The Smokies

Smokemont has a lot more sites that Cataloochee. Catalooche only had about 2 dozen sites, and you MUST reserve in advance. Smokemont has well over 100 sites and 90 are still available for the week I'm looking at. I'm going to pull the trigger real soon. Thanks for the tip, RLeep! I was reading about Oconaluftee...I'm really excited to fish that drainage.
 
Well I wanted to thank everyone for their input. The campsite is booked in Smokemont for Columbus Day weekend. My dad and I (and hopefully my brother!) are leaving Lancaster at 4am, hoping to arrive in the Smokies by 3pm (a couple stops for chow and chittin). We'l be fishing the Oconaluftee watershed area. We've got a couple maps, a list of streams, and I've joined the Little River Outfitters board (thanks beeber2). They've been extremely helpful in letting me know what to expect as far as conditions, flies, etc.

I'm getting really excited now.
 
Boy are you all going to have fun when those forum members findya. Bring a banjo along........LOL
 
Do you have a real banjo? Or just that banjo soundin guitar? lol.

(I do have a real banjo, but haven't really learned to play it much)
 
Hey the 6 string banjo has been around since the mid 1800s!!!

I don't have a 5 string banjo anymore. I sold it. I could get the chords down but not the pickin. By the way, I think a "real" banjo is a 4 string tenor banjo ;-)

 
The_Sasquatch wrote:
The talk of wild bows in the general forum got me thinking of an older thought I had of doing a camping/fishing trip in the Smokies. Problem is, I have no idea where to even start. I'm open to suggestions from everything as to where to camp, what time of year, etc.
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Do you want to stay in NC or TN? In NC, Bryson City is a good choice to start: several of the park's best streams on the Carolina side are within very easy reach from here, such as Deep Creek, Noland Creek, Forney Creek, Hazel Creek, etc. To reach Forney and the famous Hazel Creek requires a long hike in to the remote campgrounds or a boat ride across Fontana Lake.

Check out www.randrflyfishing.com and call or e-mail them for some great information on fishing both sides of the park. Also, they run a 3-4 day fishing annual Spring flyfishing camping trip to Hazel Creek, guided or unguided. Price is reasonable and includes all meals, boat transportation, etc. If you take the guided option then every morning after breakfast you'll depart with your guide to fish and if not you explore on your own.
 
Man this trip is getting close! My dad, brother, and cousin are all tagging along. I got a rod from the Fiberglass Manifesto's rod loan program to try out on those little streams down there, got a game plan for the streams, the campsite, I just got my 10 day license for North Carolina ($10! What a deal!), and we're close enough that the extended forcasts are showing the dates we'll be down there (I know they can't accurately predict that far ahead).

I'm getting pumped! My daughter and I tested out a new tent a few weekends ago. Happened to be on a very rainy night...no leaks.
 
Wanted to bump this thread as I am planning a trip down there.

Few differences from Sasquatch's trip:
1. Going to be going with the gf. She probably won't fish that much and will want to hike, etc. That being said, I still plan to do a good bit of small stream fishing for bows and brookies. We want to camp and I don't necessarily want to be in the busier campsites. Any recommendations on the less busy sites that offer good fishing / hiking access. I'm a first timer and would like to do some of the famous hikes down there.

2. I think we are going in August or early September. How is the fishing during those months?
 
I was actually there last year with my Pops (Here's the write-up). Fished in June, but Aug/Sept are prime months down there. Low water might be somewhat of an issue, but it will be plenty cold. It's an intensely beautiful place.
 
Good stuff.

I don't think a trip to Raven Fork is in the works unfortunately. Will likely do a lot of fishing on the Bradley Fork. I think Smokemont might be the best bet for a good combination of hiking and fishing access.
 
Smokemont is a good choice. I've visited a few of the campgrounds, and Cataloochee is my favorite by far. It might be what you're looking for in terms of fewer crowds, and great hiking and fishing. It's pretty isolated back a several mile long dirt road. Plus you can see the elk that they reintroduced into the park. Either way, you'll have a great time.
 
Do some research on Panthertown valley. It has a lot of nice hiking and the famous Schoolhouse falls which is quite picturesque. You also have a pretty decent chance at brookies in the 10-12" range. I fished the smokies a good amount when my brother lived in asheville, nc and this is one of my favorites from the area.

Also, the hike into ravenfork was probably the most miserable trek I have done while fishing and just maneuvering around the canyon to fish it is like rock climbing with a fly rod in your hand.
 
1. Going to be going with the gf. She probably won't fish that much and will want to hike, etc. That being said, I still plan to do a good bit of small stream fishing for bows and brookies. We want to camp and I don't necessarily want to be in the busier campsites. Any recommendations on the less busy sites that offer good fishing / hiking access. I'm a first timer and would like to do some of the famous hikes down there.
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NM, most of my advice is found earlier in the thread.

I'd recommend Cosby though. It's kind of out of the way of the main national park scene, in it's own little corner. Low traffic around there, not crowded, nice campground, Cosby Creek fishes well and runs right through it, don't even have to get in the car. Lots of hiking trails hook up to there.

But if you want to drive anywhere to the regular park attractions, well, you have to exit the park, drive about a half hour, wait in traffic in Gatlinburg, and THEN you get to the park entrance.
 
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