Fish Tales Outfitters & Guide Service

06/11/2026

Marcus came by the shop and asked if we could put him on some fish. We made it happen and thank you Marcus for supporting Fish Tales

06/10/2026

We are waterproof, the fish are already wet, why stop fishing?
Always nice having our good friend David in town to do some fishing/exploring!

06/06/2026

It’s that time of the year! We are going to be out at Winding Stair Campgrounds open house doing some casting and maybe even a little fly tying! Come check out this quiet, tucked away campground for you next getaway!
June 7th from 12-4pm
See you guys out there!

Our annual free Campground Open House is this weekend! On Sunday June 7th, 12-4pm, we’ll be opening the gates for guests to drop in and explore. It’s the perfect family day out. Bring a picnic, settle in next to the river, under the trees, or in our comfy Pavilion.

Always been curious about our camping and glamping spots? Check them all out, and pick out a favourite for your next stay. From the chill banks of the Nantahala River to cozy spaces under the tree canopy, each of our sites is unique.

Take a stroll through Winding Stair Farm, meet our Icelandic sheep and many, many birds! Our traditional water-powered Grist Mill will be grinding, and our vegetable garden will be growing. Altogether, a wonderful way to spend a summer Sunday afternoon in the mountains.

Sunday, June 7th, 12-4pm. FREE!
Winding Stair Campground, 7984 W. Old Murphy Road, Franklin NC 28734.

06/06/2026

So many of you have asked what a Wild Ops Trip is. Over the past several years we have had the incredible opportunity to work with Wild Ops in helping our veterans transfer from their military life to civilian life. So many of these men have seen and experienced things that shouldn’t be seen by anyone.

On this trip, we started with a Fly Tying class in the shop and then traveled to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park where we set up Basecamp in the Smokemont Campground. After setting up camp our Guides quickly got to work getting these men onto the stream and for many, their first Fly Fishing experience. The team from Wild Ops provided counseling and prayer to these men.

We next traveled to Fontana Lake, where we were transported by Miss Hazel into Hazel Creek, where we shared history and compassion and fishing and then returned to base camp where we were able to experience the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, including the Elk herd and the once a year event of the synchronized fireflies.

Mornings and evenings were spent by the campfire, enjoying coffee, meals sharing stories and enjoying the beauty of the Park. At the end of the trip, we all realize that this had nothing to do about Fish.

If you would like to learn more about Wild Ops, either in taking part in a trip or helping support this incredible organization please visit https://wildops.org/

06/04/2026

There’s nothing quite like walking up to a little creek, spotting a run, and thinking, “This looks fishy.” Then watching a trout absolutely crush a dry fly on the very first drift. Gotta love it

06/02/2026

Boots, packs, and fly rods. Out in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with Wild Ops putting veterans on mountain water and letting fly fishing do what it does best, slow everything down and bring you back to yourself.
This trip wasn’t about catching the biggest fish or the most fish, it was about these guys, the conversations between casts, the quiet moments that don’t need filled, and seeing people reset in real time.

05/30/2026

We are pleased to have contributed to a recent Assembly article authored by Allison Salerno, which provides a thoughtful discussion on fly fishing in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The article is well-written and effectively captures the resilience of our community. We appreciate the support of our customers as we continue to recover.

Hurricane Helene severely damaged a key Western North Carolina hatchery used to boost the trout stock of local rivers. Now it's coming back.

05/29/2026

We have been honored to guide these veterans through the Great Smoky Mountains over the past few days, sharing experiences in camping, fishing, friendship, and fellowship. The trip started at the shop where they learned to tie flies which they are using for their first fly fish long adventure.

For updates, please stay tuned for forthcoming photos.

If you are seeking a worthy cause, please visit https://wildops.org/. It is a wonderful organization that has helped so many of our vets. We are grateful to have the opportunity to help

05/21/2026

People come into the shop all the time and laugh when they see these glide baits.

“No way a bass eats that.”
Well, our analysis is pretty simple, they get BIT😎

Most of our lakes are post spawn and bass are ready to munch, so get out there and wet a line!

05/18/2026

Loaded up on sunglasses!

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