Fishing

The North Carolina side of the Smokies has one of the best wild trout fisheries in the East. The North Carolina side has more than 1,000 miles of streams (not all contain trout), and all are open to fishing year-round, except Bear Creek at its junction with Forney Creek and upstream from there. Native brook trout thrive in colder high-elevation streams, while brown and rainbow trout (not native but now widely present in the region) can live in somewhat warmer waters.

Among the best trout streams on this side of the park are Deep Creek, Big Creek, Cataloochee Creek, Palmer Creek, Twentymile Creek, Raven Fork, Hazel Creek, and Noland Creek. Often the best fishing is in higher-elevation streams, in areas that are more difficult to reach. Streams that are easily accessible, such as the Pigeon River, have greater fishing pressure. A free fishing map is available at all visitor centers.

For backcountry fishing trips, you may want to hire a licensed guide. Full-day trips cost around $225–$300 for one angler, $300–$400 for two. Only guides approved by the National Park Service are permitted to take anglers into the backcountry.

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. You can order a North Carolina inland fishing license, valid throughout the park, by telephone or online or buy one from fishing shops or guides. The North Carolina license is good throughout the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, even on the Tennessee side (likewise, a Tennessee license is valid throughout the park). A 10-day nonresident inland fishing license is $18, while an annual license is $36. North Carolina residents pay $7 for a 10-day license and $20 for an annual license. To fish for trout outside the park, you'll also need a trout stamp, which costs an extra $13 for both North Carolina residents and nonresidents. To fish in the Cherokee Reservation (Qualla Boundary), those over 12 need a separate tribal permit, available at shops on the reservation for $10 per day, $17 for two days, $27 for three days, and $47 for five days. A tribal three-day catch-and-release permit allowing fishing in a special area of Raven Creek is an extra $25. 1751 Varsity Dr., Raleigh, North Carolina, 27606. 919/707--0391; www.ncwildlife.org.