Trout Fishing in the Smokies
It’s officially the season of hot apple cider, warm blankets, and pumpkin patches. It’s also the season for fall festivals, and the Smoky Mountain area is full of them!
Here are three festivals you can enjoy while on your Smoky Mountain vacation.
1. Dollywood Harvest Festival
If you love Dollywood and the fall season then you won’t want to miss this event! From early September to late October this annual celebration marks the best weather and some beautiful fall foliage in the Smokies. Stay late into the evening to see beautifully carved pumpkins, lit up and on display. During the day you’ll enjoy fall themed food, and colorful leaves all throughout the park.
2. Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair
In early to mid October the Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair heads into full swing. Artisans from across the country gather to peddle their wares while musicians serenade the crowds. You’ll see everything from woodworking and pottery to handcrafted jewelry and leatherworkings. If you have an appreciation for handmade goods then this event is for you.
3. Wears Valley Fall Festival
The Wears Valley Fall Festival takes place in mid October and is a favorite event for locals. Come experience the hundreds of vendors, melodic live music, and incredible Southern cuisine. If you’re interested in a true rustic, Appalachian festival with plenty to do and see for the whole family, then this one is for you.
No matter the festival you choose you’ll need a place to stay. Choose from one of our many options at Bear Camp Cabin Rentals today!
Why has fishing not been prominent in the Smokies, along with the many other leisure activities available in the park? Until recently fishing in the Smoky Mountains has been limited due to ecological danger to the brook trout, the native to our streams. The brook trout were almost non-existent in the park waters in the early 1900's, when logging operations left the streams silted and degraded. Then, non-native rainbow and brown trout were introduced to park streams for fishermen. Those fish outcompeted the brook trout and virtually replaced them in most streams. Recently biologists have determined that the population can survive recreational fishing.
For the first time in 81 years, every stream in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is open to fishermen. The park still wants to ensure the long-term protection of a unique species by preserving a healthy, reproducing population of brook trout. It also wishes to provide the opportunity to experience the Southern Appalachian tradition, heritage, and culture associated with brook trout fishing. Right now to help preserve the trout population there are restrictions in place. There is a 7-inch size limit, 5 fish possession limit and fishermen can only use a single hook with artificial lures. In addition to fish restoration projects, park biologists are also working hard to improve water quality across park streams. These continued efforts to improve water quality and restore native fish populations will expand habitat for all fish species and these fish-bearing streams.
For more information on fishing guidelines please go to the National Park Service's website.
Statistics and information about the project found in articles from WBIR and the Knoxville Daily Sun.
Also, check out Bear Camp Cabins for your fishing expedition!
