GSMNP advice

[Red Owl]

I got back recently from a one week trip to GSMNP and I had a lot of fun and did catch some trout. It was a new place for me to fish and I wanted to do a "sampler" of a lot of different streams so I could only devote so much time to a particular flow. The net effect was a lot of times fishing close to a parking lot/road. I think the most walking in to a remote spot I did was 38 minutes on one stream.
In any event, I kept having this thought over whether I would have done better "hiking way back in there". I read these stories about Deep Creek and guys walking 3-4 miles.

 

[billyspey]

Well did you fish Abrams creek ? If so how did you do?

 

[fearnofishbob]

Deep Creek......... Red Owl, I have fished Deep Creek for years ( started in 1959 ) The futher up the creek you go the better the fishing. The first mile or so is covered up with tube floaters, the next mile or so is good water but there are alot of trash fish in that section mixed in with the trout. At the area we called the "turn around" you can enter the Bumgarner Gorge which is in itself a full days fishing. If you walk across Bumgarner Bend and come back to the creek you will be in some excellent water. There are some monster browns throughout the course of the creek except for the highest water at the base of Newfound Gap or Clingmans Dome. You are looking at a 4 mile hike before you start fishing if you want to be above Bumgarner Gorge then you will have that plus your days fishing distance to get back out. If at all possible I'd suggest camping at the lower end of the Gorge, fishing it during the day and hike back across to your base camp. If you get into the George before anyone else you will have a full days fishing with absolutely no to disturb you......Go for it !!!!!! :fishing:

 

[stimulator2]

Like Bob says fishing is good at Bumgarner Gorge but also several fishermen but go early. i like fishing above the Bryson Place but i think it is 8 miles from the paking lot.You could also park up at the trailhead on 441 going to Newfound Gap and walk down and fish in the upper waters.

 

[Red Owl]

Yep- had to do Abrams. Bows on a #12 gray Thunderhead in the riffles/pockets and chubs aplenty on greenie-weenies in the pools. In one pool I had "something scary" hit a #12 yellowhammer and like a freight train it was gone- if it was a bow it was a good one- I'm not certain how many Browns are above the falls but it was a deep pool. All in all had a good day. Abrams has to rank at the top because of all the aspects of remoteness (end of Cade's Cove) wildlife- two otters swam right past me, size stream- plenty of room to cast, etc, etc.
On some of the others- like Tremont- I was wondering if you generally had to drive to the end of the gravel road and hike in 2-4 miles- if fishing along the road was mostly thin doings. Same on the Little (East prong) if fishing within a half mile of Elkmont was a waste of time- if you had to hike in 2 plus miles.
Finally- I didn't hit streams outside of the park but those streams are stocked- how do they compare? In other words is the fish/hour ratio higher outside the park?

I

 

[stimulator2]

In my opinion fishing with flies outside or inside the park is about the pressure that has been put on the fish and if the fish are hungry.At Elkmount fishing along the road as long as you are first,but then again if you have what they want you will catch fish.There is some good fishing outside the park.

 

[Red Owl]

Well the big draw to me on GSMNP is the scenery without a lot of cottages/trailers all over the place but I look at all the National Forest lands and there is simply a lot of good looking country. On the way home I stopped by the Davidson. It was Saturday and there were a lot of fisherman although you could hike around and find a place to yourself. I think the trout in the Davidson might be pretty hard to catch. Great looking stream and the campground was really nice. I might want to stay there a day or two on a future trip.
How are the crowds on the other side of Fontana? Hazel/Forney, etc? It sounds like the best deal is to backpack in a ways and do a 2-3 day gig.
I didn't get a chance to see the Nantahala, I read some of the standard guide books but to me at least they were confusing as to places to fish. Snowbird is another one I may plan on trying.
No one speaks much about fishing below Fontana Dam- it seems like it would be a world class tailwater fishery.

 

[stimulator2]

Below Fontana Dam is another lake Cheoa and below it is Calderwood lake so there is no tailwater to speak of but all have alot of trout in them you just have to have a boat.Hazel and Forney creeks are good fishing and it is better to hike in and stay however you can go over by boat and day fish on the lower parts .I fish Hazel about 10mi from the lake and Forney about 4mi from the lake.Eagle creek is another good creek in the park.I personally don't fish the Davidson just to many people but i have caught some good fish there the few times i fished it.

 

[Red Owl]

Thanks, appreciate it.