Fly Fishing Gatlinburg,TN

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Specknreds

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My wife and I are leaving Saturday for a week in Gatlinburg,TN. We are staying in a cabin on a creek or river and they claim it is stocked weekly with Rainbows. I am a avid saltwater fly fisherman and I need some advise on freshwater. The smallest fly rod that I have is an Okuma 8 wt. I'm going to put a lighter line on it (not sure if it will work, but I'm going to try). What flies do I need to buy? What size tippet, I have 6lbs & 8lbs? I've seen people on TV using a float, does this help? Catch and release only, will bending the barb down decrease your catch ratio?

Any help would be appreciated.
 
I know basically nothing about fly fishing, but one thing you will want to check on is of course you regular fishing liscense, but I believe there are certain regulation when fishing in Gatlinburg...I believe you may have to purchase another permit of some kind for fishing in the stocked stream. I'm sure when you get there and talk to wherever you get your liscense can tell you for sure.
 
I fish with a guy (Lars here) who only uses the easy rod (fly rod). He pinches the barbs and still has a great landing ratio.


he can explain it far better - but much of what he does is to drift the fly along current edges and into the white water letting the current make the fly dance. Most of what he uses are white streamer type flys

oh yeah, he catches the heck out of the smallmouth usually
 
Bubba, I looked it up and you are correct. I need an out of state and a local permit. The $$$ wasn't to bad.

Capt. Ahab, Adding a white streamer to my list.

Thanks that is what I'm looking for. I would like to catch species that we do not have where I live, such as smallmouths, rainbow trout, etc.
 
the permits arnt bad, and yuns are headin to some beautiful scenery. im not a fly fisherman but if you take a spinningrod up there with some 4-6lb test, get a gold and black panther martin spinner, second to the smallest. they're leathal!. crickets also work extreamly well on the stockers. just where are you stayin in gatlinburg? i was there last week :mrgreen:
 
if you put a smaller line on your 8weight it aint going to want to load correctly it would be hard to cast. i would just get a longer length leader and smaller tippet,i cant help you on the flys cause i only bass,crappie,and panfish.this is just my thoughts but have a good and safe trip
 
Don't worry about your 8 weight rod being too heavy, I have an Orvis Trident 8-9 weight and that is what I learned with, fishing for 6 - 10" Brookies in the streams around southern Maine. Just make sure you have a tapered leader, either purchase one or tie up your own, starting heavy and reducing size every 3 feet or so until you are down to your desired size. Leave the 8 weight line on, dedawg1149 is correct, you will only sacrifice casting ability. Let the leader dictact the size. The only draw back is that a 4 weight makes it seem more intense.
Streamer flies...... there are tiny gray ghosts that I would use (size 8 or 10 single hook or so?), a small Montreal would be great. Mickey Finns are popular and available in tons of sizes.
Dry Flies..... Stimulator is what I would lead with in the fall, nice colorful fly. Should drive the Rainbows nuts! Elk Hair Caddis and such might work.
Nymphs..... Hares Ear or Prince (beaded). Can even drop a tiny one off a Dry Fly connecting the two with a couple feet of tipet material. Dry Fly acts like a strike indicator, tho the Bow could take either or.
Wet Flys..... kind of like streamers, but I have a home grown Horn Special that slays 'em. Look for a small Hornberg.... simular in design and deadly when twitched.

Probably want to cast upstream and let a nymph bounce along the bottom down past you. I doubt you'll see much surface activity this time of year, but you never know.
Don't forget about twitching that Hornberg thru the current!!!
 
Oh and you can bend the barb or buy barbless hooks. Shouldn't affect your hookup success but might hamper your landing rate. Just remeber to keep a good amount of tension on the line when they strike. Any slack will let that hook back right out and the fish is GONE.
 
Fish Monger said:
Don't worry about your 8 weight rod being too heavy, I have an Orvis Trident 8-9 weight and that is what I learned with, fishing for 6 - 10" Brookies in the streams around southern Maine. Just make sure you have a tapered leader, either purchase one or tie up your own, starting heavy and reducing size every 3 feet or so until you are down to your desired size. Leave the 8 weight line on, dedawg1149 is correct, you will only sacrifice casting ability. Let the leader dictact the size. The only draw back is that a 4 weight makes it seem more intense.
Streamer flies...... there are tiny gray ghosts that I would use (size 8 or 10 single hook or so?), a small Montreal would be great. Mickey Finns are popular and available in tons of sizes.
Dry Flies..... Stimulator is what I would lead with in the fall, nice colorful fly. Should drive the Rainbows nuts! Elk Hair Caddis and such might work.
Nymphs..... Hares Ear or Prince (beaded). Can even drop a tiny one off a Dry Fly connecting the two with a couple feet of tipet material. Dry Fly acts like a strike indicator, tho the Bow could take either or.
Wet Flys..... kind of like streamers, but I have a home grown Horn Special that slays 'em. Look for a small Hornberg.... simular in design and deadly when twitched.

Probably want to cast upstream and let a nymph bounce along the bottom down past you. I doubt you'll see much surface activity this time of year, but you never know.
Don't forget about twitching that Hornberg thru the current!!!

Now if that ain't some help I don't know what is! =D>
 
No problem :wink: I try to chime in when I can and shut my mouth when I don't know what everyone else is talking about :---) [-X :LOL2:
 
The Monger has summed it well, I'd add some foam bodied hoppers for dries since they don't waterlog.


Buy a pack or 2 of tapered leaders that go to 4x and some 4x and 5x tippet material to add on.
 
WOW!!! Thanks for all the replies. I've printed out most of the responces. Had to print Fish Mongers so I could remimber it all!!!LOL :lol:

Would Bass Pro Shop have a good enough selection on the flies or do I need to go to a Fly Shop?

I guess I should tell the truth, my wife said that I have picked out our (fishing) vacations for the last 10 years and it was her turn to pick, so we are going to Gatlinburg. She said "NO FISHING POLES". SOOO I did what most of ya'll would do and hid my fly rod behind the seat of my truck. You talking about torture, a week in a cabin on the river without a pole. She actually just read this and broke down and said that I could take just one and that I wasn't fishing the whole vacation. That's fair, I guess. :lol: :roflmao:
 
I have never shopped a Bass Pro shop. The local Cabelas that just opened in my area does not have squat tho. :evil:

If it was not so soon I would put my money where my mouth was and send you one of each fly I mentioned. A local shop might be a safer bet for the flies.
 
I looked up Dumond Flies last night and I will be ordering soon. I didn't feel that I had enough time leaving Sat. morning.
 
Thanks guys!!!

I don't have pics of every pattern available yet... guess I'm slacking, but if I haven't heard of it or already know how to tie it I'll find out!!!
 

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