Fishing in Wears Valley and Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Fishing in Wears Valley

Due to a successful brook trout restoration program, for the first time in 30 years, anglers are now able to fish for brook trout in park streams

Great Smoky Mountains National Park has about 2,115 miles of streams within its boundaries and protects one of the last wild trout habitats in the eastern United States. The park offers a wide variety of angling experiences from remote, headwater trout streams to large, coolwater smallmouth bass streams. Most streams remain at or near their carrying capacity of fish and offer a great opportunity to catch these species throughout the year.

A mountain river runs alongside Little River Road between Townsend and Gatlinburg. Anglers are often spotted in the river. Image © by Image Builders

Fly fishing in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Image by Image Builders

Fishing is permitted year 'round in the park, from 30 minutes before official sunrise to 30 minutes after official sunset. The park allows fishing in all streams EXCEPT the following streams and their tributaries upstream from the points described:

North Carolina
Bear Creek at its junction with Forney Creek.

Tennessee
Sams Creek at the confluence with Thunderhead Prong
Indian Flats Prong at the Middle Prong Trial crossing

License Requirements
You must possess a valid fishing license or permit which is valid throughout the park, and no trout stamp is required. Fishing licenses and permits are not available in the park, but may be purchased in Wears Valley or you may purchase a license online.

Tennessee License Requirements
Residents and nonresidents age 13 and older must have a valid license. Residents age 65 and older may obtain a special license from the state.

Daily Possession Limits
Five (5) brook, rainbow or brown trout, smallmouth bass, or a combination of these, each day or in possession, regardless of whether they are fresh, stored in an ice chest, or otherwise preserved. The combined total must not exceed five fish.

Twenty (20) rock bass may be kept in addition to the above limit.

A person must stop fishing immediately after obtaining the limit.

Size Limits
Brook, rainbow, and brown trout: 7 inch minimum
Smallmouth bass: 7 inch minimum
Rockbass: no minimum

Trout or smallmouth bass caught less than the legal length shall be immediately returned to the water from which it was taken.

Lures, Bait, and Equipment
Fishing is permitted only by the use of one hand-held rod.

Only artificial flies or lures with a single hook may be used. Dropper flies may be used. Up to two flies on a leader.

Use or possession of any form of fish bait or liquid scent other than artificial flies or lures on or along any park stream while in possession of fishing tackle is prohibited. Prohibited baits include, but are not limited to, minnows (live or preserved), worms, corn, cheese, bread, salmon eggs, pork rinds, liquid scents and natural baits found along streams.

Use or possession of double, treble, or gang hooks is prohibited.

Fishing tackle and equipment, including creels and fish in possession, are subject to inspection by authorized personnel.

Please report violators to nearest ranger or to (865) 436-1294.

Disturbing and moving rocks to form channels and rock dams is illegal in the park!
Moving rocks is harmful to both fish and aquatic insects that live in the streams. Many fish species the live in the park spawn between April and August. Some of these fish build their nests in small cavities under rocks and even guard the nest. When people move the rock, the nest is destroyed and the eggs and/or young fish die.

Aquatic insects need rocks for cover as well. Some aquatic insects can drift off or move when disturbed, but many species attach themselves to the rock and cannot move. When a rock is moved, aquatic insects fall, are crushed by the movement, or dry out and die when the rock is placed out of water.

One of the fundamental policies of the National Park Service is to preserve natural resources in an unaltered state. Consequently, it is against the law to move rocks in the stream. Please abide by these rules so that future generations may enjoy the park as well.