Chris Wilkes - The Highland Hiker

There’s beauty built into those moments when we slow down and open our eyes and our minds.

Chris’s French Broad River revelation should resonate with all of us, whenever we’re in the midst of nature.

Anglers in Western North Carolina look forward to the month of October like a kid counts the days until Christmas.  October provides some of the best conditions for trout fishing […]

These are strange days for sure. One of the pluses is that a lot of people have found their love of nature again. Hiking, biking, paddling, and fly fishing have […]

Welcome to January in Western North Carolina.  Cold temperatures, lots of precipitation, and more cold temperatures. Not what one thinks of as the ideal time for fly fishing. It can […]

There are plenty of reasons to fly fish.  Quiet time outdoors in really pretty spots? Yup.  A chance to use the new equipment you just bought? Sure.  A great way […]

The question is often asked, “Do you always need waders to fish?”  No, you don’t. During the summer months, the air and water is significantly warmer, and you can get […]

Should you get a guide?  A lot of folks want to practice fly fishing by trial and error. The assumption is that if you can’t tie your own fly, spot […]

Here in Western North Carolina, you can angle for plenty of Rainbow and Brown Trout, but only the wild Brook Trout are truly natives in these streams. Fishing for them […]