Gatlinburg Bows

[whitetailfreak]

My wife wanted to shoot over to Gatlinburg after a reunion in WNC yesterday, and the highlight of any man's trip to Gatlinburg should be a morning on a creek. The trout options within 15 minutes of the hustle and bustle of downtown are vast, and most don't require a lot of hiking to reach. This morning I opted for a small creek inside the Park that always produces some nice Rainbows in it's lower reaches. Over the course of a few hours I brought 20 or so trout to hand and never saw another soul.








In conclusion, was the one night of tourist filled streets, over priced junk, mediocre restaurants, and 20 different spoken languages worth 2 hours on this gem of a wild trout stream? Absolutely!

 

[Jrpc16]

That is priceless report. Came through gatlinburg in early May then through the park. Not casting stones but... not my cup of tea. Streams are beautiful and rather technical for my experience.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Oh yeah! Ain't it funny about the duality of that place? It's like Las Vegas, teeming with lights and hordes of people, but a couple miles in the right direction if you know where to go, is peace and tranquility. Those are some perfect frying-sized bows there, too!

 

[whitetailfreak]

That is priceless report. Came through gatlinburg in early May then through the park. Not casting stones but... not my cup of tea. Streams are beautiful and rather technical for my experience.

As long as you don't spook em, you'll catch em. Obviously there are exceptions, but for the most part, Smoky Mountain trout fishin' isn't very technical.

 

[Jrpc16]

Understand perfectly. My reference is central Florida, anything outside the tallulah and tuck are technical to me. I would leave a dozen flies in that rhododendron there.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Understand perfectly. My reference is central Florida, anything outside the tallulah and tuck are technical to me. I would leave a dozen flies in that rhododendron there.

The rhododendron gods demand their sacrifice, but the payoff is worth it, by far. The first time you catch some fish that were hatched and raised among the boulders and currents of a mountain stream instead of in the concrete tailrace of a fish hatchery, and are part of the water and woods and rocks and rhododendrons, you'll be hooked yourself.

 

[whitetailfreak]

In one of those "over priced junk" stores, I did find a magazine with my grandmother in it. I immediately called her and asked if she'd autograph it for me ?. She had no idea what I was talking about.

If you're wondering what she's got cooked up there, we have mashed taters, chicken and dumplins, creamed corn, and green beans and taters

 

[Buck70]

Thank you for sharing. Again, I say these threads are amazing.

 

[Bream Pole]

Aren't they though? I love this forum and especially those who contribute on the cafe and fishing sections. A book should be put together of NCHillbilly"s posts in both sections. A mountain renaissance man if there ever was one.

 

[Taxman]

Great pic and thank you for sharing. Just curious what size rod
are you fishing?

I have to say that table of food would be my choice long before
a local restaurant!!

Thanks

 

[whitetailfreak]

Great pic and thank you for sharing. Just curious what size rod
are you fishing?

I have to say that table of food would be my choice long before
a local restaurant!!

Thanks

My small stream rod is a 7.5 ft. Redington Classic Trout.

Yep, she's quite the cook, and her dumplings are famous among those who attend the North Shore Cemetery Decorations. She feeds the GSMNP trail maintenance crew at every Decoration, and they watch over her like a hawk.

 

[JonathanG2013]

Great job slaying the bows in the park. Did you catch most of them on dry flies? What is interesting about the park fishing. You can have people walk right past a run that is very shallow that will hold fish. You go in and catch a few that others didn't think would be in there. I know not only me but the other that trout fish on here. I have been surprised water only a few inches deep how it could hold trout.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Great job slaying the bows in the park. Did you catch most of them on dry flies? What is interesting about the park fishing. You can have people walk right past a run that is very shallow that will hold fish. You go in and catch a few that others didn't think would be in there. I know not only me but the other that trout fish on here. I have been surprised water only a few inches deep how it could hold trout.

I often don't even bother with the big, deep, slick holes. I catch very few out of those most times. The pocket water and plunge pools is where it's at.

 

[JonathanG2013]

I often don't even bother with the big, deep, slick holes. I catch very few out of those most times. The pocket water and plunge pools is where it's at.

Do you catch a good amount of them in pockets?

 

[NCHillbilly]

Do you catch a good amount of them in pockets?

Yes. Especially pockets and riffles that are about knee-deep. As you said, though, sometimes the fish will feed in very shallow riffles or tails of pools, especially if bugs are hatching.

 

[whitetailfreak]

Do you catch a good amount of them in pockets?

When looking at the the pics, the hole you see in the background is likely where that particular fish came from.

 

[JonathanG2013]

When looking at the the pics, the hole you see in the background is likely where that particular fish came from.

Using an Adam's Dry?

 

[NCHillbilly]

Using an Adam's Dry?

Looks like a Smoky Mountain Candy, or maybe a Thunderhead. Body looks yaller, though.

 

[whitetailfreak]

Using an Adam's Dry?

I was fishin' a #12 Thunderhead and #12 Smoky Mountain Candy.

 

[RFJ25]

Great report! I've only fished the NC side of GSMNP, but it looks like TN side is just as beautiful with some gorgeous trout.