Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
TO FIND THE TROUT IN JACKSON
COUNTY.
ALEX BELL MAKES CATCHING TROUT
LOOK EASY.
BELL HAS BEEN FISHING THESE
WATERS IN JACKSON COUNTY FOR
MANY YEARS.
HE SPENT 30 YEARS IN PUBLIC
EDUCATION AS A TEACHER, COACH
AND PRINCIPAL IN JACKSON COUNTY
BEFORE RETIRING.
NOW HE USES THAT BACKGROUND AS A
FLY FISHING GUIDE ON THE WESTERN
NORTH CAROLINA FLY FISHING
TRAIL.
>> THE TEACHING/COACHING ASPECT
IS REALLY WHAT I ENJOY THE MOST,
SO I'VE JUST CHANGED CLASSROOMS.
THIS IS NOW MY OFFICE, AND I
REALLY ENJOY WORKING WITH THE
NOVICE OR THE FLAT-OUT BEGINNER
FLY FISHERMAN.
IT'S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE
MY PASSION WITH SOMEONE ELSE
THAT CAN ENJOY THIS WONDERFUL
SPORT FOR THE REST OF THEIR
LIFE.
>> BELL IS ONE OF A HANDFUL OF
PEOPLE WHO WORKED ON PUTTING
TOGETHER A FORMAL MAP OF THE
WATERWAYS IN JACKSON COUNTY
WHERE THE TROUT CAN BE FOUND.
>> AND IT JUST SORT OF EVOLVED.
WE ALL SAT AROUND, GOT THE MAPS
OUT, SHOWED PLACES THAT WE HAVE
FISHED AND BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND
CAME UP WITH THE 15 SPOTS THAT
ARE CURRENTLY ON THE MAP.
>> WE'VE BEEN PROMOTING FLY
FISHING HERE IN JACKSON COUNTY
FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS, AND WE
JUST FELT LIKE WE HAD SUCH GREAT
NATURAL RESOURCES THAT WE WANTED
TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE
COMPREHENSIVE TO BRING IN OUR
GREAT RIVER AS WELL AS A NUMBER
OF OUR SMALLER STREAMS AND
CREEKS IN THE AREA.
SO WE THOUGHT WE WOULD CREATE A
MAP WITH 15 GREAT PLACES TO
FISH.
>> WE'RE ON THE TUCKASEGEE RIGHT
NOW.
IT'S STOCKED IN RAINBOW, BROWN
AND BROOK.
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT YOU'LL
FIND THROUGHOUT THE TRAIL.
THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS, YOU'LL
FIND SOME OF THE NATIVE BROOK.
>> THE TUCKASEGEE RIVER IS THE
MAIN RIVER THROUGH THE COUNTY.
IT FLOWS THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN
TERRAIN AND BORDERS MANY TOWNS
WHICH BENEFIT FROM THE WATER
SOURCE.
>> FLY FISHING IS BIG HERE IN
THE MOUNTAINS.
IT'S BEEN POPULAR FOR A LONG
TIME.
AND A LOT OF THE OLDER GUYS THAT
HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOREVER ARE
REAL GOOD TO HELP YOUNGER PEOPLE
GET INTO IT.
THEY'RE NOT AFRAID TO TALK TO
THEM ABOUT IT, SHOW THEM HOW TO
TIE FLIES.
>> JIM McCOURTNEY OWNS CCS FLY
FISHING OUTFITTERS IN DILLSBORO.
HE SAYS HAVING THE MAPS HAS
HELPED HIM.
>> GIVES US A CHANCE TO REMIND
PEOPLE ABOUT THE DELICATE NATURE
SOMETIMES OF THE FISH AND THE
RESOURCES, SO WE CAN TELL THEM
THIS SPOT, IF THERE'S SOMEBODY
FISHING IT, MIGHT NOT CATCH ANY
TODAY, WHEREAS YOU CAN FISH
RIGHT BEHIND SOMEBODY ON THE BIG
PART OF THE TUCKASEGEE AND STILL
CATCH FISH.
SO WE GET TO DO A LITTLE
EDUCATING OF PEOPLE.
>> WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF NEW FLY
FISHING SHOPS OPEN HERE IN
JACKSON COUNTY TO SUPPORT THE
INDUSTRY AND THEY'RE SELLING
EVERYTHING FROM GREAT HAND-MADE
TIES TO GEAR.
THE ACCOMMODATIONS ON THE RIVERS
AND CREEKS HAVE OPENED THEIR
DOORS.
>> THE MAP INCLUDES SPOTS TO
PARK AND STAY.
IF YOU STAY AT THE HOTEL, YOU
CAN WALK OUT INTO THE WATER TO
FISH.
IT'S ALL PART OF THE IDEA OF THE
MAP TO PROMOTE THE WATER AND
BUSINESSES OF JACKSON COUNTY.
>> FROM A TOURISM ASPECT, FLY
FISHING IS REALLY IMPORTANT HERE
IN JACKSON COUNTY.
WHILE WE HAVE GREAT VISTAS AND
BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN SCENES, WATER
IS A WONDERFUL OUTDOOR ADVENTURE
SPORT, WHETHER YOU'RE RAFTING OR
FISHING OR TUBING OR KAYAKING.
AND IT'S A GREAT CLEAN INDUSTRY.
IT'S A WONDERFUL WAY TO BRING
FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND FOLKS
HERE TO THE COUNTY AND GET THEM
OUTSIDE AND ENJOY A LITTLE TIME
TOGETHER.
>> THE TUCKASEGEE RIVER ACTUALLY
DISSECTS THE COUNTY.
IT RUNS FOR ABOUT 40 MILES.
AND SO THERE'S AMPLE FISHING.
WE ALSO HAVE SMALL MOUTH FISHING
IN THE LOWER TUCK DOWN BELOW
DILLSBORO.
>> THE TRAIL MAP HIGHLIGHTS THE
DIFFERENT AREAS WHERE NATURAL
AND FARM-RAISED TROUT ARE
LOCATED.
HAVING SUCH A DETAILED MAP OF
THE FISHING LOCATIONS MIGHT SEEM
TO THREATEN THE HIDDEN SPOTS ON
THE WATERWAYS, BUT LOCALS
REALIZE THE UNIQUE LOCATIONS ARE
NOT EASY TO GET TO OR TAKES MORE
EXPERIENCE TO GET A CATCH.
>> SOME PEOPLE MIGHT BE UPSET
ABOUT SOME OF THE SMALLER CREEKS
AND STUFF GETTING NAMED ON IT,
BUT THE SMALLER CREEKS REQUIRE A
LITTLE MORE EFFORT TO GET TO,
TOO, AND NOT EVERYBODY'S WILLING
TO DO THAT.
AND THERE'S A LITTLE BIT HARDER
TO FISH WITH A FLY ROD.
YOU HAVE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT
AND GET CREATIVE.
THEY WANT NAMES, BUT THEY
WEREN'T SECRETS ANYWAY.
>> THE MAIN GOAL IS TO GET NEW
FISHERMEN HOOKED ON THE SPORT.
>> I LIKE TO SAY YOU CAN LEARN
THE BASICS IN AN AFTERNOON AND
IT TAKES A LIFETIME AND YOU'LL
NEVER MASTER IT.
SO WHEN I BRING PEOPLE OUT TO
THE RIVER, THERE'S ONLY ONE
EXPERT, AND THAT'S THE TROUT.
>> TO GET TRAIL INFORMATION,
FIND A GUIDE OR TO DOWNLOAD YOUR
OWN MAP OF THE TRAIL, LOG ON TO
OUR WEBSITE, unctv.org/ncnow,
AND LOOK FOR THE WEB LINKS
SECTION TO GET MORE INFORMATION
ON THE REGION.
FINALLY, KEN BURNS HAS PREPARED
A SIX-PART DOCUMENTARY ON THE
NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM PREMIERING
THIS FALL.
WE HAVE A SNEAK PEEK TONIGHT.
SEE OUR NATION'S PARKS AND LEARN
ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED
CREATE AND PRESERVE SOME OF THE
MOST SPECIAL PLACES IN OUR
COUNTRY.
PBS PREVIEWED "THE NATIONAL
PARKS: AMERICA'S BEST IDEAS" AIR
TONIGHT AT 10:00.
THEN STAY TUNED FOR "DIGITAL TV:
ARE YOU GETTING IT?" AT 10:30.
SHANNON VICKERY AND UNC-TV
DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING CARL
DAVIS PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT
THE UPCOMING ANALOG SHUTOFF AND
THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF
UPDATING YOUR TELEVISION TO
RECEIVE DIGITAL PROGRAMMING.
THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR TONIGHT.
THANKS FOR WATCHING.
HAVE A GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
CAPTIONING BY CAPTION PERFECT www.CaptionPerfect.com
"NORTH CAROLINA NOW" IS MADE
POSSIBLE THROUGH THE FINANCIAL
CONTRIBUTIONS OF VIEWERS LIKE
YOU, WHO INVITE YOU TO JOIN THEM
IN SUPPORTING UNC-TV.