Boone-area veteran fly fishing guide Judson Conway joins son, Colter, on the frozen New River to discuss winter fishing and why the sport still excites him after three decades.
Photography by David Uttley
It seemed like Judson Conway’s fingers should have been frozen by then, but he still had the dexterity to tie on what he thought the fish might bite—a rubber-legged hares ear followed by a tungsten zebra midge.
He’d been wading upstream on the New River, which was frozen solid in parts. Those parts were so well frozen that he and his son, Colter, 19, were able to take breaks from the arctic stream by standing on the sheets of ice.
Normally they would have fished those frozen areas where they stood, because that’s where the slow, deep water was—where trout like to hang out when water temps are very cold.
But early January after Winter Storm Izzy means you might have to change your plans a bit. This wasn’t where they would normally take regular customers of Elk Creek Outfitters in January. They were fishing this part of the New River for fun, and because they wanted to demonstrate how good they were at catching trout in any conditions.
Suddenly Colter’s line went taut, and Judson helped him net a brown trout. About 30 minutes after that, the veteran High Country fishing guide and his son netted a sizable rainbow. This was from a stream that’d had no obvious signs of life.
Before this, it was possible to wonder if they were joking when they said they saw fish darting from under the ice.
“There’s always something happening under the surface,” he said. “There may not be as much as there is on warmer days, but the fish still have to eat.”
Seeing the River Differently
Regarding the winter diets of fish, Judson names a few possibilities on the menu.
“Of course the trout would love an opportunity to eat another smaller fish or crayfish, which would offer the most calories, but the food that’s most available this time of year are aquatic insects–such as mayflies, stone flies, caddis flies and midges.”
Even in winter, Judson is looking for what kind of bugs are flying or moving around the water, and sure enough there actually still are some bugs braving the elements.
Judson points to a sluggish insect dragging itself along the same sheet of ice where he’s kneeling as he works to once again modify the combination of bait on Colter’s line.
“That’s a very sluggish small black stonefly,” he said, noting the unusual siting. “It’s very odd to see it this time of year–especially after a snow storm.”
At this point, nearly three hours in, both Judson and Colter are having a great time and seem eager to see what else they can catch—even as others in their party seem to be slowing in enthusiasm. Colter moves further upstream, at one point riding on a broken-off piece of ice like it’s a snowboard.
“In a couple more days all that ice’ll be gone and we can fish those holes again,” Judson says. The two of them seem oddly impervious to the cold with the energy of those early catches still urging Colter further upstream to snag one more.
“Colter is the first, second-generation fly fishing guide in the High Country,” Judson says proudly. “He loves it independent of me. You gotta love it to do what we do. If you don’t love fishing, you shouldn’t be guiding.”
Three Decades of High Country Fly Fishing
This year marks the 31st year Judson has been guiding fishermen in the High Country and elsewhere (including on other continents) with Elk Creek Outfitters. His love for the sport has translated into an energy and curiosity about all there is to learn with each species of fish and in each environment and season.
It started back in 1991 when he was an undergrad student in Outdoor Recreation at Appalachian State. Eager for a job offer out in Wyoming, he’d hastily agreed to guide fly fishing.
“I told them ‘Of course I can guide fly fishing,'” Judson recounts. “The only problem was I’d never actually fly fished in my life.”
So he spent the spring in Boone learning to fly fish—asking around about the best spots, the best baits for the stream and season, about how to cast. He still remembers the first fish he caught on a fly rod. It’s still one of his favorite spots, at least in memory.
It was a smallmouth bass on the Watauga River upstream from Valle Crucis. In the early 90s most fly fishing anglers in the High Country were on the search for trout.
“I remember thinking how bittersweet it was that my first fish on fly was not a trout but a smallmouth bass,” he said. “But now, later in life, I’ve realized that smallmouth bass is one of my favorite species. I love helping people catch these beautiful fish.”
“Why do I still love to fly fish? Well, I mean, you’re out there in God’s world. This is the perfect combination of everything. You get the mountains, you get the river and the water and the flowing you’ve got the aquatic life of course. There’s so much going in the stream and you’re right in the middle of the action in the middle of New York City Times Square. It’s always exciting. Always something new. There are so many variables and there’s so much you don’t know. So many flies you can learn to tie, so many different casts you can make, so many types of streams. You’ll never be perfect, but you’ll just want to do the best you can and learn as much as you can and enjoy the process. You’ll never come to the top of the ladder and catch the biggest and the most of any species. It’s a sport that’s always challenging and will always gives back decade after decade.”
“If I was playing God, I couldn’t have designed a better place to fish,” he said. Judson recounted a wonderful day on that section of river. He’d lost his last fly, and sat down on a rock. “Being a poor college student I could only purchase about a half dozen at a time, and I’d just lost my last one in the stream. I remember I sat down on a rock to just enjoy the river and the woods, because I wasn’t able to fish anymore. And there comes a box of flies floating down toward me. I looked up river as far as I could to maybe see the owner and saw no one. I don’t want to get religious on you, but that was a miracle.”
Angling to Stay in the High Country
Originally from Gastonia, North Carolina, Judson is among that early generation of ASU transplants who figured out how to come to Boone and stay for a lifetime. Guiding on the rivers and streams of the High Country has become one of his passions, and it’s what has allowed him to raise a family in the place he loves year-round.
“There are very few places where you can experience the four seasons this planet has to offer so distinctly. There are very few places with such unique personalities. There’s literally hundreds of miles of streams up here,” Judson says. “Plus, I love the southern charm. The North Carolina mountains are home to me now.”
How to Fly Fish in the High Country
Elk Creek Outfitters provides fly fishing beginners with the necessary gear and instruction to get them started and catching from day one. The company specializes in float trips throughout the year to help people catch trout, smallmouth bass and musky.
But Judson says if you just want to jump in and give it a try on your own (kind of like he did), there are a few tricks, tips and locations to get you started.
Where to Go Fly Fishing
In Boone, the main areas to try wade fishing are the Watauga River and the Middle Fork New River. Elsewhere in North Carolina, the Toe River, the French Broad or the Catawba River downstream from Lake James. In neighboring states, you can check out the South Holston, Watauga, or Nolichucky (Tennessee).
Even the sections of the New River running alongside Blowing Rock Road from Blowing Rock to Boone, in front of Tweetsie Railroad and Mystery Hill, are good places to start.
Brookshire Park is a newly-developed section of the New River near Boone where people new to fly fishing can gain access easily and enjoy a couple hours of fishing.
And of course The Watauga River in Valle Crucis Park is a very popular spot to wade.
But Judson also recommends spending some time on the fish and game maps for a wealth of information on where, when, and what kind of fish to expect.
When Can You Fly Fish in the High Country?
If it’s not obvious by now, you can fish up here any time of year–even after a blizzard with sub-zero windchill.
What Do You Need to Fly Fish Up Here?
You don’t need a lot of fancy gear to start. The important thing starting out is to have fun and stay safe. All you need are a rod, reel, a handful of flies and some good advice on what the fish are biting.
Why?
Only you can answer that question, but Judson answers it like this:
“Why do I still love to fly fish? Well, I mean, you’re out there in God’s world. This is the perfect combination of everything. You get the mountains, you get the river and the water and the flowing you’ve got the aquatic life of course.
“There’s so much going in the stream and you’re right in the middle of the action in the middle of New York City Times Square.
“It’s always exciting. Always something new. There are so many variables and there’s so much you don’t know. So many flies you can learn to tie, so many different casts you can make, so many types of streams. You’ll never be perfect, but you’ll just want to do the best you can and learn as much as you can and enjoy the process. You’ll never come to the top of the ladder and catch the biggest and the most of any species. It’s a sport that’s always challenging and will always gives back decade after decade.”
For more information about guiding services or other related intel about High Country fishing, check out Elk Creek Outfitters at www.ecoflyfishing.com