Big Browns and Rainbows under the Moonlight
There’s something unforgettable about watching the moonlight ripple across the surface of a Smoky Mountain river while a mouse pattern skates across the current. The “Twilight Drifters” trips have been producing some incredible action lately, as the big predator Browns and Rainbows come out to hunt beneath the glow of the fall moon.
Book Your Twilight Drifters Float Trip
Call or Text 828-421-6378
This is prime time for throwing mouse patterns after dark — the combination of crisp fall air, clear skies, and bright moonlight has created perfect conditions for night fishing. The larger trout in these rivers become true nocturnal hunters during this window, cruising the shallows and cutbanks to ambush unsuspecting prey. There’s no mistaking the explosive take of a Brown that’s dialed in on a mouse skittering across the surface — it’s pure adrenaline, often followed by a heart-pounding run in the dark.
Fall is one of the best times of year to experience this unique side of fly fishing the Smokies. The big fish are cramming in calories before the spawn and the leaner winter months ahead. Every drift has the potential to connect you with a heavy Brown or a battle-tested Rainbow — fish that have spent the summer lurking deep, now feeding with aggression and urgency.
Beyond the fishing itself, these night floats are a completely different world — peaceful, quiet, and beautifully remote. The only sounds are the oars dipping, the river whispering through the rocks, and the occasional splash of a feeding trout. Overhead, the stars burn bright against the clear Appalachian sky.
If you’ve never experienced the magic of chasing trout by moonlight, now is the perfect time to book a Twilight Drifters trip with Fly Fishing the Smokies. Fall nights like these don’t last long, and neither does this special bite window.
📞 Call or text 828-421-6378
🌐 www.flyfishingthesmokies.net
🎣 Experience the thrill of the night — where the big ones feed under the glow of the Smoky Mountain moon.