New river is good to just catch fish there is state park bout 20 min from west jefferson. Lot trout streams but in area but if haven't stocked pickings may be slim. If your looking for small lake price lake is close to Boone nice place to fish. If you fish in trout waters make sure have right license
price lake on the blue ridge parkway. Watagua river just south of boone. Although, that may be fished out by now. I think there's also a place called trout lake that has alot of (smaller) bass in it on the parkway as well. Been a few years since I've been there. Assuming those places are still around