Contrasts In Fishing The Smokies Vs The Ozarks

[strangercreek]

I got a chance to fly fish the Smoky Mountains back in March and found it really interesting how different it was.

So many things are completely opposite.

I was having a hard time hooking fish because I have conditioned myself against the "bass hook set" which is what my guide said is a necessity there (being quick anyway) but that is common for tailwater fisherman to have that difficulty.

He also said it is bad etiquette to be any where within 100 yards (or more) upstream of another fisherman. I found this to be pretty amazing. The park does have 700 miles of water so it makes sense. You always have the river to yourself.

The guide talked about "casting holes" or back casting like it was a rarity which kind of made me laugh. Everything on that trip was roll casting or side arming, but it makes sense since we were standing close to the shoreline quite a bit.

We caught only a few fish (my wife and I) but they were wild trout (trout stocked in the 70s and not stocked again) and the guide said the fish there grow maybe 1-3" per year (3 being really aggressive growth). If I understand right, don't our hatchery trout grow at a rate of 1" per month at times? (I could be wrong on this)

We talked a little about fly rods and the thing I found interesting was the guide's reference to 5 WT rods as if they were "heavy artillery". He was talking about throwing gigantic, huge size 6 weighted streamers and having to break out the 5 weights to cast them. We were using 3 and 4 wt rods however, but they were perfect for the conditions. I usually grab the 8 WT to throw heavy flies for wipers and largemouth at home. At Taney, I still use a 6wt most of the time probably because I started fishing with a 6 WT.

The rivers themselves (we were on either the Little Pigeon or Middle Fork) were full of broken currents and holes (huge rocks, etc). There were very few areas where the current was one big "slick" like we see in alot of areas at Taney. There seemed to be a trout in about every pocket though. Fish are very spooky. We saw a decent size brown shoot across stream after stepping on a twig about 20 ft away. The many different individual currents allowed for alot of short casts and high sticking, and taking one very careful step at a time and making sure each foot is planted before moving the other (the rivers were pretty high and fast due to rain and snowmelt coming down).

When I booked the trip I was not sure where we would be fishing and talked to the guide about fishing for rainbows, native brookies etc. He said they normally wait to follow the hatch up the mountain before looking for the brookies. I did see a great deal of huge stone fly nymphs crawling on the rocks, which was the main fly I was using under a huge stimulator, which also got a few strikes (I was WAY to slow on the set for them though).

The native Brooks are at 3-4000 ft up the mountain(or something like that. I am sure someone else on this forum is more familiar with that).

Quill Gordons and March Browns were the main dry fly I heard about while I was there.

Gatlinburg itself was pretty cool as we had a stream running right behind our hotel room and they stock trout in town a couple of times a week which make their way into all of the adjoining creeks. We actually saw a few fish from the road while walking around that evening.

The people at the fly shop had all heard about Taneycomo, a couple of them having fishing it several times.

The guide was really good and the trip was a blast, even if it only lasted a half day (one stop of many in the Carolinas on that trip). I would definitely stop into that shop again if I ever get back down there (Smoky Mountain Angler).

I did enjoy seeing the contrasts between what I am used to and the Smokie's, makes me want to check out Colorado, New Mexico, South Dakota.....on and on.

I thought commenting on the differences would be interesting for anyone that hasn't been there (or anyone that has and had a completely different experience than I did)

Jason

[flyfishmaster]

That is a great report. I fished in western North Carolina for a few days back in the 90's and I too saw a huge difference between the tactic use in the mid west. Isn't it great to talk to someless from a different area of the country about flyfishing?

You mentioned Colorado, it is real different compared to Midwest fishing. I have made 10 trips to CO and I still want to go back for more. It changes every time.

Later,

FFM

[fly2fish]

I fished the Smokies a couple years ago in March when it was really dry, no snow melt or rain, the streams were really low and clear. I think I went to the same fly shop it was upstairs in one of the small shopping areas just to the left of the main intersection. Fished Abrams creek and caught 6 fish the first morning, 2 above average (12-14 in.), 2 avg (8-10) and 2 below avg. using a copper john or BHPT (didn't matter) with a stimulator for a strike indicator. A lot of fun with a 3wt, also fished just inside the entrance where 2 streams ran head on into each other to form the stream that ran toward Townsend, caught several there. All the way there everyone I talked to said that time of the year the streams would be up and muddy and a lot of people around the access areas and the fish would be smaller than we are used to here. They were only right on one account (fish being smaller) but it was great just to get out in such a beautiful area, only saw maybe 5 or 6 other fishermen in the whole park.

HC

[Greg]

That was a really nice report. I've always wanted to fish there. But someone once told me that the entire area is very crowded and that the fishing was mostly for put and take stockers (like our trout parks). I see from your report that is not true.

Greg