It looks like John Coley has some competition. John caught the best brown trout we’ve guided a fly fisher to in the Smokies last week. Today Charity was the guide and Julie Wattenbarger caught a superb fish on a Prince Nymph on the Oconaluftee River well upstream of Smokemont Campground. This fish was also about […]
More Fall Fishing Pictures from the Smoky Mountains
Charity and I have had a chance to download a few more photos off of our cameras and thought we’d share them along with a fishing update. It’s a wet day today, but it’s been rather light so far and we’re not anticipating any substantial rise in stream levels. At this point the biggest issue […]
Best Smokies Trout of the Year
Last week I took John Coley out for a day of fly fishing in the Smoky Mountains. John was about as enthusiastic as fly fishers get and I was eager to get him on the water since fish have been rising like crazy. Seriously, this fall has fished like spring as far as fish rising […]
First Snow of the Year Falls on the Smoky Mountains
It’s been a busy week of guiding here in the Smokies with another busy week coming at us fast – like less than 60 minutes, so no time to post photos. It feels like late November or even December now as we’re seeing high temperatures in the 50’s and over night temperatures as low as […]
Autumn Leaves Provide Colorful Backdrop for Fly Fishing in the Smokies
Fall colors are at their peak along the higher ridges and will only get brighter over the next week along the trout streams It’s been a wet couple of days in the Smoky Mountains and more rain is on the way, but fishing is still quite good. Up to this point the streams haven’t been […]
Fall Weather Has Been Cool But the Fishing Is Hot
Fall fishing is off to a great start! Dry fly fishing in the Smoky Mountains has been nothing short of superb. Tailwater opportunities aren’t as abundant as they were a few months ago, but there are still some good chances to get out on the big rivers in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. Stream […]
Smoky Mountains Back in the Day
Check out this classic footage of the Smokies from 1928. Keep in mind that this was several years before the creation of the national park. Take particular notice of the rural area in the shadow of Mount LeConte. Today that same spot is downtown Gatlinburg. Hang on until the end. You’ll see some of the […]
Heading Out the River? Pack Your Rain Gear
It’s been pretty damp the past few days and the weather forecast is calling for more rain for about another week. While we’re getting some rain here in East Tennessee, we’re not seeing the flooding that Middle Tennessee has dealt with. Streams in the Smokies are at a typical level for early autumn or late […]
Break Out the Waders, It’s Cooling Down in the Smokies
The hardiest anglers out there will be able to keep on wading wet for a little while longer, but it’s probably about time to dig the waders out of the closet. Nights are cooler and longer while the days are also cooler but shorter. Water temperatures have fallen well into the 50’s in the trout […]
Our Recommendation: Get on the Water Now!
Water levels and water temperatures continue to only get better! Even our tailwaters have cut back on generation this week, allowing for plenty of chances for waders to hit the river. There was a huge band of thunderstorms that blew through yesterday, but none of the streams in Great Smoky Mountains National Park seem to […]
