Due to a successful brook trout restoration program, for the first time in 30 years, anglers are now able to fish for brook trout in park streams. To learn more about this program I inteviewed Steve Moore. a biologist, for The Great Smoky Mountains Park.
Over the years, the stocked brown trout and the rainbow trout have forced the brook trout to seek refuge in only the higher elevations where they are subject to the rigors of acid rain. Consequently, the colorful and fiesty brook trout (called specs by the old time mountain folk) are a diminishing species.
In an effort or bring back the brook trout which can live in elevations as low as 1600 feet, they are selectively removing the browns and the rainbows from the streams and restocking the stream with brookies. It is a slow and deliberate labor of love to accomplish this task.
Photo by Don McGowan courtesy of Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Some of the streams where they have been restocked and are now open to fishing are the upper reaches of the Bradley Fork, Silers Creek, Sams Creek, Lost Bottom Creek and the LeConte above the mill. Anyone interested in true brookie fishing can fish these streams, of course abiding by the posted regulations.
There are other streams that have been restocked but are not yet open for fishing such as Bear Creek, Indian Flats Creek and Lincamp Creek. In addition there still are some other streams where they will do in the future as time permits.