Gatlinburg, TN

[awojo]

Hey All, I am heading to Gatlinburg, TN in June. I would like to do some fly fishing down there. Can anyone give me some advice on flies, hatches, patters, etc. to use down there. Also, I would like to book a guide for one day. Any recommended guides and what streams to hit in that area? Thanks for the help and advice!
Tight lines!

 

[chrisdm4]

Differently stop by The Smoky Mountain Angler. They will give you a good idea of what is working that week. You can also book a guide with them but i did not do that when we were down there so i cant speak on that. Didn't have to much time to fish (hiking trip not a fishing trip) but we spent one morning driving on 441 hitting streams and hiking back into them. We found some amazing water and saw a lot of fish. There is sooo much water to fish in the park. I know someone else here will have a lot more insight on the smokies then me. We where thinking about going back down to Gatlinburg this June as well. Hopefully we will go! Good luck!

 

[pcray1231]

I've been there once, and I fished the park some. It's mostly wild bows, by the way, but there are some brookies and browns as well. Most of the streams in the park are going to have fish.

Generally the fishing was similar to smallish freestoners here. Aggressive smallish fish and not much bug life. Attractor dries worked well. If you can't coax em to the surface that day, feel free to run a dropper. Water was crystal clear and the fish spooky, but not picky, based on my experiences.

Anyway, it wasn't a fishing trip, and my wife was heavily pregnant at the time. I got a number of short outings in over a week while she did some touristy things, but due to the pregnancy we were limited on how "adventurous" we could be. This was mid-July. List them here:

Cosby Creek, around the campground and above. One of my favorites. Lots of brookies and a few bows. Fished it a couple of times as I was camped there for half the week.

Roaring Fork, which parallels the Roaring Fork Motor Trail right out of Gatlinburg. I only fished it for like an hour as my wife was doing touristy stuff, but it fished well. I was in double digits in that hour. All bows.

Little River - above the Elkmont Campground. This was my longest outing. A few bows and one nice brown. Bigger water.

Little River - in the town of Townsend (outside of park). Caught a few bass and had a big stockie bow to my feet. It's big water down there.

Middle Prong Little River - Just below the Middle Prong Trailhead. Caught a number of bows here. Was just after a T-storm, so I may have lucked out and got them when they were active.

Little Pigeon River - I didn't do well here. But I was on the lower end, just inside the park and along the road, and it was mid afternoon.

As for fly shops, Little River Outfitters in Townsend TN was a large, well stocked, and very helpful fly shop. I think there's one in Gatlinburg proper too but it's a tiny place comparatively.

 

[AFISHN]

Thanks PCray for a very informative and helpful post.
I'm fishing South Holston(TN) for 4 days in April.
I'm then heading down to FL for a week,but wanted to stop in Gatlinburg(2 hours South)to fish for a day or two.
Your post is really timely.
BTW:One of the reasons I really like the FF Forum

 

[fishinfoolnj]

Concerning guides: I recommend David Knapp (Troutzoneanglers.com) or Rob Fightmaster (fightmasterflyfishing.com). Used both over the years and was very pleased with their guiding and knowledge.

 

[STONEMAN]

I fished with Ian Rutter of R and R fly fishing out of Townsend. Real nice day. Had me on a number of streams in the park.

 

[thesmayway]

I'm jealous! I was there last summer and had a blast. Didn't catch anything big, but the fish are aggressive and plentiful. I agree with Pcrays recommendations particularly on Roaring Fork. If you want a 100 fish dry fly day this is the place to do it. I caught around 20 in 2 hours, but like many said it was a family vacation so I went in small stretches. I fished it from where the motor trail leaves the park and I upstream. The terrain getting in is very steep here, fyi.I think that keeps the pressure off this stream at least in this section. Yellow Sally and Elk Hair Caddis

Next "must go" steam is LeConte. Since you're there in summer I'd say start at the rainbow trail trailhead parking area. In warmer weather I didn't find fish in lowrr elevation. This was my favorite simply because of the terrain. Your fishing plunge pools at eye level while standing in the one below. Really aggressive bookies here. You'll have the tourists walk by the stream on occasion scaring fish, but there are so many pockets you can just move on. Dark hopper patterns and the Yellow Sally were the ticket.

Don't make the mistake of thinking small stream, small rod. Because of all the cross currents is easier to fish with a long rod andreach over to where you're targeting. I used my 7' the first day out and didn't touch it again.

Honestly, unless you're realy looking for the guide experience I'd say it's unnecessary in the park. The streams aren't technical. Now if you want to fish in the lower elevations and chase browns that are rumored to reach some epic sizes I'd hire a guide. Visit the fly shop in Gatlinburg if you want to see a brown they caught in the area. I didn't tie any local patterns before going so they were a great resource.

 

[awojo]

Thank you all for the information. I think I can take on the smaller streams found in the park by myself. I was looking for a guide to put me on some bigger fish. I hear that the Cherokee area has some large brown trout and I would like to have a guide if I am going to be targeting them. Any advice? Thanks again for all the info.

 

[RLeep2]

>>I hear that the Cherokee area has some large brown trout and I would like to have a guide if I am going to be targeting them. Any advice?>>

I have no advice on choosing a guide. I will say though, based on what I've read and folks I have talked to, that Ian Rutter at R&R Flyfishing is probably as good as they come, particularly when your object is the larger browns in the Park.

I guess the other thing I would say is that "Cherokee area" and "large brown trout" probably mean the lower Oconaluftee and Deep Creek. Just be aware that by the time June rolls around, tubing season is in full swing in the Park and that commercial tubing operations put a lot of people on both the destinations mentioned above. Any competent guide you hire will know what to do/where to go to avoid the worst of this, but you should be prepared to do some hiking.

 

[Midge22]

These are for WNC. and more specifically, Cherokee, NC.

Contact Gordon Vanderpool at Turning Stones Fly fishing. He is one of the best guides in the south. http://flyfishingwnc.com/

If he is booked (which he very well may be), check out Rivers edge outfitters. they have a bunch of guides, and Michael bradley is one of them. if ya can, get him for a day, you will be a much better angler after you fish with him.

I know Gordon personally and he is one of the best guides around down there. He will get you into fish, and you will be a better angler after you fish with him. He can do it all, but if you like to dry drop, he is the best in the business when it comes to that.

Im not sure if you mentioned how long you will be in the area, but i could spend weeks there. I spent 5 days there this past year, and it wasnt nearly enough.

Nantahala River is awesome. its worth the trip alone just to see and fish this place. insane number of fish. can be technical, but worth it.

The Oconaluftee (spelling?) was awesome. I fished right in cherokee, the trophy section, and the Ravens Fork. I highly recommend the Ravens Fork). i didnt care for the trophy section, as its just a stocker bashing, but if you get up on the Ravens Fork above the trophy section, there are an astounding numbers of wild bows. This is the place you could surpass 100 fish in a day easily.