Best August in years

Posted on August 11, 2017 by eshuler

Best August in years

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park and surrounding region are fishing better than any August in recent memory. This is simply the best August in years!

Cooler day time and nightly temperatures combined with afternoon showers have made for some excellent stream conditions and fishing. Stream levels are fuller this time of year than in several years past. Hatches have been consistent all day bringing trout to the surface for most of the day into the evenings.

Gatlinburg Trout

The Trout streams around Gatlinburg in the Great Smoky Mountains have been fishing excellent this month. Great action from early morning and well into the evening with both dry flies and nymphs. There’s no wrong time of day to go right now. Thankfully we have had a much wetter summer than last year which has helped tremendously with the fishing. Hatches of Caddis, Brown Stoneflies and Yellow Sallies are really bringing the trout out to feed aggressively. Of course inch worms dangling from trees and beetles falling into the water make for some interesting fishing too! There’s no wrong time of day right now to fish around Gatlinburg

Bryson City Trout

The trout streams around the Bryson City area have been fishing excellent this month. Bryson City has long been the hub of great fly fishing for years. Centered smack dab in the middle of trout country and some of the best streams on the east coast. Some of our most epic streams are in the Bryson City area. Deep Creek, Noland Creek, Forney Creek and the famed Hazel Creek are all found here. Each are fishing at their peak this month. Typically in August the weather is hot and dry and the trout fishing plateaus for the month. This certainly is not the case this year. These favorites are good as it gets!

Cherokee Trout

Trout Fishing near Cherokee has been excellent in the Smoky Mountains National Park. Miles of stream that form in the mountains high above the town of Cherokee provide cold water for wild trout to thrive in. This August we have seen those streams produce good numbers of trout and several impressive fish for the size of streams fromwhich they were caught. The Oconaluftee river which flows through Cherokee provides excellent opportunities in many of the high elevation tributaries. Here we can catch Rainbow, Brown and Brook trout all in the same stream in the same day. There’s not many streams in the park can offer this level of fishing, or multitude of species in a single day of fishing.

Smallmouth Bass

Historically August has always been the best month for chasing Smallmouth Bass around the Smokies region. This is especially true this season. Cooler air tempratures and good amounts of rainfall have kept water temps lower and Bass activity high. The Little Tennessee river has been down right phenomenal for non stop action. Our guests have seen several 60 bass days out here right now. Float Trips have been of course the best way to fish for Smallmouth Bass this season. Top water action along with streamers and even spin tackle have done well this month. This most beautiful river we float is the Little Tennessee River which flows through a mostly forested area with very little if any development in sight of the river. Its a gorgeous float and superb action for hard fighting fish!

Call us at 828-488-7665 or Book Online!

Best August in Years

Categories: Drift Boat Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing Gatlinburg, Fly Fishing Guides Gatlinburg TN, Fly Fishing Guides in Bryson City, Fly Fishing Guides in Cashiers NC, Fly Fishing Guides in Cherokee North Carolina, Fly Fishing Guides in Highlands NC, Fly Fishing Guides in Pigeon Forge TN, Fly Fishing Guides in the Smoky Mountains, Fly Fishing the Smokies, Gatlingburg TN Fly Fishing Guides, Great Smoky Mountains Fly Fishing Guides, Guided Fly Fishing in Gatlinburg TN, Hazel Creek Fly Fishing, Hazel Creek Fly Fishing Report, Little Tennessee River Fishing, Smoky Mountain Fly Fishing, Smoky Mountain Fly Fishing Guides, Tuckasegee River Fly Fishing Report, Uncategorized, Waynesville North Carolina | Tags: August Fly Fishing, August Fly Fishing Smoky Mountains, Best Fishing Guides in Gatlinburg, Cherokee Fly Fishing, Cherokee fly fishing guides, Cherokee Trout Fishing Guides, Fly Fish Bryson City, Fly Fish Gatlinburg, Fly Fishing Bryson City, Fly Fishing Cherokee, Fly Fishing Float Trips on the Tuckasegee River, Fly Fishing Gatlinburg, Fly Fishing Guides, Fly Fishing Guides in North Carolina, Fly Fishing in North Carolina, Fly Fishing Pigeon Forge, Fly Fishing the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Fly Fishing the Smokies, Fly Fishing the Tuckasegee River, Gatlinburg Fly Fishing Guides, Great Smoky Mountains Fly Fishing Report, Guided Fly Fishing Tours in the Smoky Mountains, Pigeon Forge Fly Fishinf, Pigeon Forge Fly Fishing Guides, Smoky Mountain Fly Fishing, Summer Trout Fishing Smoky Mountains, Tuckasegee River Fly Fishing Guides | Comments Off

Summer Float Trips

Posted on August 8, 2017 by eshuler

Summer Float Trips

Summer Float Trips around the Great Smoky Mountains region offer super fly fishing for Smallmouth Bass! Pound for pound Smallmouth Bass fight harder than anything other freshwater fish. They are great to target with fly rods, or with spin tackle. Hard fights and plenty of jumps are sure to put smiles on faces!

Hard Fighting Bass

Summer is a time when we also catch a myriad of freshwater species on Float Trips. The Kentucky Spotted Bass is another staff favorite for their willingness to take poppers off the surface. They have exposive hits and bulldog fights. They are a great fish for both fly rods and spin tackle.

Beautiful Rivers

Two beautiful river to float, with each offering different possibilities and experiences. The Tucksegee River is long known as a top Trout fishing destination from October through June. However when the summer heat turns up the Tuckasegee River comes into its own as a great Smallmouth Bass and Kentucky Spotted Bass fishery. Catching a citation sized Smallie here is very possible. Float gorgeous sections of river with historical significance to the native Cherokee Indians. You’ll pass by Kituwah, which is considered as the original settlement of the Cherokee Indians. This site is one of the seven Mother Towns of Cherokee. A massive village was located on the banks here and along with Kituwah Mound which is still visible today.

The Little Tennessee River is an ancient river and one of the oldest in the region. Many Smithsoinian historians and geologists believe this region offers more significance to ancient civilization than any other surrounding region. The beautiful river flows majestically through forests and roaming mountainsides for miles and miles. The Little Tennessee River flows 135 miles and drains three national forests, and borders the Great Smoky Mountains National Park . This is the top Smallmouth Bass fishery in our region, and the most beautiful place for Float Trips.

Float Trip Rates

We have several great options for Float Trips with three different trip lengths for your enjoyment.

Half Day Float Trip, $225 per boat
Float Trip Special, $225 per boat
Full Day Float, $325 per boat

Hazel Creek Fly Fishing Day Trips

Posted on July 27, 2017 by eshuler

Hazel Creek Fly Fishing Day Trips

Fly Fish the legendary Hazel Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Fly Fishing the Smokies now offers Guided Day Trips to the world famous Hazel Creek! This is the wildest, most scenic trout stream in the Smokies. Widely considered the bucket list stream of the Smoky Mountains and easily the most historically steeped region of the park! Solitude, unrivaled beauty and wild trout sums up a day on Hazel Creek.

Hazel Creek Fly Fishing

Fly Fishing on Hazel Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains is an experience like no other. Take a boat ride across Fontana Lake to the north shore and enter the most remote and wildest trout stream in the Smokies. Hazel Creek is one of the largest creeks in the Great Smoky Mountains and has the healitest population of wild trout. Here you will find Rainbow, Brown, and Brook trout in abundance. Spring and Summer dry fly fishing here is spectacular with great hatches of light Cahill and Yellow Sallies second to none. During the Fall we see some of the largest wild Brown trout to be found anywhere inside the national park! High elevations sections hold the prettiest Brook trout to be found anywhere in the world!

Hazel Creek Rates;

One person $300
Two People $375
Three people $450
Trip includes boat shuttle across Fontana Lake, a professional guide, all gear, flies, and lunch.

Hazel Creek

Hazel Creek has the most storied and richest history of any region inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Once home to luminary figures such as Horace Kephart, founding father of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Also home to legendary outdoorsmen such as Granville Calhoun and Aquilla Rose. In the early 1900’s this area was once a thriving mining and logging community with hundreds of people living along the banks. The establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the creation of Fontana Lake left Hazel Creek cut off from the rest of the world. The remaining structures are a reminder of days and life gone by. We get to enjoy these sights on many of our excursions to Hazel Creek.

For Reservations call (828)-488-7665 or book from our website

Hazel Creek Fly Fishing Day Trips

Categories: Fly Fishing Guides, Fly Fishing Guides in Bryson City, Fly Fishing Guides in Cherokee North Carolina, Fly Fishing Guides in Franklin NC, Fly Fishing Guides in Pigeon Forge TN, Fly Fishing Guides in the Smoky Mountains, Fly Fishing the Smokies, Hazel Creek Fly Fishing | Tags: Fly Fishing Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Fly Fishing the Smokies, Hazel Creek Day Trips, Hazel Creek Fly Fishing, Hazel Creek Fly Fishing Guides, Hazel Creek Great Smoky Mountains, Hazel Creek Guided Trips | Comments Off

Great Smoky Mountains Fishing Report July 14th

Posted on July 15, 2017 by eshuler

Great Smoky Mountains Fishing Report July 14th

Summer always has those days near a Full Moon that seem to just fish very well. Typically those who are fishing after dark will reap these benefits for a few hours each night close to a full moon. However, often times a larger trout will eat during the day light hours and will surprise many anglers. Seems each year several of our guests will hook into a beast of a Brown trout during a sunny day in July and it just absolutely catches you off gaurd! There’s no rhyme or reason for it, the old mantra is big Browns dine at dusk. So when you get into one on a blue bird sky in the heat of July… well there’s no other way to put it other than holy crap!

Great Smoky Mountains Fishing Report July 14th

The fly fishing action around the Great Smoky Mountains has been fantastic this week! We’re seeing tons of dry fly activity from early morning until late evening inside the park. There’s nothing like having a wild trout smash dry flies!

The weather this week has been very warm. Afternoon highs in Gatlinburg and Bryson City have reaching into the upper 80’s. We are still seeing plenty of afternoon showers which help keep the mountain streams good and cool. This year has been great for rain thankfully. Last summer we experienced a drought, however that hasn’t been the case this year. Stream temperatures and water levels have been near perfect!

This time of year there is no bad start time for a fly fishing trip in the Smoky Mountains. Trout are active all day long and you’ll see plenty of action no what time you head out to fish. Thick forest shades the streams from the summer heat and heading into higher elevations means much cooler tempratures and happier trout.

Did you know!?

During the Summer a trout in the Smokies will completely digest its entire stomach contents in two hours, (or less if you’re a Brook trout!) Its true!

What that means for the fly fisherman is you will have actively feeding trout all day long. No matter what time of day or weather conditions, there’s going to be hungry trout. Imagine that for a second, say you just ate a big meal at your grand momma’s house and two hours later you are hungry again. I mean really hungry.. stomach growling, getting irritated, raiding the fridge you’re starved to death kind of hungry again. Every two hours, all summer long…. So now you’re thinking ok all I need to do is just throw a fly in the water and a trout will jump on my hook right? Not so fast. They are still wild trout, so they are still incredibly spooky. You still need to have the right flies, and there’s a few details that’s sort of the big ones. Trout are in the stream of course, but what part of the water column are they in now and where are they going to be? How are they going to be looking for their food? What are they going to eat? And how do I get the right fly down to the trout without spooking them? Those are just some the things that hiring a professional guide will take care of. Guides who fish these waters and guide each day will teach you what you need to know and help instruct you how to do them correctly to catch the wild trout in the Smoky Mountains

The forecast this weekend looks fantastic, afternoon pop up showers are possible but chances are low. The coming week looks very promising to be outside in the Smokies. Typical summer time highs in the 80’s and a slight chances of showers in the afternoons. We’ll take it!

Great Smoky Mountains Fishing Report July 14th

Tuckasegee River Fishing Report May 19th

Posted on May 20, 2017 by eshuler

Tuckasegee River Fishing Report May 19th

The Tuckasegee River fishing is incredible this week! Ideal generation schedules from the East and West Fork have the Tuckasegee River fishing perfectly. The action has been fantastic through out the entire day. We are catching big Rainbow and Brown Trout, along with Smallmouth Bass this week. Hatches have been great each day with tons of Caddis and several species of Mayflies coming off steadily.

Tuckasegee River Trout

Currently the Bryson City section of the Tuckasegee River is fishing the best. This section holds 34,000 trout per mile making it the highest trout count total per mile of any river in the US. The river here has the highest biomass and nutrient rich waters of any stretch of this 52 mile long tailwater. In fact biologists tell us this is the highest biodiversity and healthiest river in the state of North Carolina. Trout here feed heavily all day on the many hatches of aquatic insects and plethora of bait fish present in the river. There are 72 species of fish in the lower Tuckasegee River, of course not all of them are game fish. Many are baitfish which larger trout and bass feed upon. Trout are noticably fatter and harder fighting here than on other stretches of river.

Tuckasegee River Float Trips

Float Trips on the Tuckasegee River have been highly productive this week. Our guides are putting guests on good numbers of trout and Smallmouth bass on both fly rods and spin tackle. This time of year fish hold in many different waters types, and fishing from drift boats makes it easier to get to these areas. Fly Fishing the Smokies guides float 14 sections of the Tuckasegee and keep a constant finger on the pulse of this magnificent river and fishery.

There is just a few short weeks left of the Delayed Harvest season on the Tuckasegee River. Once the season is over however we still have great trout fishing and smallmouth bass fishing all summer long.

For Reservtaions (828)-488-7665 or Book Online!

Tuckasegee River Fishing Report May 19th

Categories: Drift Boat Fly Fishing, Fishin' Blog, Fly Fishing Gatlinburg, Fly Fishing Guides, Fly Fishing Guides Gatlinburg TN, Fly Fishing Guides in Bryson City, Fly Fishing Guides in Cashiers NC, Fly Fishing Guides in Cherokee NC, Fly Fishing Guides in Cherokee North Carolina, Fly Fishing Guides in Franklin NC, Fly Fishing Guides in Highlands NC, Fly Fishing the Smokies, Great Smoky Mountains Fishing Report, Tuckasegee River Fly Fishing Report, Uncategorized | Tags: Bryson City Fly Fishing Guides, Cherokee fly fishing guides, Fly Fishing Guides Great Smoky Mountains, Fly Fishing Report, Fly Fishing the Smokies, Franklin Fly Fishing Guides, Maggie Valley Fly Fishing, Maggie Valley Fly Fishing Guides, North Carolina Fly Fishing Report, Smoky Mountains Fly Fishing Guides, Smoky Mountains Trout Fishing, Smoky Mountains Trout Fishing Reports, Tuckasegee River Fishing Report May 19th, Tuckasegee River Fly Fishing Guides, Tuckasegee River Fly Fishing Report, Tuckasegee River Trout Fishing, Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Report, Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail | Comments Off

Great Smoky Mountains Fishing Report May 10th

Posted on May 11, 2017 by eshuler

Great Smoky Mountains Fishing Report May 10th

The fly fishing inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is reaching its peak. Mid May is always when experienced Smokies anglers feel the park streams are fishing at their best! Perfect weather and abundant insect hatches keep the trout happy and looking up. Some of the best dry fly action of the Spring is happening right this very minute!

Black Berry Winter

Blackberry Winter blew through the region this past weekend, bringing with it severe high winds which toppled tress and closed the park down for a few days. Park officials told us there was over 150 downed tress in the roadways inside the park. Thats impressive considering we have had the remnants of hurricanes and everything in between and that has never happened before to that magnitude. Just goes to show how raw and wild the Smoky Mountains can be at times. The winds subsided and snow blew across the high country dumping upwards of 6 inches of snow in places like Mt Leconte and Clingmans Dome. Crazy right? However, history shows, it has snowed each month of the year inside the park over the years. Roadways are now clear and everything is operating inside the park as usual.

This week has been excellent weather as day time temperatures have reached the high 70’s inside the park. In downtown Gatlinburg it feels almost Summer like with mid 80’s. Its certainly nice to be outside in the Smokies now. Bryson City also topped out at 80 today as well.

Smoky Mountains Fishing

Our favorite dry fly hatches of year have begun inside the park. Yellow Sallie stoneflies and light Cahills are flying through the air and crawling acros the rocks. These hatches drive the Smokies Trout absolutely crazy. Trout leap into the air wildly to take a struggling insect off the waters surface. Every guide on our staff looses their minds this time of year as we enjoy the bounties of warmer weather. Right now there is an abundance of great hatches all across he region. There is no less than 26 different hatches you should be aware of. However if you plan to fish this weekend, bring a handful of Yellow Sallie dries in #14-18, light Cahills in #14-16, and plenty of olive and tan Caddis dries in sizes #14-18.

The Weekend

This weekend looks to have some rain moving into the area and thunderstorms are possible. It is the Smokies however and you never know what your going to get weather wise. We have an old saying, well actually we have lots of sayings, that’s what mountain folk do, but anyhow. If you don’t like the weather, just wait fifteen minutes, It’s going to change! Highs on Friday will reach 77, rain on Saturday with a high of 66, and sunny on Sunday and back up to 76. Grab a rain jacket and get to the water, the trout are waiting!

Faith, Family, and Fishing!

Great Smoky Mountains Fishing Report May 10th

Gatlinburg Summer Specials

Posted on May 10, 2017 by eshuler

Fly Fishing Fun Trip

Our new Fly Fun Fishing Trip is the perfect opportunity to fly fish the top rivers and streams in the Great Smoky Mountains region! The Fly Fishing Fun Trip is located in Gatlinburg inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. At 2 hrs in length, this is a fantastic trip for sampling the fly fishing around Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. With prices starting at $75 per person, this is a perfect option for beginners and experts alike. Experience Fly Fishing inside the Great Smoky Mountains and not spend a fortune!

Starting at $75.00 per Person!

For Reservations call (828)-488-7665 or Book Online!

Fly Fishing Fun for Families

Our Fly Fishing Fun Trip is the perfect trip for families on the go! With so many different activities and things to see while vacationing the Smoky Mountains, its hard to fit everything in. With our Fly Fishing Fun Trip you can now schedule fly fishing around other activities without taking up the entire day! Fly Fishing guided trips are typically expensive and hard to fit into tight vacation budgets. Being family owned and operated ourselves with children, we get it! Budget minded rates, and a super fun fly fishing trip in the mountains for wild trout. We include all the fly fishing gear you need, and a professional guide to take you on your next adventure!

Start times are:

8:00am, 11:00am, 2:00pm

The Perfect Guided Fly Fishing Trip

Fly fishing is super fun and a great way to relax and enjoy the Smoky Mountains! Walk and wade through the creeks of the Smokies while you pursue wild mountain trout. The Smokies are home to Rainbow, Brown and Brook trout which are the prettiest fish in the country. Experience the Smokies like few will ever do.

Starting at $75.00 per Person!

For Reservations call (828)-488-7665 or Book Online!

Fly Fishing Fun Trip

Tuckasegee River Fly Fishing Report May

Posted on May 10, 2017 by eshuler

Tuckasegee River Fly Fishing Report May

The Tuckasegee River is fishing at its absolute peak for the year. This past week both stretches of the Tuckasegee were given the final stocking of the Delayed Harvest season. Big Rainbow, Brown, and Brook trout are prowling the waters and they are hungry! Water temps are perfect and the hatches are abundant. You couldn’t buy a better time to be on the water than right now! Book your trip soon before dates run out, we are filling up quick for the month!

Tuckasegee River Float Trips

Float Trips on the Tuckasegee River are the way to go for covering the most water and catching lots of fish! Currently there are 34,000 trout per mile on the lower section of the Tuckasegee River near Bryson City! Thats pretty incredible odds for the angler looking to get multiple shots of fish. Fly Fishing the Smokies guides run 14 different stretches of the Tuckasegee River. Anything from Trout to Smallmouth Bass and Walleye, we fish for it! Our boats are perfectly setup for fishing rocky and technical rivers such as the Tuckasegee River. Each year we guide 1000+ fly fishing float trips down the river. Our guides know the waters here like the back of their hands.

Tuckasegee River Wading

Wading the Tuckasegee River is a great way to cover water and explore many areas of the river. Currently with so many trout in the river system its a good bet to really work over sections of water and dissect riffle and run sections. This month the Tuckasegee River will be fishing at its peak for the year! Tons of aquatic insect life are abundant in the lower sections of the river. The Tuckasegee has more water types and features than any other river in the region. Loads of rocky ledges and shelves making perfect hiding places for trout and bass alike. Long riffles and runs that hold fish by the thousands, and deep pools where the big boys live! This river has it all!

Tuckasegee River Bass fishing

The Tuckasegee River in the late Spring and Summer holds lots of good sized Smallmouth, Kentucky Spotted Bass and White Bass. Bass by the thousands run up river from Fontana Lake in the spring creating lots of fishing potential throughout the warmer months. These fish will readily take flies and and spin tackle presented correctly. Smallmouth bass in particular hold in some of the same area that trout do and presenting to them in the same manners as you would target a Brown trout will get your flies ate. These hard fighting fish are super fun to catch and pull like freight train.

For Reservations Call (828)-488-7665 or Book Online!

Tuckasegee River Fly Fishing Report May

Hazel Creek Fly Fishing Report May 4th

Posted on May 5, 2017 by eshuler

Hazel Creek Fly Fishing Report May 4th

This week’s Hazel Creek Fly Fishing Report for May 4th; Fly Fishing action on Hazel Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is on fire right now! Recent rains and cool tempratures have the hatches popping and the trout looking up on our favorite stream in the Smokies. May is when the streams of the Smoky Mountains hit their peak for the year!

Currently were are seeing great hatches of Little Yellow Sallies and Light Cahills all day long. Yellow Sallies are many a serious Smokies fishermans favorite hatch. These bright yellow Stoneflies hatch steadily all throughout the day and peak just before dark. Their bright yellow color makes an easy fly pattern to see even on the darkest sections of streams.

Hazel Creek Fly Fishing

Hazel Creek flows are perfect right now for fly fishing. Water levels are running full and clear which make stalking up on these wild fish easier. We’re seeing trout feeding at all levels of the water columns right now. Which means fishing anything from dry flies to heavy nymphs will work well.

The weather this weekend looks to be soggy on Friday and Saturday for the Smoky Mountains. Intermittent storms and showers on Friday and tapering off on Saturday. Temps across the region are expected to drop down to the low 50’s for the highs in the back country. The old timers call this Blackberry Winter. Sunday however looks to be very promising as mostly sunny weather and a warming trend to start the week off with.

Hazel Creek Day Trip

Fly Fishing the Smokies is proud to be offering a Guided Fly Fishing Day Trip to Hazel Creek all summmer long! Dates are booking rapidly, so don’t wait around if your considering hitting one of the Smoky Mountains best wild trout streams. May is awesome in the back country!

Tight lines, we’ll see you on Hazel Creek!

Hazel Creek Fly Fishing Report May 4th

Categories: Fly Fishing Guides, Fly Fishing Guides in Bryson City, Fly Fishing Guides in the Smoky Mountains, Fly Fishing the Smokies, Great Smoky Mountains Fishing Report, Great Smoky Mountains Fly Fishing Guides, Hazel Creek Fly Fishing, Hazel Creek Fly Fishing Report, Smoky Mountain Fly Fishing, Smoky Mountain Fly Fishing Guides, Uncategorized | Tags: Fly Fishing Hazel Creek, Fly Fishing the Smokies, Hazel Creek, Hazel Creek Fly Fishing, Hazel Creek Fly Fishing Guides, Hazel Creek Fly Fishing Report, Hazel Creek Fly Fishing Trip, Hazel Creek Guided Fly Fishing Trips, Hazel Creek guides, Hazel Creek NC, Hazel Creek North Carolina, Hazel Creek Trout Fishing Report, Smoky Mountain Fly Fishing Trips, Smoky Mountains Best Fly Fishing Guides | Comments Off

Fly Fishing Fun Trip

Posted on May 1, 2017 by eshuler

Fly Fishing Fun Trip

Starting at $75.00 per Person!

For Reservations call (828)-488-7665 or Book Online!