2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE
The bins of colorful flies in the tidy Highlands shop display like art. For a novice, the options could seem overwhelm- ing, but Canter offers assurance with a slight smile: “You can make it as simple or as complicated as you’d like.” FISH... AND PEOPLE Fly fishing is a niche market, Canter says, making up less than one percent of the fishing industry. Canter not only loves the complexity of the sport but also the chal- lenge, the learning, the destinations and the people. Traditionally, most fly-fishing activity on the plateau has been enjoyed by second homeowners during the sum- mer who bring along their sons, daughters and grand- kids for a multi-generational experience. “We know of families that have passed the sport down to three gen- erations and are ready to watch a fourth,” Canter says. But things are changing. Unexpected interest in the sport rose during the pandemic, as people searched for new ways to enjoy themselves while staying safe under quarantine. Fishing equipment manufacturers, outfitters and guides experienced challenges in meet- ing demand. “I saw a lot of younger interest, a lot of women take new interest,” Canter says. “Now, our job is to maintain that interest, to bring them along.” LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Canter’s enthusiasm for the area is contagious. Surrounded by Nantahala National Forest, Highlands sits on one of the tallest plateaus east of the Mississippi with layered mountain views cut by winding rivers. “We can get to 30 fishing locations within 30 minutes,” he says. “And there are things to do all year here.” What sets the area apart from others, Canter believes, is the diverse types of water and even the species. “To me, it’s the variety. What I like is having the ability to give two guys five to seven different experiences in one week.” Controlled by Duke Energy, the Tuckaseegee is a “big, tailwater river,” while the Chattooga “is a totally dif- ferent type of trout stream,” Canter explains. And then there’s fishing for smallmouth bass, which is a different experience altogether. Perhaps a best-kept secret in Western N.C., smallmouth bass fishing in the region is exceptional, especially in mid-summer when the water is slow-moving, warm and clear. Trout have their own optimal conditions, and Canter knows what they are. “Trout need between 45 and 65 de- grees to thrive, so in the summer, it’s best to fish the little streams,” abundant in the higher elevations, he explained. As winter comes around, the bolder and wider waters of the French Broad and Tuckaseegee become ideal. Does he have a favorite type of waterway? Canter is
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