Oconaluftee River Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Oconaluftee River located on the far eastern portion of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the better and more easily accessible streams in the park. The stream is formed by the confluence of Beech Flats Prong and Kephart Prong. It has several tributary streams including the largest one which is the Bradley Fork. The confluence of the Oconaluftee River and the Bradley Fork is at the Smokemont Campground in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Both of these streams have a good population of browns and rainbows in the lower reaches and a few brook trout in the upper reaches.

 

Most of the Oconaluftee River within the GSMNP is cloaked with trees which make it necessary for the angler to use care as well as creativity when casting, but it also provides shade to cool the water. In the lower portion below the confluence of Bradley Fork, the stream flows through meadows where a herd of elk can often be seen grazing. This portion has a mild gradient with soft flowing water. It should be pointed out that this area gets far less fishing pressure.

 

Above the confluence of the Oconaluftee River and the Bradley Fork, the river is smaller the gradient is a little steeper with a good flow of water in the runs, riffles and pools. Large boulders are present which are sometimes hard to get around but they form some deep interesting pools which are favored by the brown trout. Indeed, the habitat is ideal for brown trout with tree cover, roots, fallen branches, etc.

 

Fishing the Oconaluftee River:

The Oconaluftee has some of the best aquatic insect populations in the Smoky Mountain National Park and so as you might expect, if offers some excellent hatches. However, these trout have seen many imitation flies, and they are smart due to the fishing pressure caused by the easy accessibility, so it will be necessary to use Perfect Flies. In the meadow section, long roll casts can be employed, but in the steeper areas, shorter casts or “slingshotting” may be necessary. Also, it may be necessary to use the “high Stickin” or Czech method of casting the nymphs. Streamers and nymphs will work well for the large brown in this area.

 

Late Winter and Spring:

The first insects to hatch in January are the little Winter Stoneflies with the hatch continuing through March, This is followed by the Little Brown Stoneflies that will start hatching around the first of March and continue until the end of April. The Blue Winged Olives will start in mid to late February and in the higher elevations like the Beech Flats Prong Quill Gordons will hatch lasting until April.

 

Summer:

In the summer, the water will remain cool due to the overhanging tree cover. Starting in May, you will see the Pale Evening Duns, Giant Black Stoneflies, and the Little Yellow Stoneflies, called Yellow Sallies which is one of the Smokies best hatches. To imitate the Yellow Sallies, the fly known locally as the Yellowhammer, named after the bird, will work well. By August you will find some Cream Cahills and Mahogany Duns start to appear. Of course the summer is a good time to use the terrestrials on the lower reaches where there are meadows.

 

Fall and Early Winter:

Fall will provide the best time to fish the hoppers and other terrestrials such as beetles, ants and inchworms. The Great Autumn Brown Sedges, start hatching at night by the first of October and last into the first of December. Midges, Craneflies and Blue Winged Olives will be the most effective patterns through the winter. Also, the lower elevations will occasionally see the bigger browns succumb to the streamers when fished along the bottom and near the banks.

 

Oconaluftee Pictures