fly2fish

As you come into Gatlinburg from Pigeon Forge at the main intersection turn left and their is a small strip mall on the right. The fly shop is upstairs above a pizza place I think. They have reports posted for various areas in and around the park. I would try Abrams Creek on the Cades Cove loop on the west end of the park. There is or used to be 2 kinds of license you could get a Tenn. state license or a park only license. Like I was told before I got there expect fewer and smaller fish than around here, but they are wild trout in a mountain setting.

I forgot to mention that between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg TN was almost like being in Branson and driving down 76. They even have some of the same tourist traps and go-cart tracks, themed resturaunts and starting to get some shows too. I learned the back ways around there too.

If you are going to the Smokies give Abrams Creek on the Cades Cove loop a try. I fished it a year ago March and did better than expected. Before I got there I stopped at a couple of fly shops and was told not to expect the same results we are used to on Taney or anywhere else that is stocked. I was told the avg. size is 6-10 inches and few and far between and to expect large crowds around the easy access areas and possibly high and discolored water that time of the year do to snow melt. The first morning my son and I went to Abrams creek about 7 am, pulled into the parking lot and there were already about 30 cars there. Went down to the creek and only 1 fisherman, the rest were hiking up to the falls about 2 miles away. Caught a fish within about 5 minutes, rainbow about 12 inches. Caught 6 altogether, 2 below avg, 2 avg and 2 above avg using a dry for an indicator with a BHPT or copper john dropper. During our entire 4 days I only saw 4 other fishermen in the entire park. There was no snow anywhere even in the mountains so the creeks were low and clear. Just being in that setting was worth it As far as who wears the pants I told my wife long ago its not a vacation unless it involves fishing and she still believes it. This trip was to a cheerleading competion in Gatlinburg, but since it included fishing it was considered a vacation.

Did this guy show up Saturday? The snake not the fisherman. This is a pic of a 4+ foot snake that was at outlet 2 weekend before last. This is a co-worker of mine, he said the snake came from the outflow of outlet 2, he tried to keep it at flyrod length but it was to big. The head is close to his foot, after he kicked it it went for his son whose hand is just at the left side of the picture. The snake went into the rocks between the outlet and the overhanging tree. I was just there the weekend before and sat on one of those rocks to take a break..at night! Anyone seen him since? Or better yet got rid of it.

Troutn, if I had still been up there I would have loaned you one of mine. I usually have at least 3 in the car. I think I talked to you Saturday night down there, first at outlet 2 when I was going down and later at outlet 1 when you were leaving. Saturday night was rather slow but Sunday night ended really good. I started about 11:00pm at outlet 2 Leonard was already there, he picked up a few before leaving about 1:30 pm. Between 1:45 and 2;30 they really picked up. I caught 7 during that time with 1 rainbow pushing 21 inches, I have a picture on my cell phone that I have been trying to download. One other fish was close to 18 inches. The bigger one took me from the outlet down past the overhanging tree. I almost had him to net earlier but I turned my headlight on to quick and he took off on about a 20 yard run. Like you, Leonard has taught me a lot about high water fishing the last couple of times I have been up there. Also it was nice meeting and talking to Duckydoty Saturday night as well.

I am having trouble getting up the steps at outlet 2 now after being in the water for a few hours, it is not that painful the knee just doesn't want to work. It is a little scary being the only one down there at night and not knowing if you are going to make it up the stairs, at least it is not as embarassing as it would be in the daytime when I have to crawl up.

[ Im thinking we are going to be fine as long as we dont get 1 million people down stream. On some summer weekends it seems like they are a million people on Taney.

I plan on coming up Friday and fishing Friday night. Will be there through Monday so Saturday and Sunday nights are open too. Trying to get at least one more trip in before my knee replacement in late June. Terry how is your rehab going? Hope aquatherapy (wading in hip deep water) helps because I plan on doing a lot the last 2 weeks of the 6-8 weeks I am going to be off.

The only problem with the wonderwoman rod and reel was no fish could take the 2 large bobbers that came with it under... time to end this thread.

I was fishing the edges of currents and slack water, when the water was dropping I followed Leonards suggestions and started hitting their normal holding spots around the outlets. I will be back up there next weekend or the weekend after for sure. I have been trying to attach a couple of pics from Thursday night.

Stopped by to see Leonard before he got off work about 11:00pm, he was going to meet me at outlet 2 when he got off but had used all his fishing time up during the day (know who controls the hours we fish). We knew they were running 3 units so Leonard gave me some advice and a couple of flys to try so I headed on down. Arrived about 11:30 at outlet 2 only 2 others fishing, 1 down at #1 and the other was heading back down to meet his buddy at #1 parking lot, he said fishing was very slow. I rigged up with a lighted indictaor with a blue/gray scud about 3 feet below and a pink egg pattern about 18 inches below that. Hooked up with a fish on the 3rd cast on the egg pattern and landed it, rainbow 14 inches. Landed 6 more with about 15 more hook ups before Leonard called at 12:30, water had dropped about 3 feet by then. He gave me another tip on fishing the falling water and I landed about 9 or 10 more with about 25 more hookups in the next hour and a half, that was the way it was all night about 1 landed for every 3 hookups. Most fish were in the 14-18 inch range. Will post a couple of pictures I took with my new camera my wife got me for Christmas so I would have proof of what I am doing out to 2:00am at night. Will return in about 2 weeks for a couple more nights fishing. Leonard thanks again.

Will be fishing Taney Sunday-Friday. Probably fishing at least 3 of those nights and as many days as I can. Anyone that has a particular night open let me know or better yet come on down I will be in a red Navigator by outlet 2 lot. Hope to get by Phils Monday to pick up some sculpins because I didn't get many tied.

Maybe those fish Leonard is catching at night are carp, he just isn't turning his light on to see what they are. I will be there the 18th through 23rd fishing mostly at night. I will know which nights after I get there and will post then. I had been looking for a good easy sculpin pattern for a while, the one Phil posted looks easy enough.

I met Leonard 1 night last month when I was switching from flyfishing to spin fishing by outlet 2, I showed him what Rapalas I had and he said go with the black and gold 2" floating version, I caught a small one on the second cast and right before I left caught a 25"+ brown, I had hits on about every other cast. This was at night during a storm. If they are running a fair amount of water use a countdown or sinking Rapala.

Just as Leonard was pulling out of the parking lot I landed a 25+ in. male on the ultra light using small gold rapala. It only took about a minute to land, I didn't want to use the net and get him tangled so I was leading him into the shallows and he broke off and I had to put the net on him (trap) he was to long for my net. I had to take 3 shots at reviving him because he would take off and run up into the shallows. Finally got him to head to deeper water. It would have been more fun on the flyrod but would have taken longer to land, so it was better for the fish. As Leonard said it was starting to lightening and I didn't bother to get the lure out of the net until I got back.

Will be there tonight probably not before 11:00. Didn't catch anything last nightuntil about 11:30. Will be in a red Navigator.

Were was everybody at? Fished Monday night, got to the parking lot about 10:00 only 1 car by outlet 2. Started below #2 throwing white zonker, fish were jumping all over, after a 5 lb + splashed me I realized I left my net in the car, went back to get it and noticed a lot of fish stacked up in the shallows. Changed to a #16 gray flashback scud and hooked up on the first cast a 16" rainbow. Kept switched from scud to BH pheasant tail and finally started catching some browns biggest 22 inches. Had the river to myself after 11:00. Will go again tomorrow night about the same time or later maybe 11:00.

I am coming up Sunday thru Tuesday. Will be fishing Monday night for sure barring high water. May fish Sunday night depending on what time of the day we get to Big Cedar.