Tennessee Trout Fishing Expedition

Chief1600 · Post by **Chief1600** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 6:56 pm

We have arrived at our destination and settled in. Fishboy and I made a preliminary stop into the Smoky Mountain Angler for the latest fishing reports and hatches. Seems the stream flows are good with the recent rains, water is cool and the fish are actively biting. All their guides have full schedules. We also inquired about spinning tackle to use with the rod Shamus lent us so we should be all set. Between the flies I had plus what Gil loaded me up with we may not need to buy any (but I probably will just to help support the local shop). We'll go back in a day or so to get our licenses and some other stuff we really "need".
Spent some time this afternoon just scouting.
Hmmm ... where could they be?

Here?

Here?

Or maybe here?

Or maybe some other likely spot, We shall see.

More to come, I hope.

islander · Post by **islander** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 7:31 pm

DEFINATELY post more pics!

mudfish · Post by **mudfish** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 1:54 pm

islander wrote:DEFINATELY post more pics!

Yes! Please!

Chief1600 · Post by **Chief1600** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 10:42 pm

Well, fishing tomorrow, picked up a Cortland 5 WT line for the bamboo rod, test casts outside on the fairway nicely. Spooled the UL spinning rod with some 4 LB mono, we'll pick up some lures in the morning. Should be a blast.
Came to a couple of conclusions running around Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge today;
#1 Never go to the Pigeon Forge Wal-Mart on Sunday afternoon, insane.
#2 The Grand Caravan isn't a good mountain vehicle. The transmission doesn't shift into a low enough gear for braking on Roaring Fork, had to stop and let the brakes cool. Didn't have to do that with the truck we had the last time but it had a really low 1st gear.

Hope to have some more pictures to post soon.

Chief1600 · Post by **Chief1600** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:10 pm

No fish today, we got a late start due to some paperwork issues but got out in the afternoon.

Got broken off here

Cody had to put the reel back on his rod after dropping it on a rock and recoving the reel from the stream

Time to work our way back up to where we parked

Try again first thing in the morning, then on to Cataloochee Creek on Wednesday.

John · Post by **John** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 5:37 am

Sure is pretty up there! I'm heading to the Smokey's in August and will try my hand at some Trout fishing for th first time! Can't wait!

Bigfish171 · Post by **Bigfish171** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 8:19 am

Beautiful place Chief.
I was up there last week. No fishing, but we hiked a different trail every day & saw a lot of wildlife.

If you can make it to Cades Cove at sunrise, you'll have a can't miss wildlife viewing opportunity.

Saw more bears & turkeys on this trip than on any past excursions.

The scenery is beyond description.

Smoky Mountain Angler is a cool place. Very helpful & informative.
Good luck with the fishing & be sure to take in all of the beauty around you.

Chief1600 · Post by **Chief1600** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:42 pm

Cool pics Dave. We are going to Cataloochee in the morning, then Cades Cove on Thursday. If you haven't been to Cataloochee you owe it to yourself the next time you are up here. I'm hoping we find some bears, we have a friend from Australia with us and she is fascinated by bears, has never seen one. We saw eight the last time we were up here, none so far this time.
As far as the morning fishing, we weren't able to hook up but had many, many strikes. Fish were rising all over. Not sure why we couldn't set a hook, pretty frustrating. Seemed to mostly be hitting drys, pretty much anything yellow or cream. We could watch them turn and follow the fly, in several cases hitting it. Not sure if it was our techniques (or lack thereof) in setting the hook or they were just spitting it too fast.
We may get a chance later today.

skinnywater · Post by **skinnywater** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 1:14 pm

Cheif, see if you can find a "Whole kernel corn" fly. If not, try the real corn.

shamus · Post by **shamus** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 3:30 pm

There's a river in Tellico Plains thats great. There's a trout hatchery right on the river.

TerryW · Post by **TerryW** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 5:01 pm

Nice photos. The cool running water helps to chill off this over heated soul.
Looking forward to seeing some fish photos.

Chief1600 · Post by **Chief1600** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 9:40 pm

Unfortunately no fish pictures. We had thunderstorms last night and again this morning along with flash flood warnings. We did get out later and go to Cades Cove, stopped along the way. Cody tried out Shamus' spinning rod. We got some good hits but still couldn't seem to set a hook.

Little Pigeon River.

One of the local "natural" rock formations in the river. Water does amazing things.

Along the road to Cades Cove

We did see this, kind of cool.

More thunderstorms this afternoon so our last evening got washed out.
Oh well, there'll be another time
Didn't get to Cataloochee this morning due to the storms today, went to Cades Cove after the storms instead since it's closer. Going to try for Cataloochee again in the morning.

BTW - That little rod of Shamus casts amazingly well with a 1/32 oz. rooster tail, it drew several hits.

TerryW · Post by **TerryW** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 7:24 am

Last time I saw a bear it was in Alaska when I was salmon fishing along a river and we looked up and there were two of the bad type of bears. My ankle was in bad shape them but the guide made me hightail it along the river bank to a distant locations.

Those things are cute -- but don't take their fish. Hope you get on the fish soon. Stay safe from those storms and bears!

ratherbefishin · Post by **ratherbefishin** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 7:56 am

Great pictures, makes me homesick for my mountains. I miss my annual visits.

Hope you were able to make it to Cataloochie, it is a neat place, but my favorite is still Cades Cove at dusk. If you have the opportunity and are so inclined, consider one of the horseback trail rides either at Cades Cove or one of the other locations, like Smokemont. Seems the deer are totally unafraid of the horses and they get incredibly close.

Some great restaurants in Gatlinburg. Plus, if you are in the market for anything that has to do with Jesus, Elvis or Nascar, one of the shops on the strip will have it. Great place to people watch. But the best part is the trails, falls and the gorgeous scenery.

Chief1600 · Post by **Chief1600** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 9:38 am

We reversed our original order and went to Cades Cove on Wednesday and Cataloochee on Thursday due to the rain. There was quite a storm in the middle of the day Thursday which cooled things off and sent the elk out early in Cataloochee. On the way in we saw three big bulls in one area and further in we lost count of the number of cows and calves that were out. The rangers said they have had ten calves born this year, two of them male. so they are hopeful the population is getting closer to being self sustaining. Soon as I get everything sorted out I'll put up some elk pictures.
This year we scored zero against the wiley trout but most of you know I hardly catch fish anyway, so nothing new there

. The enjoyment is in the going and the fish were active, they were striking and that was almost as good as catching. I figure that way there was no harm to the fish at all, except for the one that broke off, he'll have a sore jaw. I got to fish with my kids in the Smokys, and Suzie and I celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary in the mountains.
Gil, thanks for the flies, I'll get them back to you with a few extras. Didn't get any strikes at wets or nymphs but they were going after the drys like crazy. Shamus, appreciate the loan of the rod, we spooled it with 4 pound mono and it cast extremely well with the light rooster tails we used, it was a lot of fun.

One negative thing I did notice was the condition of some of the Park roads. The paved road on the Roaring Fork drive is in sad shape as were the gravel access roads into Cataloochee and to a lesser extent Greenbrier. We were told that the NPS road out the back side of Cataloochee was in extremely bad condition. I imagine the NPS has budget issues just like everyone else but it's still sad.

Oh well, next year will be here eventually, can't wait.

CB · Post by CB » Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:45 am

Sheryl and I have been in that area many times ( not in a few years)
we love it up there. Usually stay in Cherokee at the KOA. That Roaring Fork trip is a blast, driving right on the edge of a steeeeep drop.
Don't worry I have only caught one trout out of the rivers up there.
Did do well in one of the trout ponds at the campground though.
Beautiful area ,have to get back there again.