Over 35 years of guiding experience

Brookings is proud to staff the greatest team of fly fishing guides in WNC. With over 35 yrs of guiding experience, its easy to say we have learned a thing or two over the years, and take great joy in sharing our knowledge with others. Whether its your first time fly fishing, or your 300th, our goal is to teach you the tools to make your time on the stream more enjoyable. Give us a chance to show you around our backyard, and you surely won't regret it!

We highly recommend a 1-2 month lead time for booking reservations.  We encourage booking your reservation over the phone with us so we can go over all the options, and find the best fit for your experience.  We have a 48 hour (or more) notice requirement for any cancellations.  If foul weather is a factor, your guide will make the call on whether or not the conditions are worthy of going.

Wade Trips for Trout

Western North Carolina has an expansive amount of wade fishing opportunities for targeting trout on the fly. We guide clients on over 30 rivers and streams in a short drive from our fly shop in Cashiers, NC. Depending on the time of year we fish the Tuckasegee tail-water, the technical Davidson river, the Panthertown Valley area for brook trout, and countless back-country freestone streams for wild trout. Depending on your needs, experience level, and physical capabilities our guides will use their expansive knowledge to make your day with us an experience you will never forget!

Pricing

Trip Price
1 Person 1/2 Day
$250
2 Person 1/2 Day
$375
**For more than 2 people, multiple guides will be required
1 Person Full Day
$350
2 Person Full Day
$500
**For more than 2 people, multiple guides will be required
Book a guide trip

Float Trips for Trout

Floating is one of the most enjoyable and relaxing ways that you can fly fish for trout. Our float trips for trout are done on the Tuckaseegee River, just a short drive from our shop. Your guide will row you down this scenic river in either a drift boat or raft set up for fly fishing. The nice thing about floating is you will see several miles of the river, and fish in places not so accessible to wade fisherman. The best time to book a float trip on the Tuckaseegee are the months of October through May. Lunch and all equipment are included in the price of the trip. Anglers will need to purchase a NC fishing license with a trout stamp.

Pricing

Trip Price
Full Day Float, 1 or 2 Anglers
$550

Book a guide trip

Private Waters Wade

Want to get away from the crowds, yet have quality fish in front of you? We have partnered with several private land owners to offer a solitary experience, and managed their streams for better than average sized fish. To offer the best experience possible, we limit these sections of water to one group per day and are first come, first serve.

Pricing

Trip Price
1 Person 1/2 Day
$300
2 Person 1/2 Day
$475
**For more than 2 people, multiple guides will be required
1 Person Full Day
$450
2 Person Full Day
$700
**For more than 2 people, multiple guides will be required
Book a guide trip

Float Trips for Smallmouth

Maybe one of the best kept secrets in Western NC, our smallmouth bass fishing is exceptional. These predatory fish will hammer your fly or lure, and when they do, hold on because you are in for a fight! We target these fish with both fly and conventional gear. The best way to catch one of these thrilling fish is to float the Tuckaseegee, Little Tennessee, or French Broad river with us. Smallmouth can be caught year round, but the optimal time of year is right smack in the middle of summer when the water is warm, low, and clear. All gear and lunch is provided. Anglers will need a NC fishing license (no trout stamp required).

Pricing

Trip Price 2022 Pricing
Full Day Float 1 or 2 Anglers
$550 $550
Book a guide trip

Fishing Schools

Here at Brookings we offer a unique fly fishing school for the beginning angler. The objective of this course is to teach you enough about the fundamentals of the sport to give you the confidence to go fishing on your own. The course is a full day, and we divide it into two parts. The first half of the day is instructional: casting, knot tying, where to look for trout, and basic fly selection. After a lunch break, we will spend the second half of the day on the trout stream reinforcing what you learned that morning. Remember, the goal of the day is to teach you the fundamentals, and if you catch a fish that is just an added bonus! All of our schools are done privately by reservation (you, and whomever you choose to bring) so that each person gets the most of their experience. All gear and lunch is provided. Anglers will need a NC fishing license and a trout stamp.

Pricing

Trip Price
Full Day School
$300 per person
private parties only
Book a class
  • The best in WNC. Group of some of the most talented and seasoned fly fishing folks around! Get your cameras ready! ~ Dylan Cooke

Meet our Guides

Matt Canter

Matt Canter

Owner / General Manager

Matt Canter was born in High Point, North Carolina, and has been in love with anything that involves water and fish since kindergarten. He spent his youth fishing farm ponds in between family trips to the mountains and coast, where fishing tended to be the activity of choice. While attending Western Carolina University, Matt spent as much or more time on the rivers as he did in the classroom. After graduating, he immediately started guiding full-time for Brookings, and a few years later an opportunity to start managing the shop became available. After more than a decade of managing Brookings, Matt made a life long wish come true, and became majority owner in the business. When Matt is not at the shop or out guiding, he is probably spending time outdoors with his young family. They call Brevard, NC home and enjoy to camp, mountain bike, fish, hunt, and hike together.

Ben Elmer

Ben Elmer

Cashiers Store Manager

Ben is originally from Asheville NC, but now lives here in Cashiers and guides for us full time at the shop. When he's not guiding you can usually find him exploring new streams in the area or chasing musky on the fly. As the weather gets colder he likely has his sights set south towards warmer climates. Whether it be Snook in Sanibel, Tarpon in Islamorada or Lowcountry Redfish. However its only a matter of time before he's back on his home waters here in Cashiers NC. Whether floating down the Tuck or wading up the Chattooga, Ben enjoys sharing new water and strategies with clients here in his backyard.

Tanner Nations

Tanner Nations

Shop Employe / Guide

Tanner is a native of Sylva, NC and has been exposed to mountain outdoor life since he could crawl.  Whether your looking to chase native "specks" on a small stream, or connect with a big brown trout on a streamer, Tanner can get the job done!

Evan Norris

Evan Norris

Highlands Store Manager

Evan is a native of Cashiers, NC and has had a passion for fishing his entire life.  Whether you want to cast small dry flies for rising trout, or cast trout sized lures for mondo largemouth bass, Evan can do it all!

Jake McFerrin

Jake McFerrin

Shop Employee / Guide

Jake is a senior at Western Carolina University studying Parks and Recreation Management. He hasn't been fly fishing long, but has spent every free moment exploring the local streams and rivers learning about the diverse ecosystems in the area. Fly fishing has quickly become a passion that Jake is eager to share with others and he plans to do just that here at Brookings. 

Savana Kelley

Savana Kelley

Shop Employee / Guide

Savana grew up in Walhalla, South Carolina and is a Parks and Recreation graduate from Western Carolina University. She grew up trout fishing the Chauga and Chattooga river with her dad, but recently has grown a love for fly fishing. Savana has previously worked as a park ranger in the upstate of SC, but hopes to start a career in the fly fishing industry.

Hunter Cleary

Hunter Cleary

Shop Employe / Guide

Hunter is originally from Wilkes County, NC, but is currently a senior at Western Carolina University where he is majoring in Natural Resource Conservation and Management. Hunter enjoys all the aspects of fly fishing but he truly enjoys exploring small mountain streams chasing wild trout but when not fishing for trout he can be found going after smallmouth bass in the rivers.
Everest Barfield

Everest Barfield

Shop Employee / Guide

Originally from Georgia, I grew up fishing western North Carolina. I learned to fly fish in the western NC area at a young age alongside my father and honed my skills throughout my early adult years. My first experience ever fly fishing was on the local Tuckaseegee river. I attended college at UNC Wilmington on North Carolina’s coast where I earned a degree in environmental science but still managed to spend most of my time fishing marshes and creeks for redfish and bass. One of my favorite things about fly fishing here in Western NC is being able to target wild fish on small streams.
Chase Gray

Chase Gray

Shop Employee / Guide

Chase Gray grew up in Walhalla, SC, and currently attends Western Carolina University. When he is not in class, he greatly enjoys spending time outside with his camera and fly rod. Other than fishing, Chase loves spending time with friends and family, and traveling around the states capturing photos.
Alex Briante

Alex Briante

Shop Employee / Guide

Alex was raised in Charlotte, NC and is currently a resident of Sylva, NC. He spends most of his time during the spring, fall, and winter on the small trout streams of Western North Carolina, and his summers chasing bass on the fly all over the southeast. Regardless of what you want to do, he can get it done!
Roger Lowe

Roger Lowe

Head Guide

Roger Lowe was born in Waynesville, North Carolina, and has enjoyed fishing all his life. He started tying flies and fly fishing at a very early age. Roger had his own fly shop for twelve years and has been guiding twenty-five years. He offers wade trips and enjoys a day floating local rivers. Having been a fly tyer for forty years, Roger also offers fly tying instruction.

Rhett Smith

Rhett Smith

Guide

As a resident of Highlands, NC fly fishing is a part of daily life for Rhett. Rhett is a laid back kind of guy and a great fly fishing instructor. Along with with his fishing skills, he is also a highly accomplished wood-worker.

Daniel Smith

Daniel Smith

Guide

Daniel Smith was raised in King, North Carolina and began his love for fishing on farm ponds for bass and blue gill. He found his passion for trout fishing during his teenage years, which quickly turned into a passion for fly fishing. Daniel moved to the mountains of North Carolina 6 years ago to be closer to the best trout streams in NC.

Josh Whorton

Josh Whorton

Guide

Originally from Charleston, SC, Josh is a lifelong waterman, and has been fly fishing devotee for over 20 years. He lived, surfed, and fly fished in Iceland for two years, back before it was on the fly fishing map. Josh chased Redfish on the flats and Blue Marlin offshore before realizing his true passion- wrangling trout in Western NC and spreading the gospel of fly fishing.
Trevor Carter

Trevor Carter

Guide

Trevor grew up in South Carolina, but has thoroughly covered ALL of the Carolinas fly fishing for fresh and saltwater species with equal passion for both.  He is also an avid big game hunter, chasing many species on DIY backcountry trips with his bow.

Preston Easley

Preston Easley

Guide

Raised in Hickory, NC Preston spent nearly all of his free time growing up skiing in the high country around Blowing Rock, NC and learned to tie flies from David Hise, a master fly tyer and fly designer, at an early age. He moved to the Cashiers area 6 years ago and has been pursuing trout with a fly rod in hand nearly every day since. His specialties are big river nymphing and dry fly fishing for trout from drift boats, as well as casting instructing.
Korey Ward

Korey Ward

Guide

Korey was raised in South Carolina, but found his passion for the mountains while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Since then, he’s been fly fishing backcountry waters all over the Carolinas. He also enjoys traveling, trying to fish, hike, and hunt his way across as many wild places as possible.
Jack Mincey

Jack Mincey

Guide

Jack Mincey was born and raised in Cullowhee, North Carolina, next to the Tuckasegee River where he caught his first trout. As a child he fished the lakes and streams in Western North Carolina. At the age of eight he started fly fishing for pan fish in the local lakes with his father. This progressed into fishing the local trout streams with a fly by the age of twelve. Jack has fished every mile of many of the streams in Western North Carolina and has been guiding the local waters for more than twenty-three years. Over the last few years he has specialized in fishing the Tuckasegee River with clients.

Marc Laurin

Marc Laurin

Guide

Marc Laurin Marc was born and raised in Palm Beach County, Florida. If he wasn’t in school, he was chasing snook and anything else with gills and fins at the local bridges, jetties, and spillways. At age 11, he started spending the summers in WNC with extended family. This is where his passion for fly fishing began. He continued the tradition of coming to North Carolina with his children to share with them his love of the mountains. Marc is now fortunate to spend the winter guiding the flats of Sarasota and Charlotte harbors in hunt of snook, redfish and tarpon, and the summer guiding the many creeks and rivers of Jackson County and the Smoky Mountains.

Fisher Druffel

Fisher Druffel

Guide

Fisher is a local to the Cashiers area. He has grown up fishing all the streams and rivers wnc has to offer. Fisher has a wealth of knowledge of all aspects of fly fishing and is eager to teach what he knows. Anything from small mountain brook trout to chasing tarpon on the fly.
Tyler Baer

Tyler Baer

Guide

Tyler is a native of Mountain Rest, SC and learned to fly fish when he was 11 years old with a guide out of Brookings many years ago!  His passion for the sport has only grown over the years, and has now come back to Brookings as a guide to share his knowledge of the local area with others thirsty to learn.

Noah Pressler

Noah Pressler

Guide

Noah is a local to the Cashiers area, and a recent graduate of Western Carolina University with a degree in emergency and disaster management. He enjoys all types of fishing whether it be trout and tarpon on fly, or bass in our local lakes. When he’s not out chasing fish you can find him working for our fire department here in town! He’s excited to teach and share his local knowledge information with our clients!
Jim Mincey

Jim Mincey

Guide

Jim is a native of Jackson County, and fly fishing is a family tradition. His father taught him and his brothers, Jack and Bill, how to fly fish when they were young boys. His dad would take them camping on the White Water River just about every summer weekend. This is where Jim fell in love fly fishing the wild mountain streams. His son Mitch is keeping this family tradition going, he is also a fly fishing guide. There are not very many streams in the Cashiers area Jim hasn’t fished. The White Water River, Caney Fork, Thompson River, Chattooga River, Tuckaseigee River and Big Creek are streams he is very familiar with. Jim is also familiar with several of the streams in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park where he spends a lot of time riding his horse and fishing. He started guiding around 1985 part time, and has always enjoyed taking people fishing as well as showing them this beautiful area. Jim retired from Duke Energy last year with 41 years, and now has plenty of time to do something he really loves, and that is take people fishing. Jim lives with his wife Frances in Cullowhee N.C.

Eddie McCrady

Eddie McCrady

Guide

Eddie McCrady was born in Atlanta, GA, and has been fishing the western North Carolina mountains since he was little. After graduating from UVa and fishing the surrounding Shenandoah Valley, Eddie moved to Victor, Idaho and worked for WorldCast Anglers. He currently lives in Atlanta and guides part time for Brookings.
Simons Welter

Simons Welter

Guide

Simons Welter grew up in Statesville, NC, and is currently living in Spartanburg, SC. She graduated from Clemson University in 1988, is happily married and the mother of two grown children.

Simons spends all of her spare time on the rivers of North Carolina and upstate South Carolina, with a special love of fishing small streams for native brook trout on dry flies.

She has been guiding, mentoring and teaching fly fishing for the past 11 years, including working with Becoming an Outdoors Woman, Casting for Recovery and Casting Carolinas.

Simons has fished in a dozen states, numerous foreign countries and is a member of Mountain Bridge Trout Unlimited.

Travis Collins

Travis Collins

Guide

Travis is a native of Waynesville, NC and has spent nearly all of his life fly fishing.  With his extensive career in education, he is one of the best instructors in the area for beginners pursuing the sport of fly fishing.

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Location

828-743-3768
49 Pillar Drive
Cashiers, NC 28717

Google Map of Cashiers, NC 28717