St. John’s Fly Fishers Experience a Special Place in Lake Logan

St. John’s Fly Fishers ventured out to the Lake Logan Conference Center near Canton, North Carolina this past weekend. The trip had been on the calendar for most of the year, and was highly anticipated. It was to be a combination of a new location, and a chance for beginners as well as experienced fly fishers to easily access trout waters.

Larry Bennett, Dan Robertson and Craig Murden reflecting on an amazing and peaceful place.

“We had an amazing experience here. The combination of a beautiful lake with mountain backdrop, classic mountain cabins, great food and hospitality, with trout streams both on the property and very close by, made us not want to leave,” said Craig Murden.

Nice Brown Trout caught and released by Dan Robertson.

Lake Logan is in an Episcopal Conference Center that can be utilized for retreats, fishing trips like ours, or quality family trips. The cabins were built in the 1920s, as part of an executive retreat for the Champion Paper Company. The property is bordered by trees and mountains, and feels like a preserve. The lake is home to trout, bass, and walleye. We later learned that there is a fish hatchery at the end of the lake, and provides rainbow trout to most of the restaurants in North Carolina, and in the region.

Lake view from one of the ‘classic’ cabins.

Greg and Julie Williams, Dan Robertson, Larry Bennett and Craig Murden were the St. John’s Fly Fishers who went on this trip. They fished delayed harvest and hatchery supported trout waters, on the West Fork of the Pigeon River which flows into and out of Lake Logan. They caught Brown, Brook, and Rainbow trout, mainly on nymphs near the bottom of the stream.

Dan Robertson with prized catch, photo from nearby fly fisher who could tell Dan was without a camera.

Craig and Larry fished the section of river near the lake on Sunday and would recommend it to new fly fishers as a good place to start.

“Honeymoon” cabin with brook running down hillside, peaceful, great spot.

“The meals were fantastic, and we had the opportunity for prayer and fellowship at the dining tables, as well as at the campfire,” said Greg Williams.

Leaves changing for us. Lake side was only trees and leaves.

Dan Robertson was the weekend fishing “guide”, and recommended fishing a tandem rig with the following flies: Pat’s Rubber Legs #10 for the top fly, and a basic nymph, size #16 for the bottom fly.