Jim Casada grew up in Bryson City, North Carolina within walking distance of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He has spent over a half century roaming around these mountains with a fly rod in his hand. Jim has a deep interest in the Park’s human history and that is one of the many things that make this book unique. As Nick Lyons says “It is really several books”.

Separate chapters cover every major watershed in the Park, the rich fabric of the region’s past is unveiled in a fashion only possible when the author is a trained historian, and in these pages you meet dozens of endearing characters and enduring traditions. For those seeking helpful “where to go” and “how to catch trout in the Park,” this work, which far transcends any existing boon on the subject will become an angling bible.
It includes chapters on each of the year’ four seasons and what they bring to the Smokies angler, extensive coverage of equipment, an expert’s thoughts on effective tactics and techniques, treatment of safety considerations, a remarkably detailed bibliography, seven appendices covering everything from seasonal climate conditions to graphs of stream slopes and stream waypoints of note, and even a peek into what the future like holds for the park.
The Park is a paradise for wild trout, and its streams offer the finest fishing for them, in hundreds of miles of water, anywhere east of the Rockies. This book, truly an “insiders guide,” is as informative as it is interesting, and the author enlivens it even more by bringing a wealth of personal experience to its pages.

"As the title suggests, native son of the Smokies Jim Casada has poured his heart into this stream guide. And it shows. A detailed how-to book like this can only come from someone who has 'been there, done that' and knows how to put these experiences on paper. If your passion is trout of the Southern highlands, this book will prove as indispensable as a favorite rod and wading boots." Sam Venable, book author and columnist, Knoxville News Sentinel