Good Day on Walker Camp

[Carlito]

Hi, all. I'm new to the message board, but a long time GSMNP angler (although not by old-timer standards!). Anyway, I thought I'd share that I had an excellent afternoon session on Walker Camp Prong yesterday. I fished Trout Branch a bit just to check it out but didn't have any luck. In spite of all the people that were out yesterday, I still managed to do really well on Walker Camp fishing a grasshopper w/ a green weenie dropper. I also caught several on a woolly booger I had tied. I was just having a little fun trying to fish one of my first self-tied flies, and I was surprised at how aggressively the trout went after my streamer. I caught 10 bows and a brookie in about 2 hours of fishing.

That's all! I left my camera sitting by the door, but next time I'll post some pix.

Jah!

[GrouseMan77]

Carlito,

I hate to hear that the exploration of Trout Branch was unsuccessful. I would have loved to scout it out with you but the chores were too many. With dove season approaching I needed to do a little field work.

[Carlito]

Dude, it looked like it was going to be money. There are a series of really steep runs and small but fairly deep pools that are bound to hold trout. I only went about .25 mi up the creek though. I sure didn't want to end up with a broken leg up that creek by myself! It was really tight fishing too. It is probably only 10 ft wide at in the biggest sections.

[Hugh Hartsell]

Carlito,
I may be wrong about this, but I looked at Trout Branch a few times last year at the height of the drought and it looked like where it comes across the ledge at the road that it had gone completely dry. There may have been some running water farther back out of sight that I could not see. I would be interested to know if it still holds fish.
Hugh

[Carlito]

Hugh,

Thanks for your insight. It was flowing good the other day. I fished the head waters of Deep Creek yesterday, and it was flowing about the same as Trout Branch was last week. Those pools that I did fish looked great, but I didn't get a single nibble or make any visual contact. I'd wager that you are right about it drying up... it's a shame to think it may no longer hold trout, but I'm sure they'll get back up in there if it keeps flowing. When I hiked up it, I thought for sure I was going to get into some brookies.

[Hugh Hartsell]

I sure hope that there are some fish that survived, but if they did not we both know that there are brookies close enough by that could be helped to find their way to an all new brookie stream.
Hugh

[Stonefly]

Originally Posted by Hugh Hartsell

brookies close enough by that could be helped to find their way to an all new brookie stream.
Hugh

Just curious about the legality of helping ...

sb

[Stonefly]

I'm heading over tomorrow morning, and after dropping off some stuff for my son in Knoxville, I guess I'm headed to WPLP or maybe on up to Walker Camp.

I think I remember fishing there years ago, but don't really recall whether there's access other that just the pull-offs, would appreciate any input. Maybe near the Alum Cave trail?

I'm going it alone so I prefer not to break a leg and be stuck in there.

If anyone sees a black Silverado with Tennessee TU plate, stop and say hi.

sb

[Jim Casada]

Stonefly--There's access aplenty all the way from the Sugarlands Visitor Center to way up where Walker Camp Prong leaves Hwy. 441. Most any of the pull-offs will work, although you need to be aware of the fact that there are two sections of the West Prong (the one where the road climbs high above the stream on the right as you go towards Newfound Gap and then again above the Chimneys Picnic area) where you've got a heckuva climb to get from the stream up to the road. There are a couple of dry or near dry feeder areas where you can pretty well avoid vegetation as you climb out, and another option is to backtrack downstream. On the other hand, there is plenty of fishing almost at roadside, particularly above where Road Prong and Walker Camp Prong join to form the West Prong of the Little Pigeon. Tight lines. Jim Casada

[Carlito]

Originally Posted by Stonefly

I'm heading over tomorrow morning, and after dropping off some stuff for my son in Knoxville, I guess I'm headed to WPLP or maybe on up to Walker Camp.

I think I remember fishing there years ago, but don't really recall whether there's access other that just the pull-offs, would appreciate any input. Maybe near the Alum Cave trail?

I'm going it alone so I prefer not to break a leg and be stuck in there.

If anyone sees a black Silverado with Tennessee TU plate, stop and say hi.

sb

Stonefly,

As Jim said, you will find plenty of good pullouts all along the road. My girlfriend hates it when I fish alone, and she's always glad to hear that I plan to hit Fish Camp because it is about the easiest brookie water to get to in the park.

I would recommend hitting any of the pullouts after you pass the big loop in the road above the Chimney Tops Trailhead (not the picnic area but above the trailhead). You could even park at Alum Cave Trailhead and walk up the road a little piece before hitting the river. It's all good through there. Let us know how it goes!