Short Excursion Into the Smokies: Brownfest

[NCHillbilly]

That’s a good day right there! And props for keeping this fly fishing forum pro fish eating!

I release thousands of trout every year. All those bigger browns in this thread were released. But, several times a year, a limit of smaller trout makes its way to my kitchen or campsite or tailgate. Nothing at all wrong with it. If the otters can do it, I can too. A lot of Smokies creeks really need people keeping more, they're slap full of small, stunted, overpopulated rainbows. And, wild trout are absolutely delicious. You can see some of these down in the cafe forum.

 

[NCMTNHunter]

I’m the same way. I don’t keep fish every time I go but I still enjoy biting the meat off the backbone of a trout as much as I like catching them. I’ve quit following several fly fishing pages because the culture has turned in to folks shaming others for eating fish. They’ll even shame someone for keeping stockers. It’s a crazy world out there!

 

[Taxman]

Great day and some beautiful fish. I hate the aches and pains
from a fall!! Were the larger fish in the pools, runs or riffles?

 

[NCHillbilly]

Great day and some beautiful fish. I hate the aches and pains
from a fall!! Were the larger fish in the pools, runs or riffles?

Big, deep holes, mostly, in undercuts under rocks and logs.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I’m the same way. I don’t keep fish every time I go but I still enjoy biting the meat off the backbone of a trout as much as I like catching them. I’ve quit following several fly fishing pages because the culture has turned in to folks shaming others for eating fish. They’ll even shame someone for keeping stockers. It’s a crazy world out there!

Steve Rinella calls it the " gradual golfification" of fishing.

 

[Taxman]

Those bigger fish are hard to land on those small creeks with a 3 wt!!
No wonder you fell, your legs were probably worn out from being dragged through the creek! Probably a blessing a few of the big ones
broke off.

 

[trout maharishi]

If all of us kept a limit a couple of times during the year I think we would have fewer but larger fish. There are many creeks where the average fish are 5-7" with big heads. I take a few from each a couple times a year. Look at the fish surveys from the park, some of these streams have thousands of fish per mile.

 

[NCHillbilly]

If all of us kept a limit a couple of times during the year I think we would have fewer but larger fish. There are many creeks where the average fish are 5-7" with big heads. I take a few from each a couple times a year. Look at the fish surveys from the park, some of these streams have thousands of fish per mile.

Yep. Back when me and you were starting out, everybody kept fish, and it seemed like the fishing was better. I don't recall seeing ol' Verlin and Jack turning a lot loose, but I sure saw them frying a lot of them.

Big Creek is a perfect example of what you're talking about. Thousands upon thousands of fish that look like big-headed snakes.

 

[FordGT40]

 

[RFJ25]

Great story and beautiful photos with some gorgeous fish. I have yet to land a brown inside the park. I'm taking a trip in two weeks and hope to get into some. Do you have any preference for side of the park for catching browns, TN vs NC?

 

[NCHillbilly]

Great story and beautiful photos with some gorgeous fish. I have yet to land a brown inside the park. I'm taking a trip in two weeks and hope to get into some. Do you have any preference for side of the park for catching browns, TN vs NC?

Most of the creeks in the GSMNP are full of browns with a few exceptions. I have caught browns out of almost every creek I have fished on the NC side of the park, (which is most of them,) with the exception of Big Creek. On the TN side, the Little River drainage has plenty of browns, but most of the other watersheds don't.