I'm in Los Alamos, so it's only a ~30 minute drive to get to a few streams like this one. They get pretty good pressure though considering their small size. Mostly browns, but they do stock every once and a while with triploid rainbows. Supposedly you can happen across a cutt if you're in the right spot, but I haven't found them yet. I just got into fly fishing last summer and haven't had a chance to get out to waters in the eastern mountains. Definitely want to though. There are some good brook trout streams northeast of where I am too that I want to check out.
I have 4 vacation rental cabins that are on trout streams in the smokies. I recommend a week of Smokies fly fishing. It’s quite different than out west - both are awesome though! What’s interesting about the Smokies is that all of the fish are wild - they haven’t stocked the streams in many decades. So they don’t act like stockers. They aren’t apt to bite a piece of corn, because they don’t know what corn is! Wild trout are MUCH harder to catch. They are skittish and wary of natural predators. You have to be stealthy and make a good presentation or no dice. The fish are unforgiving of clumsiness. But the Brookies will go after a well presented dry most of the time. You’ll just get one chance though - if you miss you’re onto the next run.
This website gives you a GREAT primer: www.randrflyfishing.com
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