Vacation In The Smokies

[Harps]

We had a great family vacation in the Smoky Mountains of east Tennessee, staying in a cabin near Townsend for 4 nights. Upon arrival we did our business with the cabin people, checked in for fishing license and reports at Little River Outfitters, and then got groceries. All of the rivers in the area were low as they have been having a drought for the past couple of summers. The Little River seemed to have about a quarter of the water it had on our last trip. The girls went swimming at a pool while I went and scouted Little River for a good area to fish. My fishing license was for 3 days and I elected to start it the next day.

We set off into the park at dusk on our first evening, our goal to see the "Synchronous Fireflies." We reached Elkmont at dusk but weren't sure exactly where to look for the fireflies. Eventually we reached the area where we thought we might find them. A ranger confirmed we were in the right place but needed to wait until true darkness before the show would begin. I have no photos of the event, but the fireflies would pulse about 5 lightings and then stop for about 10-15 seconds before starting again. The first pulse would be a bit chaotic and by the third, fourth and fifth pulses dozens, perhaps hundreds of fireflies were lighting in unison. Visually stunning. This is reported to occur in only two places in the world, I can't remember where in Asia, and at Elkmont in the Smokies. We met some folks that evening that had seen the fireflies several times and they stated that we were seeing the tail end of this years event and that hundreds of thousands of the fireflies would be going at the height of activity. We can only imagine.

I set out late for some fishing the next morning (shoulda got up early). I worked several holes with the fly rod, hooking some small trout that got off before I could land them. Frustration set in, and I went back to the car and got the ultra-light and worked the river with some doll flies. I eventually hooked a nice fish under an overhanging bluff, and I guessed it to be a wild rainbow of 11-12 inches, a good fish for this water. Lower down on the bluff I hooked a second rainbow (perhaps a stocked trout from outside the park), practically a lunker for these waters at 13-14 inches. Keepers in the National Park were any trout or smallmouth over 7 inches with no more than five fish of any combination of Rainbow, Brook, Browns or Smallmouth. I had finally caught some wild Smoky Mountain trout, but I wanted a brookie or two.

The gentleman at Little River Outfitters gave me some areas to try for brooks. On day two, after lunch in Pigeon Forge and a hike in a virgin old-growth forest with the girls, I was on the West Prong of Little Pigeon River with rod in hand at 3,800 foot of elevation. The West Prong has one of the highest gradients of any river in North America, dropping 4,300 feet from the headwaters to the boundary of the park. I estimated this to be roughly 200 feet per mile average. The Class IV rapids of the St. Francis River here in Missouri boasts a gradient of about 20 feet per mile in its steepest section. Virtually every pool to pool move required a rock climbing exercise, upstream or down. Sometimes to see the headwaters, all you have to do is look up and there it is, a few miles distant on the flank of a 5,000 to 6,000 foot peak.

But there were indeed trout in this chaotic world of rock. The brookies strongholds are in the high elevations where they don't have to compete with the rainbows and browns. A 10-inch brookie is a nice fish here. I saw perhaps two or three close to this size, but most were smaller. I had numerous looks and about 5 or 6 takes. I didn't hook any of them. I used a dry fly some, but a gold nymph drew the most interest. Most of the fish I saw appeared to be brook trout with a few rainbows mixed in.

I spent the third evening of my permit fishing the same section of the Little River I had fished on the first day. It was all time would permit. I fished exclusively with the fly rod and missed two fish.

You could fish here for weeks and not see the same water twice. About a dozen of the larger streams — each with several tributaries — flow off the high peaks of the Smokies. It is definitely a place to experience a different aesthetic — not to be concerned about the size of the fish, but to enjoy entire wilderness experience. I hope to get back someday soon.

[Paola Cat]

Fished Litltle Pigeon River for about 15 hours during the week of 7/7 while I was on family vacation. Went down the little river road outside of the Sugarlands entraance to the SMNP. Brought to hand 7 wild rainbows ranging from 4-9". Caught a couple on a stimmie and BH tellico dropper ..... but the bigger fish were caught on an olive crackleback. Caught numbers of various assorted chubs, suckers, shiners ..... etc. There was enough action to make it OK. Had a good time but the trout fishing was tough. PC

[scifi]

Great pics

[Danoinark]

Excellent report Jeff and Paola. Love the pictures. The Smokies are sure on my to do list one of these days. Sure gives pocket water new meaning.

Dano