi-species in the boat. Our motto for the past 10 years has been: Trusted Guides – Exceptional Service.
Which One Should I Choose?
Hopefully this article has helped answer the question: what type of fish are the French Broad river. With many species to choose from, now it’s the question: which species should I choose? Give us a call at 828-691-1506 or visit us online to get more information or book a professional guided fishing trip!