Guided Wade Fly Fishing Trips in the Smoky Mountains
Experience some of the best trout fishing in the Smoky Mountains on a private guided wade fishing trip with Fly Fishing the Smokies. We offer guided wade trips for guests staying in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, Cherokee, Bryson City and throughout the Smoky Mountains region. Our guides fish Great Smoky Mountains National Park along with many of the surrounding rivers and streams, including the Tuckasegee and Nantahala Rivers. Whether you have never held a fly rod or you’re an experienced angler looking for the best water available, we’ll match your trip to your experience level, the season and current fishing conditions.
Call or Text: (828) 421-6378
BOOK YOUR WADE FISHING TRIP
The Best Guided Trip for Learning to Fly Fish
Wade trips are the best trips we offer for learning how to fly fish because your guide is right there beside you on the water throughout the trip. Instead of simply taking you fishing, our guides can work hands-on with your casting, fly selection, knots, reading the water, presentation, mending, setting the hook and fighting and landing trout. No previous fly fishing experience is necessary. We enjoy teaching first-time anglers and can take you from picking up a fly rod for the first time to actually fishing for trout during the same trip.
Wade trips aren’t just for beginners. Experienced fly fishermen also benefit from fishing one-on-one with a guide who knows the local rivers and streams. We can tailor the trip to your ability and goals, whether you want to improve a particular technique, learn how to read unfamiliar mountain water, explore new streams or simply spend the day fishing some of the best trout water available in the Smoky Mountains region.
Choose the Right Wade Fishing Trip
We offer several different wade fishing trips so you can choose the experience that best fits your schedule, ability level and fishing goals. From a quick 2-hour introduction to fly fishing to half-day, seasonal 5-hour and full-day adventures, every trip is private and tailored to you and your group. You don’t need to know which river or stream you want to fish before booking—tell us where you’re staying, your experience level and what you’re looking for, and we’ll help match you with the right trip and the best available water for the season and current conditions.
Shorter trips are excellent for beginners, families and anglers with limited vacation time, while longer trips allow us to explore more water and spend more time developing your skills or pursuing wild trout. Experienced anglers are welcome on every trip, and our guides will adjust the experience to your ability and goals.
2-Hour Fly Fishing Fun Trip
Our 2-Hour Fly Fishing Fun Trip is the perfect introduction to fly fishing for beginners, families, kids and anyone who wants to experience trout fishing without committing to a longer trip. This private guided trip is designed to be easy, fun and hands-on, with plenty of one-on-one instruction from your guide. We’ll teach you the basics of casting, reading the water and catching trout while giving you time to put those new skills to work on the stream.
The 2-Hour Fun Trip is especially popular with families traveling with children, couples trying fly fishing for the first time and vacationers with limited time in the Smokies. No previous experience is necessary, and all necessary fly fishing gear and equipment is provided at no additional charge. If you’ve always wanted to try fly fishing but weren’t sure where to start, this is the trip we designed for you.
Half-Day Wade Fishing Trip
Our Half-Day Wade Fishing Trip is our most popular wade trip and the option we recommend for most anglers. With approximately four hours on the water, it gives you plenty of time to learn the fundamentals of fly fishing, work with your guide and enjoy a true Smoky Mountain trout fishing experience without taking up your entire vacation day. It’s an excellent choice for first-time fly fishermen, couples, families and experienced anglers looking for a productive morning or afternoon on the water.
Half-day trips also give our guides more flexibility to match you with the best available fishing for the season and current conditions. Depending on where you’re staying and the time of year, we may fish mountain streams in Great Smoky Mountains National Park or other productive trout waters throughout the region. All necessary fly fishing gear and equipment is provided at no additional charge, and your guide will tailor the trip and instruction to your individual experience level and goals.
5-Hour Seasonal Wade Fishing Trips
Our 5-Hour Seasonal Wade Trips give anglers a little more time on the water than a traditional half-day trip while still leaving part of the day open to enjoy the Smoky Mountains. These trips are offered seasonally and are designed around some of the best fishing opportunities of the year. The extra hour gives your guide more flexibility to explore additional water, spend more time working on your fly fishing skills and take advantage of changing conditions throughout the day.
A 5-hour trip is a great choice for anglers who want more fishing time than a half day but aren’t looking for a full-day commitment. Beginners and experienced fly fishermen are both welcome, and your guide will tailor the trip to your ability and goals. All necessary fly fishing gear and equipment is provided at no additional charge. Our 5-hour offerings change with the seasons, so check our current Seasonal Specials to see which trip is available during your visit.
Full-Day Wade Fishing Trip
Our Full-Day Wade Fishing Trip is designed for anglers who want to make the most of their time on the water and experience a full day of trout fishing in the Smoky Mountains region. The additional time gives your guide greater flexibility to explore more water, travel farther when conditions warrant and spend the day fishing a variety of runs, pools and mountain stream habitat. For experienced fly fishermen, a full day is an excellent choice for anglers who want to cover more water and experience more of what our area has to offer.
Full-day trips are also available to beginners who want a more immersive introduction to fly fishing. With additional time, your guide can spend more time teaching casting, presentation, reading water and other techniques while still providing plenty of actual fishing time. All necessary fly fishing gear and equipment is provided at no additional charge, and your trip is customized around your experience level, fishing goals and the conditions that day.
Call or Text: (828) 421-6378
BOOK YOUR WADE FISHING TRIP
Guided Wade Fishing Near Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville
Staying in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge or Sevierville and looking for a guided trout fishing trip? These popular Smoky Mountain vacation towns provide convenient access to a wide variety of fly fishing opportunities throughout the region. Our guides work with visitors staying throughout the Tennessee side of the Smokies and will help choose the best wade fishing opportunity based on the season, current water conditions, your experience level and the type of fishing you want to experience.
Depending on conditions, your trip may take you to the wild trout streams of Great Smoky Mountains National Park or to other productive trout waters throughout the surrounding region. You don’t need to know where you want to fish before you book. Tell us where you’re staying and what you’re looking for, and we’ll help match you with the right trip and fishing location. Beginners, families, kids and experienced fly fishermen are all welcome, and all necessary fly fishing gear and equipment is provided.
Guided Wade Fishing Near Bryson City and Cherokee
Bryson City and Cherokee are surrounded by some of the most diverse trout fishing opportunities in the Smoky Mountains. Bryson City is officially recognized as the Fly Fishing Capital of the South and sits near an incredible variety of trout water, from large rivers to small wild trout streams. The Tuckasegee River flows through the Bryson City area and offers outstanding seasonal trout fishing, while the nearby Nantahala River has earned national recognition as one of Trout Unlimited’s Top 100 trout streams in the country.
The North Carolina side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park adds hundreds of miles of wild trout water to the experience, with beautiful mountain streams holding wild rainbow, brown and native brook trout. Guests staying in Bryson City or Cherokee have access to an incredible variety of fishing within a relatively small area, allowing our guides to choose from larger rivers, smaller mountain streams and more remote wild trout water depending on the season, current conditions and your experience level.
Whether you’re visiting Bryson City, Cherokee or the surrounding Western North Carolina mountains, you don’t need to decide which river or stream to fish before booking. Tell us what kind of experience you’re looking for, and we’ll help match you with the right wade trip and the best available trout water for the day.
Wade Fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains and Surrounding Rivers
One of the biggest advantages of booking a wade trip with Fly Fishing the Smokies is the variety of trout water available throughout our region. We guide on the wild trout streams of Great Smoky Mountains National Park as well as larger rivers and streams throughout the surrounding area, including the Tuckasegee River and Nantahala River. From small mountain creeks and remote wild trout water to larger rivers with long runs, riffles and deep pools, we can offer a very different fishing experience depending on what you’re looking for.
The best place to fish can change throughout the year as water levels, temperatures, hatches and seasonal trout activity change. Rather than limiting every trip to the same stretch of water, our guides use their knowledge of the region to help select the best fishing opportunity for your trip. You don’t need to know which river or stream you want to fish before booking. We’ll consider where you’re staying, your experience level, the season, current conditions and the type of fishing experience you want when helping determine where to go.
All Fly Fishing Gear and Equipment Is Included
You don’t need to own any fly fishing equipment to book a wade trip with us. Fly Fishing the Smokies provides all the necessary fly fishing gear and equipment for your guided trip at no additional charge. We provide quality fly rods and reels, flies, leaders, tippet and the other fishing equipment needed for your day on the water. If you’re new to fly fishing, your guide will show you how to use the equipment and help you get comfortable with everything before and during your trip.
Experienced anglers are welcome to bring and use their own equipment if they prefer, but it’s certainly not required. One of our goals is to make booking a guided wade trip as easy as possible—you don’t need to go out and purchase fly fishing gear before your vacation or worry about having the right flies for the water we’re fishing. We’ll take care of the fishing equipment and select the flies and tackle appropriate for the conditions so you can concentrate on learning, fishing and enjoying your time on the water.
Beginner, Family and Kids Fly Fishing Trips
Fly fishing is a great way for families and kids to experience the Smoky Mountains together, and no previous fishing or fly fishing experience is necessary. We regularly introduce first-time anglers of all ages to the sport, and our guides enjoy teaching newcomers how to cast, read the water, present a fly and catch their first trout. Because our trips are private, we can adjust the pace and instruction to the ability and experience level of everyone in your group.
Wade trips are especially well suited for families because your guide is right there on the water providing hands-on instruction and helping each angler throughout the trip. For younger children and families wanting a shorter introduction, our 2-Hour Fly Fishing Fun Trip is an excellent choice, while half-day trips provide more time for families who want a complete fly fishing experience. Kids are welcome, all necessary fishing gear and equipment is provided at no additional charge, and our goal is to make their first experience with fly fishing fun, comfortable and memorable.
Wade Fishing Trips for Experienced Fly Fishermen
Our guided wade trips aren’t just for beginners. Experienced fly fishermen come to the Smoky Mountains looking for challenging water, wild trout and fishing experiences they may not be able to find on their own. Our guides can tailor a traditional wade trip around your experience and fishing goals, but we also offer several premium wade fishing adventures specifically suited to experienced anglers who want to explore some of the more remote and unique trout waters of the Smoky Mountains.
Our Hazel Creek Day Trip takes experienced anglers into one of the most remote, historic and legendary trout streams in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Accessed by boat across Fontana Lake, Hazel Creek offers miles of beautiful backcountry water and a true wilderness fly fishing experience. For anglers interested in pursuing native Southern Appalachian brook trout, our Backcountry Brookies Trip takes you into higher-elevation mountain streams where these native fish still thrive in cold, clear water. These trips require more hiking, wading and physical effort than our traditional wade trips and are best suited for anglers who already have some fly fishing experience.
Whether you’re interested in technical dry fly fishing, backcountry wild trout, native brook trout, larger rivers such as the Tuckasegee and Nantahala, or simply want to explore water you’ve never fished before, tell us what kind of experience you’re looking for and we’ll help match you with the right trip.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wade Fishing Trips
Do I need experience to go on a guided wade trip?
No. No previous fly fishing experience is necessary. Wade trips are the best trips we offer for learning to fly fish because your guide can work directly with you throughout the trip. We also guide experienced fly fishermen and tailor every trip to the angler’s ability and goals.
Do you provide the fly fishing gear and equipment?
Yes. All necessary fly fishing gear and equipment is provided at no additional charge, including fly rods and reels, flies, leaders, tippet and other necessary fishing equipment. Experienced anglers are also welcome to bring their own gear.
Can kids and families go on wade trips?
Absolutely. We enjoy introducing kids and families to fly fishing. Our 2-Hour Fly Fishing Fun Trip is especially well suited for younger anglers and families looking for a shorter introduction, while our half-day trips are an excellent choice for families wanting more time on the water.
Where will we go fishing?
We guide on a wide variety of rivers and streams throughout the Smoky Mountains region, including Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Tuckasegee River, Nantahala River and other productive trout waters. You don’t have to choose the water before booking. We’ll consider where you’re staying, your experience level, the season and current conditions when helping determine the best fishing opportunity for your trip.
What should I bring on my wade fishing trip?
Dress for the weather and bring sunglasses, sunscreen, a rain jacket and any personal items you may need during the trip. We’ll take care of the necessary fishing equipment. If there is anything specific you need for your particular trip or season, we’ll let you know before your trip.
Book Your Guided Wade Fishing Trip
Whether you’re learning to fly fish for the first time, bringing the family, or you’re an experienced angler looking for your next Smoky Mountain adventure, we have a wade trip for you. Tell us where you’re staying, how much time you have and what kind of fishing experience you’re looking for, and we’ll help you choose the right trip.
Call or Text: (828) 421-6378
BOOK YOUR WADE FISHING TRIP
