By Ronnie Parris
Tuckaseegee River has always been the source of some of the biggest brown and rainbow trout taken in the Smokies. As a kid, I remember looking on the wall at the Cullowee Trading Post at monster browns that had been taken from the Tuck. The owner would tell tales of how he would fish the deepest hard-to-reach pools and how he would use live knotty heads and silver sides as bait to catch these big trout that were too smart to hit the small offerings and wanted to get a meal in one bite.
As a kid, I would have dreams of hooking up to one of these giant trout the fight that would ensue. Over the years, fishing in the Tuck has changed and, contrary to most things I think, for the better. A few years ago, the Chamber of Commerce worked with the state fisheries to designate sections of the Tuck as Delayed Harvest; which simply means that, from October thru the winter months, you can fish with only artificial lures with a single hook. The state also stocks DH Waters several different times with rainbow, brown, and brook trout. All fish during this time must be released. In June, the restrictions are lifted and anglers can use live bait, treble hooks, and may posses 7 fish per person.
Although the tuck is accessible by wading from the shoreline, some of the stocked, wild brown, and rainbow will seek out the more secluded, deep and hard to reach pools. That’s where the drift boat comes in; whether you prefer a fiberglass boat, rubber raft, catraft, a canoe or float tube, this will allow you to cover 50 times the water and also help you get to where the big boys live. Techniques are so numerous that there’s no way to list them all in one article. My clients are about a 50% split between fly anglers and spin anglers. I’ve had more big fish taken while spin fishing simply because you can cast so much farther from the boat and not spook fish by getting too close. But that’s by no means saying they aren’t caught on fly fishing tackle because we catch some brutes on flies every year. Fishing the tuck with a fly, I usually only fish nymphs and underwater offerings. I have caught a few trout in the Tuck on dries, but I don’t see a good surface feed most days. Anglers that want to test their abilities with a fly rod should try the Tuck at least once in their lifetime.
There are some truly amazing fish both wild and hatchery reared fish. Anyone wanting to try his luck with one of these giant fish can give me a call at 828-488-9711 and I would be happy to help you out. Be safe on the water and, as always, take a kid fishing.
Ronnie Parris is owner and head guide of Smoky Mountain Outdoors Unlimited-Fontana Lake Fishing Guides, headquartered in Bryson City, N.C., heart of the Great Smoky Mountains (www.smounlimited.com; (828) 488-9711).