Trout Flyfishing

    Trout fishing.  To some it is a hobby, to others a religion.  I guess I fall into the latter group.  My job has kept me off the streams a lot lately but a recent fishing trip to the Great Smoky Mountains put me back in "church."  I was a latecomer to the art of flyfishing but now i can not imagine catching a trout any other way.  The anticipation of watching a trout slowly rise to meet your fly should be felt by everyone.  The big waters of the west have inspired writers, poets, and artists for years.  The word Yellowstone brings a smile to any fisherman's face.
      Up until now I have occupied myself with the rivers and streams of East Tennessee.  These waters do not hold as many trophy size trout as the more well known trout rivers but still provide excellent year-round fishing.  The small mountain streams near my hometown and in the Smokies are among the most beautiful places I have seen.  Numerous small to medium rainbows can be caught as well as the occasional brookie in higher elevations.  The tailwaters below area dams hold larger rainbows and browns.  These waters stay cool year round, allowing the trout to thrive even during a hot summer.  Even though the trout in the rivers are a good deal bigger, I prefer the challenges of fishing the mountain streams.
     Circumstances have not allowed me to fish the big waters of the west yet, though I intend to in the near future.  I picture these areas as offering flyfishing as it is classically thought of - wading a wide, shallow expanse of river searching for the best pocket of water.  From what I hear the trout there are fairly picky, and "matching the hatch" is more of a necessity.  Fishing a small mountain stream is a different story.  Even finding a place to cast from can be a challenge.  Trees are an ever-present hassle.  They overhang every foot of the stream and seem to be especially thick over the best fishing holes.  Laurels are the worst.  Their leaves are arranged perfectly so that any fly caught therein cannot simply be pulled out.  Tugging the line only makes the mess worse.  I usually sacrifice a couple of my best flys to these carnivorous trees everytime I go to the mountains.  I have also risked broken limbs standing on a buddies shoulders in the middle of a stream while trying to retrieve my last Adams fly (it was all they would hit that day).

A classic example of an East Tennseess mountain stream.  Note the fly eating laurels flanking the hole.

    The best sources of information about fishing these streams come from local flyshops.  The Holston Angler near Johnson City, Tennessee is a good source.  The Creel in Knoxville (423-588-6159) has provided me with some very good information on the Clinch River in the past.  When fishing the Smokies, try Little River Outfitters in Townsend (423-448-9459).  They usually know what they are hitting and have a great selection of flys and equipment. 

Under Construction