Boone Fork Creek is located in Northwestern North Carolina, just outside of Boone. The freestone stream is small, starting at Price Lake Dam. This is a catch-and-release stream that offers beautiful scenery.
It’s also a tributary of the Watauga River, and they meet up near Foscoe. You’ll find rainbow, brown, and brook trout in the creek. The brooks are native, while the rainbows and browns are a mixture of wild and stock/holdover.
Boone Fork Creek offers some larger browns than several of the streams in the area and its small size makes it an enjoyable fishing experience for those who want something with good access. The Boone Fork gets its start above Price Lake and flows into the lake, and out the spillway through a picnic area.
The picnic area sees a lot of tourists during the summertime. However, outdoorsy anglers will appreciate that there’s a large campground near the picnic area in Julian Price Memorial Park. Once the stream leaves the picnic area, it flows into a series of long pools and plunges.
This is typically where people look for the best fly fishing, but this two-mile stretch is within park boundaries and follows the parks’ regulations of catch and release and fly fishing only. The elevation of this creek is what makes it so desirable– sitting at 3900 feet in the picnic area, it’s easy for the water to stay cool.
This creek has a higher pH, which means it offers better populations of aquatic insects for the trout to feed on. This is how you find bigger fish here than in other streams. Although sections can get a little crowded in the summer, this creek is worth a visit. Consider visiting in the other seasons for less traffic, but we’ll discuss that more below.
Best Places to Fish Boone Fork Creek
As mentioned, many people like to fish near the Price Lake Dam and the picnic area, where there are plenty of riffles and pools with easy access. However, you may find more pressure here during popular times of the year for fly fishing. You are better to head downstream if you’re here during the summer because you’ll still find good fishing and can miss the crowds.
Inside the park, you’ll also find access from the Boone Fork Loop Trail, which is a short hike to the water. This is a 5.5-mile loop trail that only follows the creek for a few miles before departing near Bee Tree Creek.
Outside of the park, the stream goes through private property, so you’ll want to avoid these areas. Watch for signs and make sure that you’re not trespassing. The best sections to fish are in the dam area and the park area, although you’ll want to travel during off-season times for a peaceful experience.
There is parking near the dam and at the intersection of Highway 231 and the Blue Ridge Parkway where the picnic area can be found. You shouldn’t have to hike far to find fishing in this creek, even if you leave the more popular areas.
Best Time to Fish Boone Fork Creek
North Carolina’s streams are best fished during the spring months, as most of the trout love the aquatic insect hatches that come during this time. March and April are the best times to come. You may still find some good fishing into May.
The summer days usually get too hot for much good fishing in this small creek, but you might have luck on cool days. Fall, however, is spawning season and sees the water temps cool down. Thus, it is the second-best time to visit Boone Fork Creek.
You will also find some good fishing here on the warmer winter days. You can expect to follow standard trout stream seasonal guidelines to get the best catches. If you want to capitalize on hatches, come during spring.
If you prefer to enjoy the fall foliage and go for those feisty browns, plan your trip then. Another consideration with this stream is fishing during cloudy days, or even during the early morning or evening hours. This ensures you’re not spooking the trout.