Oconaluftee Brown Trout:
This is a beautiful brown trout
that are common in this
stream. It is one of the best
brown trout stream in the park.
This is a beautiful brown trout
that are common in this
stream. It is one of the best
brown trout stream in the park.
Oconaluftee River Watershed:
| Fly Fishing the Great Smoky Mountains National Park |
Description:
The Oconaluftee River is definetly one of the better trout streams in the Great
Smoky Mountains National Park. The stream has just about the right amount of
gradient to it for the water to maintain a good flow but yet not steep enough to make
it too turbulent. It is the classic ripple, run, and pool type freestone trout stream.
Stream Size:
The portion of the stream above the confluence of the Bradley Fork is a medium
size trout stream in comparison with other Great Smoky Mountains National Park
streams. Downstream of the confluence of the Bradley Fork, the Oconaluftee is a
much larger stream. Much of this part of the stream is surrounded by open
meadows. This portion offers excellent fishing but for some reason, is rarely
fished. .
Accessibility:
Most all of the Oconaluftee, except its uppermost part, is accessible from highway
#441that crosses the park from North Carolina to Tennessee.
The Oconaluftee River is definetly one of the better trout streams in the Great
Smoky Mountains National Park. The stream has just about the right amount of
gradient to it for the water to maintain a good flow but yet not steep enough to make
it too turbulent. It is the classic ripple, run, and pool type freestone trout stream.
Stream Size:
The portion of the stream above the confluence of the Bradley Fork is a medium
size trout stream in comparison with other Great Smoky Mountains National Park
streams. Downstream of the confluence of the Bradley Fork, the Oconaluftee is a
much larger stream. Much of this part of the stream is surrounded by open
meadows. This portion offers excellent fishing but for some reason, is rarely
fished. .
Accessibility:
Most all of the Oconaluftee, except its uppermost part, is accessible from highway
#441that crosses the park from North Carolina to Tennessee.
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Popularity:
Due to its proximity to many other North Carolina trout streams it is not heavily
fished even though it is a very good stream that has excellent access for most of its
length.
Species:
This stream has a good population of brown trout as well as rainbows.
Average Fish Size:
Although most of the trout are of average size the stream does contain some very
good ones.
Difficulty:
This stream has a very good coverage of overhanging tree limbs that helps keep
the water cool during the hot summer months. This makes casting in most of it on
the difficult side but doing so can be very rewarding.
Tributary Streams:
The Oconaluftee River has two large tributary streams that flow into it before it
leaves the park.
Bradley Fork:
The tributary stream, Bradley Fork, is a fine trout stream that offers several miles of
fishing. It is easily accessed near its confluence with the Oconaluftee River at the
Smokemont campground. The Bradley Fork is about as large as the Oconaluftee at
this point. It becomes smaller upstream of the campground but is still a good size
stream. It has an excellent population of both brown and rainbow trout with brook
trout in its upper waters.
The Bradley Fork has a relatively good sized tributary stream, Chasteen Creek.
Chasteen Creek:
This stream enters the Bradley Fork just over a mile upstream of the campground.
It is followed fairly closely by the Chasteen Creek Trail. A couple of miles upstream
is backcountry campsite #48. Chasteen Creek usually has a good population of
rainbow trout.
Taywa Creek:
Upstream of Chasteen Creek is Taywa Creek, another small tributary stream that
usually has a good population of rainbow trout in its lower portion and brook trout
in its headwaters. Chasteen Creek Trail follows this stream making access fairly
easy in most places.
Chasm Prong:
Chasm Prong, along with the Gulf Prong, forms the Bradley Fork. It is a small brook
trout stream with no formal trail that follows it.
Gulf Prong:
Gulf Prong, along with Chasm Prong, forms the Bradley Fork. It is a small brook
trout stream and like Chasm Prong, it has no trail that follows it, so the stream
must be fished from the streambed in a upstream direction.
Collins Creek:
Collins Creek enters the Oconaluftee River across the #441 highway from the
Collins Picnic Area. It is accessible from the picnic area. The stream has mostly
rainbow trout with a few browns.
Kephart Prong:
Rainbow trout make up the fish population in this small stream. The Kephart Prong
trail off highway #441offers access to this stream. It is a tributary of the Oconaluftee
River that together with Beech Flats Prong, forms the river.
Beech Flats Prong:
About 3 miles of Beech Flats Prong is accessible from highway #441but the
stream is tough to get too. It is a tributary of the Oconaluftee River that together with
Kephart Prong, forms the river. The stream has rainbows and a few brown trout
with brook trout in its headwaters.
Kanati Branch:
Kanati Branch is a small brook trout tributary of Beech Flats Prong. It is also
accessible from highway #441near the Kephart Prong trail.
Comments:
Easy access, few anglers, excellent aquatic insect life (for a small mountain
freestone stream) and both rainbow and brown trout makes this a very good choice.
This is one of the best streams in the park.
Copyright 2007 James Marsh
Due to its proximity to many other North Carolina trout streams it is not heavily
fished even though it is a very good stream that has excellent access for most of its
length.
Species:
This stream has a good population of brown trout as well as rainbows.
Average Fish Size:
Although most of the trout are of average size the stream does contain some very
good ones.
Difficulty:
This stream has a very good coverage of overhanging tree limbs that helps keep
the water cool during the hot summer months. This makes casting in most of it on
the difficult side but doing so can be very rewarding.
Tributary Streams:
The Oconaluftee River has two large tributary streams that flow into it before it
leaves the park.
Bradley Fork:
The tributary stream, Bradley Fork, is a fine trout stream that offers several miles of
fishing. It is easily accessed near its confluence with the Oconaluftee River at the
Smokemont campground. The Bradley Fork is about as large as the Oconaluftee at
this point. It becomes smaller upstream of the campground but is still a good size
stream. It has an excellent population of both brown and rainbow trout with brook
trout in its upper waters.
The Bradley Fork has a relatively good sized tributary stream, Chasteen Creek.
Chasteen Creek:
This stream enters the Bradley Fork just over a mile upstream of the campground.
It is followed fairly closely by the Chasteen Creek Trail. A couple of miles upstream
is backcountry campsite #48. Chasteen Creek usually has a good population of
rainbow trout.
Taywa Creek:
Upstream of Chasteen Creek is Taywa Creek, another small tributary stream that
usually has a good population of rainbow trout in its lower portion and brook trout
in its headwaters. Chasteen Creek Trail follows this stream making access fairly
easy in most places.
Chasm Prong:
Chasm Prong, along with the Gulf Prong, forms the Bradley Fork. It is a small brook
trout stream with no formal trail that follows it.
Gulf Prong:
Gulf Prong, along with Chasm Prong, forms the Bradley Fork. It is a small brook
trout stream and like Chasm Prong, it has no trail that follows it, so the stream
must be fished from the streambed in a upstream direction.
Collins Creek:
Collins Creek enters the Oconaluftee River across the #441 highway from the
Collins Picnic Area. It is accessible from the picnic area. The stream has mostly
rainbow trout with a few browns.
Kephart Prong:
Rainbow trout make up the fish population in this small stream. The Kephart Prong
trail off highway #441offers access to this stream. It is a tributary of the Oconaluftee
River that together with Beech Flats Prong, forms the river.
Beech Flats Prong:
About 3 miles of Beech Flats Prong is accessible from highway #441but the
stream is tough to get too. It is a tributary of the Oconaluftee River that together with
Kephart Prong, forms the river. The stream has rainbows and a few brown trout
with brook trout in its headwaters.
Kanati Branch:
Kanati Branch is a small brook trout tributary of Beech Flats Prong. It is also
accessible from highway #441near the Kephart Prong trail.
Comments:
Easy access, few anglers, excellent aquatic insect life (for a small mountain
freestone stream) and both rainbow and brown trout makes this a very good choice.
This is one of the best streams in the park.
Copyright 2007 James Marsh
The Oconaluftee River is
definitely one of the best trout
streams in the park.
definitely one of the best trout
streams in the park.
This is the Bradley Fork, a rather
large tributary stream that usually
has an excellent population of
brown and rainbow trout.
large tributary stream that usually
has an excellent population of
brown and rainbow trout.
Most of the streambed consist of
thousands of rocks on a
moderate slope.
thousands of rocks on a
moderate slope.
It provides the perfect habitat
for the brown trout and has a
very good population.
for the brown trout and has a
very good population.
The Oconaluftee River is one
of the most beautiful streams
in the park.
of the most beautiful streams
in the park.
Site Map (Click on Links)
Abrams Creek Fishing Methods Marine Food Species
Anthony Creek Forney Creek Mayflies Spring
Big Creek Freestone Streams Midges Stoneflies
Beginners Recommended Gear Misc N.C. Streams Straight Creek
Caddisflies Hatches Misc Tenn. Streams Streams
Casting Hazel Creek Middle Prong Little Pigeon River Summer Season
Cataloochee Creek Headwater Stream Middle Prong Little River Terrestrials
Cosby Creek Caddisfly Imitations Noland Creek Twenty Mile Creek
Deep Creek Mayfly Imitations Oconaluftee River Wild Trout
Midge Imitations Other Aquatic Insects Winter Season
Eagel Creek Home PH West Prong Little Pigeon River
East Prong Little River Stonefly Imitations Presentation West Prong Little River
Fall Season Streamers Raven Fork Spring Hatch Chart
About Us Terrestrial Imitations Reading Hatch Charts Summer Hatch Chart
Recommended Flies Links Seasons Winter Hatch Chart
Fall Hatch Chart
Abrams Creek Fishing Methods Marine Food Species
Anthony Creek Forney Creek Mayflies Spring
Big Creek Freestone Streams Midges Stoneflies
Beginners Recommended Gear Misc N.C. Streams Straight Creek
Caddisflies Hatches Misc Tenn. Streams Streams
Casting Hazel Creek Middle Prong Little Pigeon River Summer Season
Cataloochee Creek Headwater Stream Middle Prong Little River Terrestrials
Cosby Creek Caddisfly Imitations Noland Creek Twenty Mile Creek
Deep Creek Mayfly Imitations Oconaluftee River Wild Trout
Midge Imitations Other Aquatic Insects Winter Season
Eagel Creek Home PH West Prong Little Pigeon River
East Prong Little River Stonefly Imitations Presentation West Prong Little River
Fall Season Streamers Raven Fork Spring Hatch Chart
About Us Terrestrial Imitations Reading Hatch Charts Summer Hatch Chart
Recommended Flies Links Seasons Winter Hatch Chart
Fall Hatch Chart
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