Planning Next Year's Vaccation

[hoglaw]

I posted this in USA East because that may wind up being the destination. My wife and I are looking for a canoeing/hiking vaccation and West Virginia or some other part of Appalachia seems the likely target. I know the New River is out there and it has a pretty awesome reputation. I'd really like to take a boundary waters trip, but my wife doesn't like anything north of the Mason Dixon line. Too cold she says.

Anyway, if you could pick a destination out east for a road trip that included some small stream trout fly fishing (she's never been), and canoeing for monster small mouth, where would you go? This is in day two of the planning stages, so I don't know much yet. I'm just trying to figure out how to refine my research.

[Flysmallie]

Not really anything to add but I will be very interested to see the responses you get.

I have also wanted to do the boundary waters but can't get anybody else to commit. I for sure wouldn't be taking my wife there, princess doesn't do so well in the great outdoors.

I have been looking at the Devil's River in Texas. It's supposed to be a great smallmouth stream but also pretty challenging.

[Gavin]

Think I'd head to the New River and fish with Britt..

http://www.icanoethenew.com/guidedfishingtrips_guides.htm

[Zack Hoyt]

been looking at the Devil's River in Texas. It's supposed to be a great smallmouth stream but also pretty challenging.

I second this thought. It is the convergence of three different types of landscapes. The fishing conditions vary tremendously throughtout the river. Also, it is not lmited to smallies, though it is very well known for them.

[eric1978]

If you're looking for a chance to hike, canoe and catch both smallmouth and trout, I'd consider the Smoky Mountains.

The wilderness there makes for incredible hiking, and I know they have both species of fish. Particular streams and where and how big the fish are, I have no idea, but I'd be willing to bet that if you headed out to around Smoky Mountain National Park, it would be really tough to have a bad time, whatever you wind up doing.

I backpacked there, and it's absolutely gorgeous. It's temperate rainforest meets deep Ozarks meets the Rocky Mountains. So diverse, so beautiful. I didn't bring a rod to do any fishing because I'm an idiot.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I would head to the Boundary Waters. If you want a river and a remote setting, than the John day in Oregon

[ozark trout fisher]

Oh yeah, if you fish the Smokies, here are three streams I'd reccomend for trout. Abrams Creek, Little River, and the South Toe. I've had good experience s fishing all of those rivers.On these rivers you can get anything from brush stream fishing to native brook trout, to fishing relatively big water for browns and rainbows. The lower end of the Little River is also good for smallmouth.

[hoglaw]

Yeah, the little wild fish don't really do it for me. Maybe that's blasphemy among fly fishing circles, but I've had my fill of eight inch wild brook trout. I've been looking at some boards dealing with backcountry fishing in the smokies and it seems like they're all writing home about little tiny fish. Granted, my wife doesn't fly fish (yet) and would probably be thrilled with brookies on a 3wt rod.

From your experience, are bigger fish possible in the park? I read post after post and only found one thread about a "big fish." It was thirty something posts about a 17 inch rainbow. Would I do it if it were in my backyard? Absolutely. I'm just wondering if I'd want to drive half way across the country to fish for dinks (even if they are pretty and wild).

[eric1978]

Yeah, the little wild fish don't really do it for me. Maybe that's blasphemy among fly fishing circles, but I've had my fill of eight inch wild brook trout. I've been looking at some boards dealing with backcountry fishing in the smokies and it seems like they're all writing home about little tiny fish. Granted, my wife doesn't fly fish (yet) and would probably be thrilled with brookies on a 3wt rod.

From your experience, are bigger fish possible in the park? I read post after post and only found one thread about a "big fish." It was thirty something posts about a 17 inch rainbow. Would I do it if it were in my backyard? Absolutely. I'm just wondering if I'd want to drive half way across the country to fish for dinks (even if they are pretty and wild).

Hoglaw, you may want to do a little research on riversmallies.com...here's the link to the website....

http://riversmallies.invisionzone.com

Most of the anglers who frequent that website do their fishing in the east, and I'm sure many of them have experiences with the Smoky Mountain area. You won't find any info on trout there obviously, but some of those guys know their smallmouth.

[hoglaw]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I'll keep doing my research and hopefully I'll have a great report in six months or so!