Smallmouth Bass on the Fly (Eastern Tennessee)

[IntoTheGreatUnknown]

Does anyone here fly fish for smallmouth bass in Eastern Tennessee? I fish trout in the Smokies most every weekend (I live close to the TN side of the park) and I’ve been wanting to branch out and start doing some wading for smallmouth in the area. A few of our local rivers have me unsure of what’s private or not and where to gain legal access to some of our smallmouth streams. Id also like to discuss techniques as I have never bass fished on the fly. I ordered a cheap 6wt to get started. Anyways figured I’d see if anyone had any info. Appreciate it.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Does anyone here fly fish for smallmouth bass in Eastern Tennessee? I fish trout in the Smokies most every weekend (I live close to the TN side of the park) and I’ve been wanting to branch out and start doing some wading for smallmouth in the area. A few of our local rivers have me unsure of what’s private or not and where to gain legal access to some of our smallmouth streams. Id also like to discuss techniques as I have never bass fished on the fly. I ordered a cheap 6wt to get started. Anyways figured I’d see if anyone had any info. Appreciate it.

I fly fish for smallmouth a good bit on the NC side of the Smokies. On the TN side, the Little River inside the park has some pretty good smallmouth fishing below the Sinks, as does Abrams Creek in the campground vicinity. Outside the park, the Little Pigeon has them too, as does the Pigeon, the French Broad, and about any sizable stream in east TN. I catch most of mine on streamers, fishing a fast-sinking poly leader. They can be caught on topwater too, sometimes.

 

[IntoTheGreatUnknown]

I fly fish for smallmouth a good bit on the NC side of the Smokies. On the TN side, the Little River inside the park has some pretty good smallmouth fishing below the Sinks, as does Abrams Creek in the campground vicinity. Outside the park, the Little Pigeon has them too, as does the Pigeon, the French Broad, and about any sizable stream in east TN. I catch most of mine on streamers, fishing a fast-sinking poly leader. They can be caught on topwater too, sometimes.

Appreciate the info! I was looking at LR and Abrams down low to try out. I was looking at a few spots in the Pigeon system as well. Looks like there may be a good amount of private land so I want to make sure I’m not trespassing at some spots.

 

[IntoTheGreatUnknown]

I fly fish for smallmouth a good bit on the NC side of the Smokies. On the TN side, the Little River inside the park has some pretty good smallmouth fishing below the Sinks, as does Abrams Creek in the campground vicinity. Outside the park, the Little Pigeon has them too, as does the Pigeon, the French Broad, and about any sizable stream in east TN. I catch most of mine on streamers, fishing a fast-sinking poly leader. They can be caught on topwater too, sometimes.

I tied up a few Tequeely flies to try out and I plan on tying some streamers as well. Was looking at the Stealth Bomber or something similar up top.

 

[BigBass123]

Not much experience fishing for them in TN, but everywhere else I’ve been they have had no issues taking a clouser or popper. Chartreuse/White clouser being the most productive for me.

Gotten them on spiders, shminnows, wooly buggers, and seaducers as well.

 

[Concrete Pete]

I tied up a few Tequeely flies to try out and I plan on tying some streamers as well. Was looking at the Stealth Bomber or something similar up top.

Stealth bomber will work.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Stealth bomber will work.

Especially early in the morning and late in the afternoon. I usually have better success fishing deep through the daytime.

 

[Scripps]

This is a bit south of you, but the Hiwassee River above Apalachia powerhouse in Reliance, TN, is excellent smallmouth water. There are literally miles of river to fish. Much of it is pretty rugged and can be difficult to access, but that also keeps most people away. These fish don't see a lot of anglers. I like brown/orange crawfish patterns. Pat's Rubberleg is also a good bet. Stealth Bomber is great for topwater.

 

[IntoTheGreatUnknown]

This is a bit south of you, but the Hiwassee River above Apalachia powerhouse in Reliance, TN, is excellent smallmouth water. There are literally miles of river to fish. Much of it is pretty rugged and can be difficult to access, but that also keeps most people away. These fish don't see a lot of anglers. I like brown/orange crawfish patterns. Pat's Rubberleg is also a good bet. Stealth Bomber is great for topwater.

Appreciate the info. Thats one of the places I was going to definitely try. I fished the Hiwassee a few times this winter but I never made it up to the powerhouse. To get above the powerhouse do I need to access it from the parking side of the river? On maps I saw a road on the far side of the river that looks like it runs into the railroad tracks but I wasn’t sure. It looked like walking down the opposite side of where the railroad track are might be the easiest but again I have no idea of the access above the powerhouse.

 

[IntoTheGreatUnknown]

Stealth bomber will work.

Right now I’ve tied up a few Tequeelys and have the supplies coming for some larger olive wooly buggers. I was looking at tying the stealth bomber and some other top water stuff along with a few streamers. I went and fished last weekend at one of our only few smallmouth streams in the Smokies and ended up with a red eye. I saw a few good sized smallmouth but unfortunately they saw me also. They were in very calm water. I had two misses in a faster run at the head of a pool. I can definitely tell I’ll love smallmouth fishing. It’s has a different but very enjoyable feel to it. But as with all fishing down the rabbit hole I’ll go lol.

 

[Scripps]

To access the Apalachia powerhouse, take the road that runs along the river upstream until it ends in a cul-de-sac. Park there and take a short walk up the hill that goes beyond the parking area. The walking bridge at the top of the hill will take you across the river and to the powerhouse. The RR tracks run right behind the powerhouse. Hang a left on the tracks and follow them upriver. They will mostly follow the river and you'll see access points here and there. The river is usually well below the tracks and access means climbing up/down steep embankments. A day back there will beat you up. Worth it though. Good fishing and the river is beautiful in that stretch.

 

[IntoTheGreatUnknown]

To access the Apalachia powerhouse, take the road that runs along the river upstream until it ends in a cul-de-sac. Park there and take a short walk up the hill that goes beyond the parking area. The walking bridge at the top of the hill will take you across the river and to the powerhouse. The RR tracks run right behind the powerhouse. Hang a left on the tracks and follow them upriver. They will mostly follow the river and you'll see access points here and there. The river is usually well below the tracks and access means climbing up/down steep embankments. A day back there will beat you up. Worth it though. Good fishing and the river is beautiful in that stretch.

Appreciate the info. Sounds like a blast. You’ve got me excited to try it out. I generally try to avoid crowds because I enjoy the solitude fishing brings me so this sounds perfect. Is there any water generation in this stretch I need to keep an eye on? I know Appalachia Dam feeds the powerhouse under ground but not sure if they can also generate directly from the dam.

 

[Concrete Pete]

Right now I’ve tied up a few Tequeelys and have the supplies coming for some larger olive wooly buggers. I was looking at tying the stealth bomber and some other top water stuff along with a few streamers. I went and fished last weekend at one of our only few smallmouth streams in the Smokies and ended up with a red eye. I saw a few good sized smallmouth but unfortunately they saw me also. They were in very calm water. I had two misses in a faster run at the head of a pool. I can definitely tell I’ll love smallmouth fishing. It’s has a different but very enjoyable feel to it. But as with all fishing down the rabbit hole I’ll go lol.

Man, bass are different and a lot of fun. It took me some time to get trout figured out to where I don’t have much trouble with them anymore. Just drift something in the feeding lane and viola, a trout.

Bass in a river are similar to trout, but still really different. They’re very moody!

A lot of the same flies will work.

 

[Concrete Pete]

Especially early in the morning and late in the afternoon. I usually have better success fishing deep through the daytime.

Interesting.

There are so many retrieve options. I had to learn to fish it patiently for largemouth in still water or shoal bass in slower water. Learning to let it sit for like 10 seconds before doing anything was big for me.

I kind of follow a three step sequence:

1. Lay it down and dead drift it. The splat on the water gets attention.

2. If that doesn’t work lay it down and just twitch the legs.

3. Start popping it and chugging it.

I love bass fishing on the fly, but it’s a different ball game than trout!

 

[NCHillbilly]

Interesting.

There are so many retrieve options. I had to learn to fish it patiently for largemouth in still water or shoal bass in slower water. Learning to let it sit for like 10 seconds before doing anything was big for me.

I kind of follow a three step sequence:

1. Lay it down and dead drift it. The splat on the water gets attention.

2. If that doesn’t work lay it down and just twitch the legs.

3. Start popping it and chugging it.

I love bass fishing on the fly, but it’s a different ball game than trout!

It's sure fun to watch them come up and crush a surface fly. Sometimes around here, they'll tear one up, and sometimes they won't even look at it.

 

[Concrete Pete]

It's sure fun to watch them come up and crush a surface fly. Sometimes around here, they'll tear one up, and sometimes they won't even look at it.

For sure and I feel like they rise to a fly a little different than trout. You get the toilet bowl flushes a lot, but a lot of times they really just mosey up to it and take it very cautiously. It’s like things are just a hair slower than with trout. It’s weird.

 

[Troy Butler]

Bass on a fly to me is way better than trout, not that I don’t like trout. But whole different game. About I I fish is top water lay fly down when rings disappear wait 5 seconds pop it few time and wait. Game on

 

[Concrete Pete]

Bass on a fly to me is way better than trout, not that I don’t like trout. But whole different game. About I I fish is top water lay fly down when rings disappear wait 5 seconds pop it few time and wait. Game on

I absolutely love sight casting to a cruising largemouth in still water. Almost like salt water.

 

[Scripps]

Appreciate the info. Sounds like a blast. You’ve got me excited to try it out. I generally try to avoid crowds because I enjoy the solitude fishing brings me so this sounds perfect. Is there any water generation in this stretch I need to keep an eye on? I know Appalachia Dam feeds the powerhouse under ground but not sure if they can also generate directly from the dam.

There is no generation in this stretch. However, TVA will occasionally spill water from the dam, which is about 8 miles upstream from the Apalachia powerhouse. This is infrequent. Maybe a couple of times per year when significant rain events occur. But when it happens, that stretch of river cannot be waded at all. Get the TVA app and look at Lake Info. Select Apalachia. If TVA is spilling from the dam, there will be a yellow banner near the top of the page noting this.

Also, you probably know this, but the RR track is active and sight-seeing trains come through there periodically. Just something to keep on your radar when you're walking up through there.

I rarely fish this area alone. No cell service and no one else around usually. If you get hurt, you might be back there for awhile if no one knows where you are. So be safe.

 

[IntoTheGreatUnknown]

There is no generation in this stretch. However, TVA will occasionally spill water from the dam, which is about 8 miles upstream from the Apalachia powerhouse. This is infrequent. Maybe a couple of times per year when significant rain events occur. But when it happens, that stretch of river cannot be waded at all. Get the TVA app and look at Lake Info. Select Apalachia. If TVA is spilling from the dam, there will be a yellow banner near the top of the page noting this.

Also, you probably know this, but the RR track is active and sight-seeing trains come through there periodically. Just something to keep on your radar when you're walking up through there.

I rarely fish this area alone. No cell service and no one else around usually. If you get hurt, you might be back there for awhile if no one knows where you are. So be safe.

Will do. Thanks again for the info. If I go I’ll take it slow. Still new to smallmouth fishing so it’ll be an interesting experience. My first trip out I kept finding my high sticking like I do in the Smokies out of habit.