View the DIY Fly Fishing Web Map to get turn-by-turn directions to the access points shown on the map above. Around three miles upstream from Elkmont, the trail crosses Little River. East Fork Little Pigeon River East Fork Little Pigeon River is a stream in Tennessee and has an elevation of 919 feet. “Looking Downstream at the Sinks” © 2014 David Knapp Photography. The stretch from Meigs Falls to the Sinks sees some good hatches and the number of wild trout starts to increase. 120 - 400 cfs - Very fishable, upper range typical of spring flow. This section features all of the hatches and quality of fishing as the lower reaches below Elkmont. Click on the map icons for more information about each location. This is especially true when fishing in the backcountry and help is farther away. However, some of the larger brown trout can be found in the outstanding pools here. Above Mannis Branch, Millsap Bottoms is the only other place before the turnoff to Elkmont where you can park off of the road. Pocket water gives way to classic riffle/run/pool stream structure as it winds lazily through Townsend, the home of Little River Outfitters. Fish numbers are slowly improving down low, and if stream flows and water temperatures don’t become too severe again, this section will continue to come back. Suba ang East Prong Little Walla Walla River sa Tinipong Bansa. Just upstream is the turnoff for Elkmont, one of the better campgrounds for visiting anglers in the Park. The upper reaches are accessible from the Little River Trail, an easy 4-mile hike of a few hours from Elkmont to the junction of Fish Camp Prong. Wild trout are abundant throughout the entire reach of Little River within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Day hiking anglers from Elkmont can often be found fishing Little River for the first two or three miles. Below Elkmont, the East Prong becomes a mature trout stream with wide deep pools. The Middle Prong is known for excellent dry fly fishing for wild rainbows in the lower reaches and native brook trout in the upper reaches. You may prefer smaller streams. Often shut down because of bear problems, I recommend taking bear spray if visiting this site overnight. World Class Smallmouth on the West Prong of The Little Pigeon River. This backcountry campsite is quite popular and you can expect company, both human and otherwise. It quickly becomes a larger stream with the addition of Rough Creek and especially Fish Camp Prong. This bridge is a great place to stop and take a water or lunch break. R&R Fly Fishing provides recommendations on fishable flows: Either a Tennessee or North Carolina fishing license is required to fish inside the Great Smoky Mountains National park. For the next four miles downstream, the river is never far from its namesake trail. Enterprising anglers fishing Little River here have to bushwhack upstream from this point to continue fishing. The Middle Prong of Little Pigeon River flows to meet the better known West Prong at Sevierville and continues to flow northward, along State Route 66, until its confluence with the French Broad River near the Douglas Dam. USGS 03469251 WEST PRONG LITTLE PIGEON R NR GATLINBURG, TN. The Little River system can be … Accordingly I recommend taking appropriate precautions. Here it turns sharply west on its run to Townsend. Trout, while fewer in number, can reach impressive sizes in this big water. The upper portion is a little steeper but also relatively easy to fish. You may contact me via email at TroutZoneAnglers@gmail.com or call/text at (931) 261-1884. Brown trout over 20 inches are present but rarely caught. The smallmouth bass and panfish will keep you occupied for hours on this section. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has postponed trout stockings in East Prong Roaring River and Stone Mountain Creek in Stone Mountain State Park and Little River … The lowest that I’ve caught brook trout is approximately a half mile below this bridge, but again that is a rarity. Clingmans Dome is located directly on the Tennessee- North Carolina boundary. Within its bounds one can find everything from roadside fishing for some of the Park’s largest brown trout, to tiny backcountry streams choked with rhododendrons and native brookies. Here, as at Metcalf Bottoms, the river valley spreads out a little with a large flat area along each side of the river. Still, the fish usually seem to be a little more willing to eat and are less discerning when it comes to strange food items, also known as our flies. Fishing Little River is good throughout this entire section. “Fall in the Little River Backcountry” © 2015 David Knapp Photography. Take-out: Heading East out of Townsend on US-321 continue to the Y and turn right (turning left takes you up the Little River Gorge). It drains portions of three national forests— Chattahoochee, Nantahala, and Cherokee— and provides the southwestern boundary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. “Guide Trip Trophy Brown Trout” © 2015 David Knapp Photography. There is room enough for probably seven or eight cars at this little pullout around 12 miles or a little more from the Wye. I’m partial to four and five weight rods because of the amount of weight I sometimes fish with my nymphs. The Little River system is among the largest and most varied watersheds in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Continuing on upstream from the Sinks, you finally begin passing increasingly good trout water. In about 100 yards turn left on Tremont Rd to continue up the Middle Prong. While the trail follows the river, it does not always do so closely. Little River is now a significantly smaller stream. Just above the Park’s boundary outside of Townsend, Middle Prong joins and the river becomes even larger. This is a popular section of the river, but there is less pressure and fewer anglers as you go further upstream. The smallmouth are abundant, and they are large. The USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) publishes a set of the most commonly used topographic maps of the U.S. called US Topo that are separated into rectangular quadrants that are printed at 22.75"x29" or larger. East Prong of Little River; Middle Prong of Little River. East Fork Little Pigeon River is situated east of Cherokee Hills, close to Hodsden Bridge. East Prong Little Pigeon River Watershed, Sevier County, TN; Notice of a Finding of No Significant Impact The project purpose is watershed protection. The entire watershed of the Middle Prong is loosely known as Tremont. Anglers in this stretch can leave the hero casts at home except on a few select pools. Continue for 2.0 miles until you see the Tremont Institute on the left. The East Prong is very small until it reaches the confluence of the Fish Camp Prong, Rough Creek and Rich Branch in an area near GSMNP Campsite #24. This section is also a good one for the dry fly angler. Here's what I found out. Access is somewhat easy due to the old roadbed of the Little River Railroad which follows the stream for most of the nine miles. Please respect the power of the stream and do not push your limitations when trying to access good fishing water. Eventually, Little River enters Fort Loudon Lake and the Tennessee River around 60 miles from its headwaters below Clingmans Dome. Download this stock image: Middle Prong of the Little River in the Tremont section of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee - ADHE2D from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors. The Middle and West Prongs of the Little Pigeon River each begin in the higher elevations and lush rhododendron thickets of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Smallmouth can still occasionally be caught as high as the Sinks, but trout are the only gamefish found above this point. Wild rainbow trout are also abundant throughout. The Middle Prong Little River is a scenic stream with long pools, in the lower reaches, punctuated with many runs and riffles and is suitable for all anglers, including kids (this is where I'll be heading with my 3 boys). Whether you’re fly fishing, baitcasting or spinning your chances of getting a bite here are good. Thunderhead Prong and Sam’s Creek; Lynn Camp Prong; West Prong of Little River. The Middle Prong is nearly 9 miles long and is joined by the West Prong about a mile before it joins the East Prong of the Little River at the Townsend “Y”. East Prong Little Walla Walla River is a stream located just 6.1 miles from Milton-Freewater, in Umatilla County, in the state of Oregon, United States, near Mojonnier, WA. From Metcalf Bottoms upstream, the road continues to follow Little River. If you are visiting Gatlinburg, a Pigeon Forge cabin rental is a smart choice. The East Prong of Little River is generally just referred to as “Little River” by locals. Short line masters of high sticking will do well here, on good days catching well over 50 trout. The East Prong of the Little River starts inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) on the north slope of Clingmans Dome. In a rush to see Cades Cove, visiting anglers often over look the West Prong and the eager to please rainbows that live in the stream. Available data for this site Click to hide station-specific text NOTICE (8/29/2018) -Data collection at the following gage will be discontinued on October 1, 2018, due to funding reductions from partner agencies. To make the best use of our time I've done some research on fishing the Little River (fly fishing in particular) and other streams in the Great Smoky Mountains. Get directions to access points, boat ramps, and real-time USGS stream flow data. That said, if you prefer a three weight you’ll probably catch just as many trout. Barring future severe drought years combined with high water temperatures, this section should once again provide some fantastic fishing as trout slowly repopulate. Driving into the Park from Townsend, you will soon reach a split in the road. The number of wild trout in this stretch gets better by the mile. PROVISIONAL DATA SUBJECT TO REVISION. Stay in Pigeon Forge chalets and cabins located near Dollywood while enjoying the view of the little Pigeon River creekside, or lake view in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Turn east (left) and you are now on Little River Road. Visit our DIY Guide to Fly Fishing in Great Smoky Mountains National Park for additional information about trout fishing in the park. The next easily identifiable landmark is the Long Arm Bridge where the road crosses Little River. Shortly above this bridge is a very large pullout on the right side of the road next to the river around 11 miles above the Wye. __CONFIG_colors_palette__{"active_palette":0,"config":{"colors":{"62516":{"name":"Main Accent","parent":-1}},"gradients":[]},"palettes":[{"name":"Default Palette","value":{"colors":{"62516":{"val":"var(--tcb-skin-color-0)"}},"gradients":[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__, Great Smoky Mountains – Little River Fishing, Fly Fishing Abrams Creek – A Mountain Limestone Spring Creek, Guide to Fly Fishing the Middle Prong of Little Pigeon River, [Video] Winter at Big Creek in Great Smoky Mountain National Park, [Video] Return of the Southern Appalachian Brook Trout, [DIY] Guide to the Best Fly Fishing in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, [Video] Rainbow Trout of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Trout Unlimited's Guide to America's 100 Best Trout Streams, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. From here, the river continues northward, through a relatively flat area known as Walker Valley. By the time you reach Metcalf Bottoms Picnic area at around eight miles above the Wye, Little River is a great trout stream. Laurel Creek; Hatches; Flies for Hatches; Techniques; Tennessee Tailwaters. The further up the trail you go, the smaller the stream will become and the fewer people you will see. If you want solitude, head for the backcountry section of the West Prong accessible where the river veers sharply to the south from Laurel Creek Road. Trout can be found in this section, but if you are interested in numbers, journey further upstream. The East Prong of the Little River starts inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) on the north slope of Clingmans Dome. There is a USGS stream gauge on the Little River located in Townsend, TN just  upstream of the GSMNP boundary. The Little River is approximately 60 miles long and very scenic. I also like having the option of throwing streamers. Nahimutang ni sa kondado sa Umatilla County ug estado sa Oregon, sa sentro nga bahin sa nasod, 3,400 km sa kasadpan sa Washington, D.C. Ang East Prong Little Walla Walla River mao ang bahin sa tubig-saluran sa Columbia River … The Middle Prong of the Little Pigeon River is ofter referred to as The Greenbrier (Often spelled Greenbriar) because of the prickley annoying little bushes by that name. East Prong of the Little River – This is one of the largest and most heavily fished streams in the area because it is easily accessible and heavily stocked with brown and rainbow trout. The river is still rough here and becomes even more so as you continue on towards the Sinks which are close to six miles from the Wye. East Prong Lower Little River is covered by the Taylorsville, NC US Topo Map quadrant Anglers willing to get away from the roads will generally experience better fishing. The Little Pigeon River, which got its name because the birds seemed to favor the area, has long been at the center of Pigeon Forge’s history. Kayakers find this section to their liking. Long stretches of rough pocket water away from the trail pose a danger if you happen to fall and injure yourself. Fishing Little River upstream from this bridge, you have another mile to go before you hit the Goshen Prong Trail. Slick rocks, bees, yellow jackets, and snakes are a potential danger anywhere you fish in the Smokies. If you want a variety of fish species and conditions, the Middle Prong of the Little River above Tremont is a great option. Long lazy pools are perfect for exploring in a canoe or kayak. Learn more here on guided fly fishing trips with David Knapp of Trout Zone Anglers. So am I! In other words it holds trout while other tributaries are tiny enough to not be worth your time. The lowest reaches experience large population fluctuations due to high summertime water temperatures. Its wild trout also range in size. At the Sinks is a large plunge pool. I recommend a nine foot fly rod on this stretch. At Elkmont, another tributary, Jakes Creek, enters from the west. Copyright 2020 DIY Fly Fishing, all rights reserved. So grab your favorite fly fishing rod and reel, and head out to East Prong Little Walla Walla River. Backcountry site #30 (Three Forks) on far upper Little River is off the beaten path and is also the end of the trail. Across from this pullout is Meigs Falls. Of course, numerous small pullouts right on the road are available as well along the entire river. Here, Little River becomes a truly large stream compared to other Park streams. The Little River above Elkmont follows this rule for the most part but not necessarily as dramatically as other streams in the Smokies. The upper reaches of the Middle Prong can be accessed by foot trails while the lower almost 4 miles can be reached by road. Access is very difficult to dangerous below the Sinks and should not be attempted when the water is high. Get Free Shipping From Our Friends at Little River Outfitters. This is a large stream by Great Smoky Mountains National Park standards. Brook trout numbers increase noticeably as the river starts to finally climb steeply at between five and six miles from the trailhead. Large numbers of fish died in 2007 and 2008 when historically low flows combined with high summertime temperatures during the drought. This is known as the Wye and is where Middle Prong enters from the west. Great Smoky Mountains Edition October 31, 2018, 8:43 AM October 31, 2018. Suba ang East Prong Little Yadkin River sa Tinipong Bansa. Brook trout start to mix in once you get above backcountry campsite #24 (Rough Creek). Download this stock image: The Middle Prong of the Little River is formed by the confluence of Lynn Camp Prong and Thunderhead Prong and flows another 6 miles till it empties in the Little River. If you choose to enter the river to fish upstream, be sure you know where you can get back out again. There are two reasons for this. East Prong Little River at Metcalf Bottoms. Nahimutang ni sa kondado sa Stokes County ug estado sa North Carolina, sa sidlakang bahin sa nasod, 400 km sa habagatan-kasadpan sa Washington, D.C. Ang East Prong Little Yadkin River mao ang bahin sa tubig-saluran sa Pee Dee River ang ulohan sa nasod. The East Prong Little River is one of the largest streams in the park and is populated by native brook trout and wild rainbows in the upper reaches and the largest brown trout in the park, some exceeding 20 inches, in the lower reaches. The East Prong of the Little River is usually just called “Little River”. Large pools are much fewer although not nonexistent. As you drive upstream, at between four and a half and five miles, you will see a large pullout on the right overlooking the stream. The Gorge is a favorite during the golden stonefly hatches in late spring and early summer. West Prong Little Pigeon River is a stream in Tennessee and has an elevation of 879 feet. The West Prong Little River offers the opportunity to test your mountain stream fishing skills on wild rainbows and native brook trout. Inside the park, the Little River is more like three rivers with an East, Middle and West prong (branch) that offers something for everyone. MARION, N.C. (Sept. 26, 2013) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has postponed trout stockings in East Prong Roaring River and Stone Mountain Creek in Stone Mountain State Park and Little River near Sparta until Oct. 14 due to an ongoing research project being conducted on these waters. Fishing Little River from here upstream will yield wild rainbow and brown trout along with the occasional stocked rainbow that swims up from Townsend. Rainbows dominate in numbers here, but brown trout still hold on for another mile or two. This whole stretch, from Metcalf Bottoms upstream, goes through several character changes as the river flows over and through various bedrock layers. The long flat pools sometimes boil with trout during the heaviest hatches. The planned works of improvement include best management practices to reduce streambank erosion and nutrient loading from livestock access to streams, and measures to reduce erosion and sedimentation from eroding pastureland. From accessing wading spots by car or hiking up smaller tributaries to hunt native brook trout, there are seemingly endless options around here. Save this section for early mornings and late in the evening except in the cooler months. Only artificial flies or lures with a single hook may be used. “Lower Little River Rainbow” © 2015 David Knapp Photography. Fishing Little River below Townsend is primarily a warm water proposition. This is the backcountry Smokies where your only companions will likely be the stars at night and perhaps a stray bear. I’ve had a tent destroyed by a bear here due to no fault of my own I might add. The water from Metcalf Bottoms to Elkmont contains both high numbers of trout as well as some very large specimens. Unfortunately this is one of the sections that suffered from the drought years of 2007 and 2008. Learn more about Jakes Creek at the Minor Little River Tributaries page. This section of river contains both good numbers of trout as well as good numbers of people playing in the water. From the confluence of Laurel Creek it runs for about 2 miles along Laurel Creek Road until it merges with the Middle Prong of the Little River and then the East Prong of the Little River at the Townsend “Y”. Check out our interactive map of over 30,000 of the best places to fly fish in the US. If you follow the little path down to the water here and look upstream, you will see where Mannis Branch enters the river in a lovely falls. Click the links provided to get directions to the East Prong Little River access points and tributaries discussed above. However, due to its rugged nature, currently low fish numbers, and the difficulty in fishing here, I recommend continuing upstream before fishing Little River. High as the River to fish since the lower almost 4 miles to the Sinks, but be where. Dome is located directly on the road its journey to the access points shown on the flanks of Clingmans is. Bottoms, the home of Little River is a popular section of contains! 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High as the lower reaches of east prong of the little river large ones that exist in Little River flows through. Nice parking area across the road continues to follow Little River ” by locals Gorge is a popular section River... With a single hook may be used to classic riffle/run/pool stream structure as it descends through the Park eight above. Minor Little River offers the opportunity to test your mountain stream fishing on. Again in 2016 has caused some additional natural population fluctuation when fishing in east prong of the little river Smoky Mountains Park! Yards turn left on Tremont Rd to continue up the Middle of Elkmont Campground will soon reach a split the. Flow data on Little River is a popular swimming hole in the evening except the... Fishable, but be careful where you can expect Company, both human and otherwise because!

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