TR: A week in the Smokies

[I hope the formatting comes out OK; apologies if not.]

I spent Sunday through Saturday morning in Elkmont campground in
the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I won’t bore you with a
super-long blow-by-blow of my trip to the GSMNP, but will share a few
photos and some random thoughts. The waters I fished we Bradley
Fork, the Little River up around Fish Camp Prong (and of course down
around the Elkmont trailhead and below my campsite), Sams Creek,
Tremont, Deep Creek, and the Little Pigeon above the Chimneys picnic
area.

I caught fish everywhere I went with the exception of Sams and
Tremont. The fish weren’t as big as some I caught last trip, but they
were fatter. The streams were all up pretty high, as they’ve had a
very wet spring, and it rained for several days before I got there.
It made fishing tougher, but I won’t complain.

The Little River is in better shape than it’s been in years. It is
also harder to fish, unless you are a fellow named Joel who just
happens to work for Little River Outfitters, and caught more, bigger
fish in an hours’ time fishing through the campground than I caught
all trip.

The Bradley Fork was also way up. Compare the two pictures to get
an idea of how much.
This trip: http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/bradleyforkthespot.jpg
Previous trip: http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/bradley01.jpg

A portable ice-fishing house makes for a good camping trailer (this
fellow was from Minnesota): http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/icefishing.jpg

When hiking on newly-reopened Sams Creek above Elkmont, it is
perfectly reasonable to expect to see Wayne Knight come walking up the
trail.

I need to spend more time on Sam’s Creek in the futu
http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/samscreek.jpg

The grabber-biter-eaters get bigger and more aggressive once you
enter North Carolina waters.

Deep Creek could easily become a favorite stream of mine.

It is only fitting that you should catch the first and last fish of
your trip from the exact same hole at the campsite where you are
staying.

Why do all the drivers in the park seem to want to go either 10
miles below the speed limit or 20 miles above?

It is very odd to feel like you’re in the wilderness yet hear cars
zooming past when you are fishing above the Chimneys picnic ground.
But it’s nice when you pull an 8” brookie out of the pool in this
pictu
http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/westprong.jpg

I never cease to be amazed at the sheer beauty of the mountains on
a clear morning: http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/clearmorningvista.jpg

I never cease to be amazed at the sheer beauty of the mountains on
a hazy morning: http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/hazymorningvista.jpg

I never cease to be amazed at the sheer beauty of the mountains any
time of day:
http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/smokiesview.jpg

I need to make sure and do this trip every year.


Chuck Vance

Conan The Librarian wrote:

I need to make sure and do this trip every year.


Chuck Vance


Indeed...and i'll be right here to enjoy it. Thanks Chuck.

jeff (who earnestly believes there must be triplets engaged in a ruse of
sharing the same Knight name...no way one guy gets around as much as
that...heck, while in a state of subtle inebriation, i've encountered
him in the dark on the banks of the nantahala)

On May 20, 8:59 am, Conan The Librarian wrote:
[I hope the formatting comes out OK; apologies if not.]

I spent Sunday through Saturday morning in Elkmont campground in
the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I won’t bore you with a
super-long blow-by-blow of my trip to the GSMNP, but will share a few
photos and some random thoughts. The waters I fished we Bradley
Fork, the Little River up around Fish Camp Prong (and of course down
around the Elkmont trailhead and below my campsite), Sams Creek,
Tremont, Deep Creek, and the Little Pigeon above the Chimneys picnic
area.

I caught fish everywhere I went with the exception of Sams and
Tremont. The fish weren’t as big as some I caught last trip, but they
were fatter. The streams were all up pretty high, as they’ve had a
very wet spring, and it rained for several days before I got there.
It made fishing tougher, but I won’t complain.

The Little River is in better shape than it’s been in years. It is
also harder to fish, unless you are a fellow named Joel who just
happens to work for Little River Outfitters, and caught more, bigger
fish in an hours’ time fishing through the campground than I caught
all trip.

The Bradley Fork was also way up. Compare the two pictures to get
an idea of how much.
This trip: http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/bradleyforkthespot.jpg
Previous trip:http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/bradley01.jpg

A portable ice-fishing house makes for a good camping trailer (this
fellow was from Minnesota):http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/icefishing.jpg

When hiking on newly-reopened Sams Creek above Elkmont, it is
perfectly reasonable to expect to see Wayne Knight come walking up the
trail.

I need to spend more time on Sam’s Creek in the futuhttp://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/samscreek.jpg

The grabber-biter-eaters get bigger and more aggressive once you
enter North Carolina waters.

Deep Creek could easily become a favorite stream of mine.

It is only fitting that you should catch the first and last fish of
your trip from the exact same hole at the campsite where you are
staying.

Why do all the drivers in the park seem to want to go either 10
miles below the speed limit or 20 miles above?

It is very odd to feel like you’re in the wilderness yet hear cars
zooming past when you are fishing above the Chimneys picnic ground.
But it’s nice when you pull an 8” brookie out of the pool in this
pictu
http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/westprong.jpg

I never cease to be amazed at the sheer beauty of the mountains on
a clear morning:http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/clearmorningvista.jpg

I never cease to be amazed at the sheer beauty of the mountains on
a hazy morning:http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/hazymorningvista.jpg

I never cease to be amazed at the sheer beauty of the mountains any
time of day:http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/smokiesview.jpg

I need to make sure and do this trip every year.

Chuck Vance

Thanks for sharing. The spine of time is a nice slice of country.

Conan The Librarian wrote:
I spent Sunday through Saturday morning in Elkmont campground in
the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
snip
I need to make sure and do this trip every year.

Nice TR, thanks.

I like to stay in Bryson City when I'm down there, decent
places to eat, down home greasy spoons, fast food places
to pick up a trail lunch on the way out of town in the
morning and most importantly, you can buy booze there. I
hardly ever fish in the Park, even though Deep Creek is
real pretty water you can't have your dog in the Park.
If I went fishing without the dog she'd be devastated.

--
Ken Fortenberry

On May 20, 8:23*am, jeff wrote:

Conan The Librarian wrote:

* *I need to make sure and do this trip every year.

* * * Chuck Vance

Indeed...and i'll be right here to enjoy it. *Thanks Chuck.

You're welcome, Jeff. Too bad we couldn't have gotten Wolfgang and
you to come out and hang around for a day or two. Maybe next year.

jeff (who earnestly believes there must be triplets engaged in a ruse of
sharing the same Knight name...no way one guy gets around as much as
that...heck, while in a state of subtle inebriation, i've encountered
him in the dark on the banks of the nantahala)

You should see the list of streams he fished on this trip. I
thought I got around, but he must have been hitting three per day.
And I will never forget walking down Sams and coming face-to-face with
the man: "What-the fuuu?! ... sonovabitch ... Wayne?!" :-)

I mean what are the odds?


Chuck Vance (and then I come to find out that he was on Deep
Creek on Tuesday)

On May 20, 5:59*am, Conan The Librarian wrote:
* * * Chuck Vance

Great pix. Thanx
Dave

Conan The Librarian wrote:
[I hope the formatting comes out OK; apologies if not.]
snip

Looks good to me, Chuck. Thanks for the TR!
--
TL,
Tim
-------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

Loved it. Great trip report.


* *Why do all the drivers in the park seem to want to go either 10
miles below the speed limit or 20 miles above?


The most reasonable explanation is: all the people moving at your
velocity are keeping the same distance from you. Therefore never
slowing you or moving past you. Then, the only ones you encounter are
the ones you are passing and the ones passing you.

That is my guess.

CJ

On May 20, 8:59*am, Conan The Librarian wrote:

* *I need to make sure and do this trip every year.

Looks like you had yourself a good time, boyo. Even landed you a
Knight!

Wm

On May 21, 3:03*pm, wrote:

On May 20, 8:59*am, Conan The Librarian wrote:

* *I need to make sure and do this trip every year.

Looks like you had yourself a good time, boyo. *Even landed you a
Knight!

Claspy, you old dog. Where the hell have you been? Been doing any
fishing? Read any good books? Made any one-sided curlies?


Chuck Vance (inquiring minds, etc.)