themselves to await food coming down with the current. Size and aggressiveness determine how good a feeding spot a trout is able to defend and keep.
Understanding where trout position themselves in the stream is one of the most important bits of knowledge an angler can possess. When surveying a pool or stretch of pocket water for likely fish-holding spots, remember a trout must have cover that shields it from the current, and offers at least limited shelter during times of danger. A typical pool starts with a noisy waterfall. The water rushes over smooth, gray boulders, falling into a carved-out plunge pool. Current-loving rainbow trout are right at home in the swift waters of the plunge pool. Large rainbow trout often station themselves at the base of the falls, while smaller members of the clan will gather around the perimeter of the pool or in the pool’s main channel. From the depths of the plunge pool, the flow of the stream moves on to the tail of the pool, where the average depth becomes more shallow. It is here you will often find the secretive brown trout. Its favorite lairs are near solitary rocks or submerged tree roots alongside the bank. These fish, particularly the large fellows, often shun feeding during the day, preferring to chase minnows at night. Brook trout favor much the same sort of habitat as the brown trout, though the brookie does not shy away from a sunlit meal. Pocket water, so common to the park, can be treated like a miniature pool.
Where fish are located is important, but knowing their feeding habits is of equal importance. The trout of the park are best termed “opportunistic feeders.” The streams of the Smokies and the surrounding mountains are poor producers of food; they are acidic and carry only a limited amount of nutrients (Abrams Creek is the only notable exception). While by no means devoid of aquatic insects, local streams do not support the massive concentrations of the spring-run limestone creeks of Pennsylvania, or Hampshire, England. A typical trout will, in the course of a few hours, consume a combination of mayflies, caddis flies, stone flies, midges, and a terrestrial or two. Close examination of their stomach contents will reveal dominant feeding on the most abundant food, but along with that particular food, a few other tidbits will usually be present. During the late winter and very early spring, Smokies trout feed primarily on the nymphs, but can be caught on dry flies then too.
Spring is a time of brisk activity in and on the streams. As the season progresses, the weather becomes milder, warming the water. Insect emergence becomes more common, along with surface feeding by trout. Such activity peaks by late spring, about the only time local trout can afford to be selective, so fly selection should be considered. Terrestrials quickly become important to the diet of the trout, even in spring.
Summer fishing action is often slow. The remaining insect hatches are small and sporadic. Streams suffer from the seasonal dry weather, often running at little more than a trickle, compared to a couple of months earlier. Water temperatures rise, causing many trout to seek deep, cool havens and to feed at night. Successful anglers often use terrestrial insect imitations, such as grasshoppers, ants, jassids (or leafhoppers), beetles, caterpillars, and bees.
Fall is an exciting time. The scenery surrounding the streams is at its best. Trees and shrubs are decked out in their brightest yellows, flame reds, spectacular oranges, and regal golds. Trout seem to sense the coming winter and feed with uncharacteristic abandon. Terrestrials are still the cornerstone of their diets, although often overlooked are some interesting hatches of caddis flies. During late fall, growing nymphs and larvae take on increasing dietary importance.
The cold winter months cause trout to become torpid and stay close to the bottom. The cold water slows down a fish’s metabolism, reducing the amount of food needed to survive. Anglers feeling the urge to fish during the winter will be pleased to learn that on the mild days, trout move into the sunny areas and do a modest amount of feeding.
Armed with an understanding of where the trout are and what their food preferences are, anglers can use their knowledge on the stream. The importance of a quiet approach and accurate presentation of the chosen lure or fly cannot be overemphasized. Try not to hurry. Stand back for a minute to observe and plan a strategy. The fish are usually facing upstream, into the current. Most experienced Smoky Mountains trout fishermen prefer to fish upstream, thus coming up behind their quarry. Exceptions to this would be in times of high or cloudy water. Unless you are an expert caster, chances are you will not place every cast in the desired spot, but if you can hit the right spot with the right offering often enough, you will catch fish.
One question I am often asked is, “What is the best way to fish the streams of the park—fly-fishing, spinners, or what?” The simplest and least expensive way to have a productive day on one of the creeks of the Smokies is to incorporate the use of a simple cane pole. Use of cane poles was widespread in the Smokies prior to World War II, and it is still fairly common to encounter an old fisherman from Bryson City or Cosby fishing with a 10-to 14-foot cane pole. The mountain folk are deadly with these.
Besides being very effective, cane poles are one of the least expensive routes you can take. An out-of-state visitor who forgets his fishing gear and wants to try his luck in park waters can purchase a pole, a spool of four-pound test line, a half-dozen flies, and a fishing permit for less than fifteen dollars.
A cane pole enables you to stand back from the area where the fly is dropped. Tactics employed when using a cane pole are almost the same as those used when fly-fishing, and the basics are the same for a wet fly, dry fly, or a nymph. Attempt to drop the fly along the edges of waterfalls, allowing the current to carry it to the end of the pool or run. If a strike does not occur the first time, and you feel there is a fish in the area, repeat the drift in a slightly different section of the pool. Keep a tight line the entire time your fly is in or on the water, as a lightning-fast strike can occur at any point.
chapter 5
Casting Tactics and Gear Tips
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS many fly-fishermen notice when casting in the streams of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is it rarely is what they expected before they tried. Even accomplished fly casters sometimes experience difficulty adjusting to the low overhead canopies and swift currents of these streams. Classic casting, where the line goes above the head of the caster on the back cast, can be impossible to accomplish on these waters. Personally, I have never liked the surface disturbance roll back casting creates, so I rarely do or recommend this for these streams.
Fly-fishermen find that the biggest obstacle to ideal fishing conditions is the lack of casting room, plus problems with drag. You will find yourself doing a good deal of sidearm casting, especially on some of the small streams. Plan to lose a few flies while angling these canopied waters.
While I do not tout myself as an expert fly-fisherman, I do catch trout and bass from these streams using these techniques. One thing I have learned over the years from fly-fishing here is that what is behind you is just as important as what lies ahead. I am referring to the infernal trees and limbs the National Park Service has shown little inclination to trim to improve my casting ease. It usually happens when I walk up on an extremely inviting run, where I know an eager-to-strike trout is waiting for my challenge. For the last 50 casts I have looked behind me, working my back cast through “keyhole” size openings in the streamside greenery. (This is an art form that those who fly-fish in these streams eventually master.) However, in the excitement of coming up on the best run of the day, I forget to check my back cast. Whammo!—my last No.14 Adams takes up permanent residence 16 feet up a hemlock. Even if I extend the butt of my fly rod into the tree to use the reel as a hook, I am out of luck.
Unorthodox casting techniques are the rule rather than the exception on all but the largest waters in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Many times, presenting a fly under a limb hanging a foot above the surface can only be accomplished by sidearm casting. This easy-to-master technique requires two things—knowing what is behind you and deadly casting accuracy.
