Good year for rainbows

[Redfish62]

I have not been fishing the smoky mountains for very many years but from experience and from what I have been told by those that know the streams of the GSMNP very well that rainbow 6” and up are not that easy to come by.
In addition last years drought had me concerned about what this seasons fishing would be like.
Well it has been a great year so far I have caught a lot of fish and many bows some nice browns and quite a few brooks. The populations of fish seem to be good this has been confirmed by conversations with rangers I have met while fishing. What I have found exceptional about this year is the size of some of the bows I have caught. This past Friday I was fortunate enough to tangle with some very nice fish on the Oconaluftee more than one bow in the 10” range. Sunday evening out with the kids on the middle prong I hooked a bow that I measured and it was 9” put up a great fight.
Has the drought been good for the fishing or is it the result of cooler streams this summer? Has the base of the food chain benefited from these conditions?

[ijsouth]

Your comments are quite interesting, for I have had a similar experience in the park this year with the 'bows. I don't target them as much as the brookies, and lately the brown trout, but I've caught a few nice rainbows this year. In the aftermath of the drought, it was predicted that the adult rainbows would be the hardest hit - no doubt that was true, but perhaps the reduction in competition allowed the remaining fish to grow faster.

[Rog 1]

ditto ijsouth....more food for less fish....and the term "less" is all relative since there are a lot of fish in the rivers that are never seen or caught