[JoeFish]

My spring break is March 19th- easter. Planning on going somewhere a bit warmer than northern Ohio. the GSMNP is about 6-7 hours drive from school, totally worth it.

I know, stay home and go steelheading right? well i want to GO somewhere for spring break while i still can. this is my last spring break.

My plan is to go with a couple buddies from school (they have much less fly fishing experience than me, and I dont even have all that much.) down to the Smoky mountains.

Camping, Hiking, Fly fishing. doesnt get much better than that.

soooo.....

in the end of March, what can i expect of the fly fishing?

any reccomended areas? TN, NC? campsites?

I have done some research, and ordered books(wont be here for a week), but nothing beats a first hand opinion.

and, I like meeting guys from this forum, the 3 I have met so far have been way cool. so if youre in the area and need an excuse to fish, ill be more than happy to give you one.

[getholdofjoru]

Nantanahala is always fun to fish in North Carolina. Use some 14s in Princes, GRHE and Pheasant Tails. Good luck

[appalachian angler (tn.)]

Hey swinks, you'll be in my back yard. PM me when you firm up the dates and we'll do some fishin! Quill Gordons should be on with some sz18 BWO'S. Quills in sz.12. Oh yeah, bead head hares ears and bh pheasant tails along with sz.14 tellico and tellicos in sz. 8 &6 are good nymphs to have in the box! pheasant tails up to sz.12 and hares ears up to sz. 10. Prince nymphs work well too. Adams sz. 18-12 and tan elk hair caddis are also good to have in the box. Bring a few small streamers and buggers too. I work a rotating schedule but I'm sure I'll be able to work in a day on the TN. side of the park at least.

A.A.

[JoeFish]

AA,

sounds good. thanks for the reccomended flies. do you ever do any camping in the park? it is a large park, it seems like there are rivers all over, and i have no idea where to set up camp. i guess i should tape a map onto the wall and start throwing some darts.

Joe

ps:

I guess i should mention that i would like a campsite without RV's that might even take a days hike to get to. this will be my first time to the park, and i just want to try to get into a nice site.

[TroutBum]

Here is the web site for the Park, it should give you campground info (I don't camp so you're on your own).

GSMNP

There were three fly shops in the area, two in Gatlinburg and Little River Outfitters in Townsend. The LRO is the largest and best equipped of the three.

My favorite place to fish the park is in Cades Cove on Abrams Creek and the Little River is good too with some nice size rainbows and browns. Bring some #14 attractor patterns with you, they always seem to work for me, Humpys, Trudes and Coachmen in various colors and EHC in yellow, orange and black bodies.

[JoeFish]

thanks for the info!

im really looking forward to the trip.

[JoeFish]

leaving for the smokies tomorrow at 8:30.

the weather looks like it will cooperate, this is going to be a fun spring break.

Joe

[SmallieHunter]

Have fun Joe, be sure to take some pics

[steeldrifter]

Lucky dog have a blast Joe thats some beautiful country side so we want pics and more pics!

SD

[JoeFish]

well im back to school.

the trip was great. We got there about an hour before dark on saturday, I hurried down to the bradley fork, which runs right though the camp we were at, Smokemont. I put on a 14 BHPT and caught the biggest fish of the trip, a 12-13" brown about a half hour before dark.

most of the fishing pics were with the disposable camera that isnt finished yet, my 2 buddies also have pics with their disposables.

on sunday we went with a guide from Brookside Guides. His name was Rich Witt. Let me tell you that he was the best guide I have ever been with. the two guys i was with are pretty inexperienced, but he worked with them(and me) a ton, and by the end of the day, the difference was amazing. He showed us so much, and taught us so much about fly fishing it was amazing. I highly reccomend him. A great Guy.

Rich took us to the Straight Fork, and we did well with the brookies. They hit the grey flies pretty well. The river was beautiful, the fish were beautiful. There were some midges and dark grey duns coming off the water, up to size 10, we were fishing size 12s I think.

The next day we fished the oconoluftee and the bradley fork, didnt do as well, but I still caught some fish, my freinds got one between them. same grey flies.

Tuesday we hiked up the bradley fork to where Chasteen creek is, didnt do very well at all up there, the rivers were still in the low 40*'s. We were fishing dry flies the whole time, I should have switched to nymphs. oh well.

My friends had to be back earlier than I thought and wanted. We left tuesday afternoon, before the predicted rain was to hit.

The trip was awesome, I want to go back ASAP. I did not have a chance to meet up with AA, but we talked on the phone.

Ill share pics as soon as I use up the camera they are on. sorry guys.

Joe.

[MIKE*A]

Sounds like a great time Joe! Make sure you get some of those pic.s up!