pcray1231
Well-known member
Returned from a week long trip to the Smokies. Was more a family camping/hiking thing than a fishing trip, but of course I got some fishing in.
Will post the pictures in this thread later. I'm still getting them off cameras and organizing.
Anyways, the rundown, all streams are VERY high gradient, essentially pocket water, with huge boulders and very difficult wading. It's very beautiful there. Mostly rainbows but some brookies and 1 brown:
Cosby Creek: Fished it twice near the campground, just about an hour in the morning each time while the wife was doing breakfast and such. Didn't count, but I did well. In those short trips, I probably reached double digits both times. Bout half rainbows, half brookies, all in the 5-9" range. Fish in every spot, but they'd only hit once, you either got em or missed and moved on.
Little River - outside park - slower, bigger, and warmer water. Just fished the spillway area of an overflow dam for a few hours, it was right by the campsite. Had one stockie rainbow to my feet, had 1 smallie on (maybe 10"), and landed a rock bass.
Little River - trout water above Elkmont - supposed to be good but I struggled. Fished for like 4 hours, lots of fish were seen but they were not hitting well. I managed 5 or 6 smallish rainbows, which was a dissapointment as this was my designated day of fishing (i.e. I could fish more than an hour here and there). But the highlight fish did come on this trip. Hooked and landed a brownie that probably went 14". No picture though, after landing him I let him back in the water so I could get the camera ready, and it got off.
Middle Prong Little River - Started at the top end of the road. Fishing was excellent, for a short distance. I think I hooked and landed close to 10 (all rainbows), most in the 8-9" range (which is bigger than other areas), in the first 20 minutes. But then, after only a few hundred yards, I came to a point where the water was closed to fishing to reestablish brookies above there. So, I drove downstream a mile or so and fished again. Not nearly as good here. I missed 2 and landed one in the following 2 hours of fishing, despite the water temperature being the same and the water looking identical to above. Maybe it was fished earlier that day? Tubers? Just a more heavily fished area and thus more educated fish? Couldn't come up with any other explanation for the difference.
Roaring Fork - I fished it for maybe 45 minutes right by the road as my wife hiked around. Excellent fishing. Caught around 10, all rainbows, with a good variation in size (biggest maybe 9").
Will post the pictures in this thread later. I'm still getting them off cameras and organizing.
Anyways, the rundown, all streams are VERY high gradient, essentially pocket water, with huge boulders and very difficult wading. It's very beautiful there. Mostly rainbows but some brookies and 1 brown:
Cosby Creek: Fished it twice near the campground, just about an hour in the morning each time while the wife was doing breakfast and such. Didn't count, but I did well. In those short trips, I probably reached double digits both times. Bout half rainbows, half brookies, all in the 5-9" range. Fish in every spot, but they'd only hit once, you either got em or missed and moved on.
Little River - outside park - slower, bigger, and warmer water. Just fished the spillway area of an overflow dam for a few hours, it was right by the campsite. Had one stockie rainbow to my feet, had 1 smallie on (maybe 10"), and landed a rock bass.
Little River - trout water above Elkmont - supposed to be good but I struggled. Fished for like 4 hours, lots of fish were seen but they were not hitting well. I managed 5 or 6 smallish rainbows, which was a dissapointment as this was my designated day of fishing (i.e. I could fish more than an hour here and there). But the highlight fish did come on this trip. Hooked and landed a brownie that probably went 14". No picture though, after landing him I let him back in the water so I could get the camera ready, and it got off.
Middle Prong Little River - Started at the top end of the road. Fishing was excellent, for a short distance. I think I hooked and landed close to 10 (all rainbows), most in the 8-9" range (which is bigger than other areas), in the first 20 minutes. But then, after only a few hundred yards, I came to a point where the water was closed to fishing to reestablish brookies above there. So, I drove downstream a mile or so and fished again. Not nearly as good here. I missed 2 and landed one in the following 2 hours of fishing, despite the water temperature being the same and the water looking identical to above. Maybe it was fished earlier that day? Tubers? Just a more heavily fished area and thus more educated fish? Couldn't come up with any other explanation for the difference.
Roaring Fork - I fished it for maybe 45 minutes right by the road as my wife hiked around. Excellent fishing. Caught around 10, all rainbows, with a good variation in size (biggest maybe 9").
