Casting Into Spring

Blackberry guests have the opportunity to head into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to enjoy the most authentic fly fishing experience with our guides. National Park wade trips are offered in four-, six- and eight-hour options, giving guests a chance to experience small wild streams in a quintessential Southern Appalachian setting. The fish in the Smokies are smaller on average 6-10", but catching trout in the beauty of the park outweighs the size of the fish by far.

We asked Fly Fishing Manager Bryan Begbie about fishing in the Spring and what he’s looking forward to as we head into a new season.

Is Spring a good time to try fly fishing?
Spring is one of the best times to fish in East Tennessee. Everyone loves the comfort of warmer temperatures; the emergence of all of our surrounding flora is gorgeous; and there is an uptick in fish activity due to an increase of hatching aquatic insects.

How does activity in the water change as the temperature warms and the season transition nears?
When water temperatures reach 50 degrees Fahrenheit for a week straight, we will see the Quill family of mayflies be the first to hatch. Quill Gordons are the largest of these mayflies, making them an angler favorite, but blue quills and red quills will hatch sporadically throughout early Spring days. Generally, we will see the Quills in early March, and then a cascade of other aquatic insects will follow. As the water continues to warm, the diversity of bugs only gets greater, bringing the fish closer to the surface. Every angler loves a good "dry fly eat!"

Will you use specific flies for the Springtime?
Our Guide team continually changes flies based on the most recent conditions and observations on the water, this is called "matching the hatch." We have different Mayflies, like the ones that I mentioned will hatch this Spring, and a variety of other caddis fly and stone fly species. The Guide team is always tying new flies to best match the forage in hopes of tricking the biggest fish or increasing catch rates. Caddis Fly hatches on the Holston River become really good from late April through early June, which makes for a great float trip.

What kinds of fish will guests be fishing for if they take a fly fishing trip into the Great Smoky Mountains?
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a completely wild fishery with rainbow, brook and brown trout, typically around 6-10 inches. At Holston and Clinch (our Tailwater float locations) we fish for rainbow and brown trout, averaging 12-14 inches. And in the French Broad and Little Pigeon waterways (our warmwater floats), we’re after smallmouth bass that average 12-16 inches.

Given that Spring brings the return of migrating birds and increased animal activity from all kinds of species, are there other animals or types of fish you enjoy spotting or pointing out to guests when you’re out fly fishing in the Spring?
I think the prettiest early Spring wildflowers are the red trillium, but the trout lily is another favorite because it coincides with some of our first bug hatches of the season. Seeing minks scurrying around the bank in search of a meal is always a treat, and generally they are easiest to spot before the foliage gets too thick.

What’s your favorite piece of advice to give first-time or inexperienced anglers?
Just get out there and try it! Fly fishing is a lot simpler than it's made out to be, and with the help of our guides you have opportunities to catch fish and learn a new skill.

Guests interested in fly fishing can take the adventure one step further with a full-day float trip. These trips can provide some of the best fishing of the year on the Holston River, from April through June.

Click here to learn more about all the fly fishing opportunities available during your Blackberry stay.