Trout Fishing The Cherokee Ponds

Cherokee's manmade ponds draw massive crowds in spring and summer when anglers from the Midwest and South converge on the reservation. Fortunately, they are stocked weekly with trout to keep fishing good. See how to catch them here now in this episode of Pautzke Outdoors.
Editor’s Note: A North Carolina fishing license isn’t required to fish in Cherokee. However, a tribal permit is. They are $10 per day and come with a whopping 10-fish limit. For more information please visit www.fishcherokee.com or / fish-cherokee​​​ .
To Learn More About Pautzke Bait: www.pautzke.com​​​
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[@watchman316ly]

The KOA ponds of Cherokee- LOL!!! That place is so funny to see because of the power lines filled with bobbers stuck on them...ha ha ha! When you start a feeding frenzy- they will bite for some time. The dough bait really works- good job guys!!!

[@TeamPautzke]

More bobbers arrive up there every day!

[@watchman316ly]

@@TeamPautzke 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@letigreluxe9528]

Fluff and Pat ! my two favorites ya'll keep em coming !

[@jerdew]

We just got back spent most of my time on Raven and Soco caught bunches of trout. Even a monster out of little Bunches Creek

[@TeamPautzke]

C'mon Jerry, if you read the comments on here they only stock big ones when we come;) And, we haven't been there in almost five months. Nice job! Technique is everything.

[@jerdew]

@@TeamPautzke the fish are so healthy and strong even the pounders fight hard.

[@brandonrowe2133]

I fish there every year….you guys are awesome

[@VanhitlikeaminiVan]

Im here now may 12 , used only your brand, no bite at all, imma try again tommorow..first timer in trout fishing and we hope we have a better day tommorow if not, imma called it a bust. Update, we CAugnt over 20 trout at that pond, fun times

[@wvhoyt19]

Why did you throw that fish back at the ponds?? Isn’t that in violation??

[@darkspruce]

Shooting fish in a barrel?

[@TeamPautzke]

If that's what you personally call it. Tell that to the hundreds of anglers that fish here daily, because it's the only resource they have. Stay positive, buddy!

[@calebowens3006]

Them bobbers just grow each year boys

[@bayeleven3466]

you'll witness a fish get curb stomped at 11:41 . just caught my eye and was pretty funny

[@walkingtrout7780]

Lol!! Wow

[@daviddorries3450]

"That ain't how you make trout patties dude" that is the most awful thing i ever seen anybody doing to a live trout. "That won't work in the catch and release waters up the road" and even in catch and keep waters, that is not cool.

[@calebowens3006]

Man I hope I meet fluff at the tournament

[@alanjaded8015]

(11)Failure to retain all trout caught in Tribal managed ponds shall be unlawful. Catch and release is permitted in all other Tribal Enterprise Waters except in managed ponds.

[@jerdew]

That's mostly for the Summer time fishing the ponds are hot and a slightly injured fish dies fast. They try and ask you keep your fish from the ponds during the tag tournaments. If you ever go you see the snaggers hanging at the Ponds trying to snag fish to get the $$$. I have even called from the ponds and no one come.

[@FishingWithDamon]

Awesome trout fishing I love trout fishing too bad around here the population has declined so much I am a young kid I do a KZbin channel for fishing called fish for dinner I recently just did some trout fishing and there was none there and just last year I was there and there was lots as catching them about five at a time each time I went now there is known and here they do not stalk at all not even once so it is all on the anglers to keep a steady population I live watching trout fishing such beautiful fish I recently caught my pb bass though 38 inches long!! Monster bass

[@LoganMann-fj1tr]

I went fishing there and some teenagers came and moaned loudly while driving by in there squared truck…. Also in my opinion, the best place in the two ponds are about 10 feet from drainage thing, since there is a deep pocket. Also its actually more fun to fish the creek, I caught 2 rainbows and 1 brook trout in under an hour:) of course I used a dry fly tho

[@brianharrison263]

Caught a few out of there myself

[@jerdew]

I usually leave my wife at that rock and the little drain pipe then I hit Raven Fork.

[@johnelm7653]

Kool 😅

[@gpoutdoors5971]

Woooooooo

[@taubdejxiong]

Is it a catch and release place that what I see online

[@TeamPautzke]

No

[@beyondthecanepole2499]

While this is a very public spot and we have caught trout here I know for a fact some of the places you go up there are behind "No Trespassing" signs. You also have to love the videos when you are fishing with folks from the hatchery. I'm not saying fishing is not good in more public areas nor that your baits do not work (I'm a customer) especially after stocking but you have to admit you get some "special" treatment at times when you visit.

[@TeamPautzke]

Hey buddy, thanks for your comments. Every spot we've ever fished is in public water. We, like you, aren't allowed to fish tribal waters, although we wish we could. And, of course, we fish with some of the hatchery guys. After filming here for a decade we've become good friends with them. They do help us decide what time of year to come, good spots to fish and keep us up to date on current fishing and water conditions. Did you want us to fly across the US without doing any research first?

[@beyondthecanepole2499]

@@TeamPautzke apparently you must have missed the "No Trespassing" signs on the trees at some of those "public" spots you have fished. You can deny it because the river is indeed public but to get to and be at the spot you had to cross over and be on posted property. I appreciate you mentioning your companies relationship with the tribal hatchery. I am also sure you do your part to increase tourism to fish with these videos. The thing is while the streams and ponds are stocked and anyone can catch fish (I know I have) you have a distinct advantage and access to spots the rest of us do not have. BTW in none of this am I saying your bait is bad (it catches fish) or that people cannot catch a limit on the public waters in Cherokee (I have) but I dispute your claims that everyone can do what you do because they do not and will never have the contacts you have including ability to access certain areas on the public waters.

[@normwitt5449]

Can you tell what rod fluff is using?

[@sMileHighCity]

It's an eagleclaw

[@walkingtrout7780]

I never have much success on the fire bait or any of pautzkes salmon eggs even tho I’ve fished a lot with them. I’ve used half of the garlic fire bait jar already and not even a single hit on that stuff. I know I’m not fishing it wrong because I’m always catching on powerbait and powereggs and other dough bait brands and I don’t have a problem slayin fish on other types of salmon eggs. Is it just my technique or am I using the wrong color? Could it be that the fish around my area just aren’t game for pautzke products?

[@TeamPautzke]

Where is "your area" - we can tell you that presentation is everything.

[@walkingtrout7780]

@@TeamPautzke western Massachusetts. So locations such as the Swift river, Deerfield river, and Westfield river.

[@ignitingthenationsministries]

Where is this pond?

[@daviddorries3450]

Right smack dab in front of the entrance to the Cherokee KOA.

[@dieselwrench3621]

I wanted to see how you clean them and cook

[@cjyin2547]

What’s the name of this pond?

[@dennissmathers898]

I dont know if they actually have an official name. There are 3 ponds one right after the other and successively smaller from 1 to 3. Just take Big Cove road from 441 and keep driving, and driving, and driving....Then drive some more and you will run right into them. Dont expect to be alone as these fishermen are no matter when you go. That was undoubtedly a fluke occurrence. But there will be room and usually some fish too.

[@Musicman1960]

Right in front of KOA campground

[@Artisanwoodworks73]

Here's an idea, contact ME next time you're going to Cherokee. I'll drive up and meet y'all and we can prove that public water is what you fish.

[@sMileHighCity]

Why do you feel the need to defend your product every video? Just market it as bait for stockers. Nothing wrong with that. Would love to see you guys fish some wild waters where fish have never been stocked. I used to try your products all the time here in MT and never caught a damn thing. This is a in terms of eggs and/or dough. I haven't tried the gel yet. Thanks for the videos!

[@TeamPautzke]

Oh Mile High, thanks for your comments. Almost every place where wild trout are found it's illegal to use bait (and we are generalizing, yes there are some exceptions). Why? Because since 1934- it works too well - the fish hammer it - and swallow it. We would be happy to go and film videos on places with wild trout, but would you really want that? With our bait we could wipe out the population in weeks. Rather than promote that we prefer to focus on put and take fisheries that are designed for catching and keeping, unless you would like us to focus on promoting wild trout waters that can't take the pressure? And, our bait, like any bait on the market, works excellent - when presented properly with the right gear.

[@TooFastNate]

try fly fishing if its to easy lol

[@jerdew]

There is a trophy fly fishing section. This isn't state stocking. They stock so heavy that you have to practice C&R or you got your 10 in just a little while.

[@gpoutdoors5971]

i love fly fishing....its easy too if you know what youre doing

[@stevelacy8871]

GPS location please, I would love to take my wife here.

[@jerdew]

Check out fishcherokee.com for info. There are 4 ponds and 30 miles of stream.

[@stevenbosley5803]

Just look up KOA campground. Ponds right there. Cannot miss them. I was there 2 weeks ago. Caught fish. Take a variety of baits including worms and grubs. I suspect cycadias will get hot soon.

[@calebowens3006]

Big cove road in Cherokee can’t miss em