Part of the reason many fly-fishermen do not pursue the great smallie angling opportunities found in the park is the mistaken impression that these fish can only be caught on hardware such as spinners and small crankbaits. However, nothing could be farther from the truth. Smallmouth bass can be enticed to strike a variety of flies, ranging from streamers to nymphs. For the most part, all of the bass in the Smokies are most common in the lower reaches of the largest streams, such as Deep Creek and the East Prong of Little Pigeon River.
During the early years of the park, fly-fishing for smallmouth bass was almost as common as for trout. Lack of shade on many reaches of water (that are now canopied at least half of the year) resulted in prime smallmouth bass habitat. During those days, fly-fishermen used what was known then as fly-rod baits. In most instances, these were scaled-down versions of proven plugs such as Heddon’s Flaptail or South Bend’s Bass Oreno. These bantam-sized plugs were too light to be cast with any tackle of that era other than a fly rod. Modern ultralight tackle will cast these dainty offerings, which are now highly sought after by collectors of vintage fishing tackle.
The smallmouth bass is a member of the black bass clan, the toughest branch of the scrappy sunfish family. They resemble their larger cousins, the largemouth bass, as well as the Kentucky bass. The most notable differences are in body shape and coloration. Smallies are more streamlined and sport amber-to-bronze coloration. Their flanks have vertical bars, or “tiger stripes,” and their eyes are reddish.
Adult smallmouth bass prefer rock-or gravel-bottomed feeding stations, which characterizes most of their habitat in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Three-to five-pound smallmouth bass are trophies from these waters, while a 12-inch rock bass is a true “eyepopper.” Each season, a few larger bass are taken from park waters. In the loosely knit world of black bass fishing, rock bass are often referred to as the “brook trout” of this far-flung clan of alpha sunfish.
Crawfish, which are common to park streams, are key prey items, along with small fish such as darters and sculpins, spring lizards, insects, and other invertebrates. These fish are slightly more meat-conscious than trout, although they will take small flies.
Fly-fishing specifically for smallmouth bass is a challenging sport, but their abundance in the park makes it worthwhile. I could easily devote an entire book to this subject, as the various techniques and awesome array of fishing situations take years to master.
Experienced park smallie fly-fishermen agree that more consistent results are obtained with light tackle and relatively small baits. I like two-to four-pound test tippets, but some fly-fishermen advocated the use of six-to eight-pound test tippets. On occasion, it is possible to use heavier tippets, but because big bronzebacks are so easily startled, the odds are stacked against success.
Favorite smallmouth fly patters include Muddler Minnows, Joe’s Hopper, large stone fly nymphs, and the Wooly Booger. Presented to the rear of pools, these fly patterns are deadly.
One reason many fly-fishing trouters fail to catch smallmouth and rock bass from the streams of the Smokies is they fail to recognize the distinctly different habitat preferences of the sunfish clan. Trout, and especially rainbows, are far more likely to be caught in modestly swift runs. Smallmouth bass shun fast water, preferring to “lay up” in the rear of pools in shaded areas.
Winter is a fine time to fish for brown bass in the park. December water temperatures and normally abundant rainfall help keep these cool-natured fish active. Streamers cannot be beat during this time, when the metabolism of the fish slows down. Streamers worked slowly over dropoffs, saddles, and bars can bring surprising results. Even during the dead of winter, smallie fishing in the streams of the park can be excellent.
Around late February, smallmouth bass begin getting active, and wander. Bottom fly-fishing rock dropoffs with streamers is an old-time tactic that still works.
March and April are exciting months for tangling with Smoky Mountain brownies. In most streams, they can be found shallow in the slow runs. Two-to four-foot depths are not uncommon. Streamers and nymphs retrieved at a brisk pace are met by violent strikes.
Spawning action can be located along sloping gravel-or rock-bottomed areas. Plastic streamers and nymphs bounced through likely bedding cover can net an irate parent fish or two. Following the spawn, the fish spread out along rocky-bottomed areas. During the May-through-August period, great smallie action is available at Abrams Creek and Little River.
Some of the best smallmouth bass angling is found in Fontana Lake, an impoundment with a national reputation for producing lunker-class brownies. Using hair bugs and poppers, surface action is respectable during the spring and early summer months, especially early in the morning and late evening. Using high-density lines, you can expect brisker action on subsurface offerings than at other times of the year.
The West Prong of the Little Pigeon downstream from Gatlinburg to its mouth at the French Broad easily rates among the country’s top three or four smallmouth bass fisheries.
chapter 2
Smoky Mountains Angling: A Historical Overview
THE STORY OF TROUT FISHING in the Great Smoky Mountains and the surrounding region has been largely ignored in print. Whether for sport or sustenance, fishing has long been a favorite American pursuit. Trout fishing in the crystal-clear waters of the Smokies has occupied a special place in the fabric of mountain life since before the arrival of the settlers.
The Cherokee were perhaps the first people to encounter the local brook trout. The Cherokee name for these colorful little fish was “unahnvsahti,” according to my old friend Adam Smith, a tribal member who often showed me roots and herbs when I frequently visited the reservation. Some sources believe that the Cherokee also called the native fish “adaja.” At best it is a wild guess, which is noted here merely to add to the overall confusion.
What is known, though, is that for the Cherokee, fishing was not a recreational pastime, although it was not altogether an arduous affair. Like all eastern tribes they used bone hooks and choke stones. Brook trout served as trail fare for Native American travelers crossing the rugged mountains. A favorite and very effective method of getting trout was to sprinkle a pool or two with poison made from local plants, such as the bark of the black walnut tree. After being stricken by the poison, the fish, which were usually stunned, floated to the surface and were easily gathered. Additionally, ground-up yellow buckeye nuts and goat’s rue (also called devil’s shoestring) were used. These nuts contain the compound aesculin, which attacks the nervous system of trout. The rootstock of the goat’s rue contains rotenone, although not so concentrated as the NPS used to gut Abrams Creek in the 1960s.
The use of a weir was another fishing technique employed by the Cherokee. A “V” of rocks was positioned in a stream. At the point of the “V,” a weir was fastened down. Fish were driven downstream to be caught in the weir. This sort of effort was often a cooperative undertaking by several families or even an entire village and typically occurred on larger streams. A community fish fry usually followed. White settlers took possession of these stone weirs and used them for generations. Today most have been dynamited by game wardens, but I know the location of at least one on the Nolichucky River.
Early settlers arriving in the Tennessee Valley found the cloud-covered peaks mantled in the most diverse hardwood forest in the world. Preferring to carve a living out of the many rich river bottoms, most settlers bypassed the Smokies. Those who chose to live in the isolated mountains picked the rich coves and scattered bottomlands. As the population grew, some settlers moved westward, while others moved farther up the slopes of the mountains in search of tillable land. Travel was difficult, and hard cash was scarce. The region became a backwater area in America’s great western movement of the 19th century. It developed its own distinct culture, independent and self-reliant; the area’s colorful lifestyle flourished for