Fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee has a one-of-a-kind experience for fisherman. In some areas, the brown trout (Salmo trutta) exceed 3,000 per mile, and all the fish in the Smokies are wild. It is here that you have everything you could want. Fishing rife with action, stunning scenery, and prosperous wildlife. It is not uncommon to see whitetail deer foraging for food or wild turkey and black bear along the stream.
Where to Fish
Hosting one of the nation’s largest wild trout habitats, Great Smoky Mountains National Park has over 2,900 miles of streams found within its borders. Around 20 percent of these streams have a large enough size that they can support trout wildlife, which means that you can fish almost anywhere in the Smokies and leave with a stringer full of trophy fish. Aside from the highly sought after brown trout, you can also fish for cool water smallmouth bass in the Smokies.
Fishing in the Smokies is all about the waters. The first thing that you will learn about this location is how all the small streams have world-class fishing that has been sought out by sportsmen around the world. Great Smoky Mountains National Park has more than 521,000 acres of untouched wilderness. You can do well in almost any of the crystalline streams here, but some of the notable fishing spots include:
Anthony Creek Watershed
While not considered a blue ribbon trout stream, it does have an abundant and flowing trout population, and it can also be a fun place. What makes Anthony Creek Watershed unusual is how it meanders peacefully through Cades Cove Valley. Here, you have a decent population of rainbow trout that hunt aggressively, and they put up a strong fight when reeling them in. The size of the fish are small, but as the saying goes, it is not the size of the dog but the fight in the dog. Fishermen will find this steam open and accessible, which makes casting techniques a viable option.
Middle Prong of the Little River
A wildly popular fly fishing destination, you have some of the most aesthetically pleasing natural beauty in the entire park. In addition, the fishing is strong with action. As a medium-sized stream, it is not difficult to fish, but you do have tree limbs that overhang the water, proving an obstacle to casting. Rainbow trout in this area are large, and you can catch brown trout in the lower end of the stream.
Straight Fork Watershed
What makes this area a great fishing spot is the easy accessibility and size. The stream will range from medium size to small, and you have an abundant rainbow trout and brown trout population. You can also catch brook trout towards the upper part of the stream, which shows it has a diverse ecosystem. Considering the size and beauty of the area, Straight Fork Watershed does not see as many fisherman as other areas, but all these fishing locations in the Smokies are beautiful spots to bring home a wild fishing story.