Fishing In Gatlinburg

Whether you’re new to fishing or an experienced angler, Gatlinburg and the streams of the Great Smoky Mountains are great places to cast a line. Take your fly fishing vacation in the Smokies and get access to some of the finest trout fishing in Tennessee. Stop by one of our local outfitters for everything you need to enjoy your Gatlinburg fishing trip. From rods and reels to professional fishing guides, our local outfitters have just what you need to make the most of your visit, and our local experts can offer professional insights and tips for any skill level. Over 700 miles of streams in the park support fish. The park boasts over 50 native fish species, including the brook trout, whose fragile habitat is being wrested from the non-native rainbow and brown trout by active fisheries management. Low elevation, slower and warmer streams have the greatest aquatic diversity including four reintroduced federally threatened and endangered small fish: the Smoky Madtom, Yellowfin Madtom, Spotfin Chub, and Duskytail Darter.

Smoky Mountain Angler

Smoky Mountains #1 Outfitter and Guide Service. Come and fish with the most Experienced guides in the area with over 70 years of guiding experience. Wade and Float Trips!

Gatlinburg Fishing Requirements

The City of Gatlinburg operates a trout farm in order to stock City streams with trout year-round. The City stocks the streams every Thursday, so that is the only day there is no fishing inside the City Limits. There are some rules and regulations and different license requirements which are listed below. Permits are available at City Hall, Spur Welcome Center and online at GoOutdoorsTennessee.com or on the TWRA On The Go App.

More Fishing Info

“A bad day of fishing is still better than a good day at the office!” Author Unknown.

Non-Resident Licenses

A Social Security Number is required to purchase a Tennessee hunting or fishing license.

Ages 12 and under do not require a license
Ages 13-15 will need to purchase:
- Gatlinburg One-Day Trout Permit (Type 097) OR Combination of the following:
  - Non-resident Junior Hunt/Fish (Type 070)
  - PLUS one of these Gatlinburg permits:
    - Gatlinburg Trout-Daily (Type 099) or Gatlinburg Three-Day Trout Permit (Type 096)
Ages 16 and up will need to purchase:
- Gatlinburg One-Day Trout Permit (Type 097) OR Combination of the following:
  - Gatlinburg Trout-Daily (Type 099) OR Gatlinburg 3-Day Trout (Type 096)
  - PLUS one of these non-resident licenses:
    - 3-Day Fish All Species (Type 078)
    - 10-Day Fish All Species (Type 080)
    - Annual Fish All Species (Type 081)

NOTE: There is no exemption for non-residents over 65.

Tennessee Residency Requirements

Persons who possess a valid Tennessee driver's license.
- Tennessee state law requires drivers to obtain a Tennessee driver's license within 30 days of residency.
Out-of-state driver’s license only accepted for Military Personnel and Students meeting the criteria below:
- Military personnel on active duty in this state and dependents under age 16, who reside with them, regardless of resident status.
- Students who are enrolled in a Tennessee school, college, or university for at least six months (must present a student ID card or other proof of enrollment
Persons who do not drive or do not possess a valid driver’s license from another state, but who have lived in Tennessee for 90 consecutive days with the genuine intent of making Tennessee their permanent home, may prove residency by presenting to a TWRA license agent any two of the following documents:
- Current Tennessee voter registration card
- Current Tennessee vehicle registration or title
- Form I-94 issued by the US Citizenship & Immigration Service
- Current rental/mortgage contract or receipt including deed of sale for property or receipt for payment of Tennessee real estate taxes within last year
A Social Security Number is required to purchase a Tennessee hunting or fishing license

Resident Licenses

Ages 12 and under do not require a license
Ages 13-15 will need to purchase:
- Junior Hunt/Fish/Trap (Type 002) in Combination with one of the following:
  - Gatlinburg Trout-Daily (Type 099)
  - Gatlinburg Three-Day Trout Permit (Type 096)
  - Gatlinburg One-Day Trout Permit (Type 097)
Ages 16-64 who want to fish Gatlinburg waters will need three licenses:
- Annual Hunting and Fishing Combination (Type 001)
- Annual Trout (Type 022)
- Gatlinburg Three-Day Trout Permit (Type 096) OR Gatlinburg Trout-Daily (Type 099)

The Gatlinburg One-Day Trout Permit (Type 097) is all you need to fish Gatlinburg waters, for one day, if you do not wish to buy the annual licenses.

Ages 65 and older need one of the following:
- Annual Resident Senior Citizen Hunt/Fish/Trap (Type 164)
- Permanent Senior Citizen Hunt/Fish/Trap (Type 166)
- Annual Senior Citizen Sportsman (Type 167)

NOTE: Tennessee Residents with a Sportsman’s License (Type 004) OR a Lifetime Sportsman License do not need any other license or permit

General Regulations (apply year-round)

Fishing is allowed during daylight hours only, which is defined as one half-hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
Fishing is permitted with one hand-held rod and a single hook only.
All multiple hooks are prohibited.
No one over 12 years old is allowed to fish in any Children’s Stream.
Gatlinburg streams are closed to fishing every Thursday due to stocking.

Seasonal Regulations

Catch and Release Season: December 1 through March 31

Artificial lures or flies with single hook ONLY.
No *bait allowed.

*Bait is any living or dead organism or prepared substance designed to attract fish by taste or odor. For example, no fish, fish eggs, crayfish, grubs, worms, crickets, corn, cheese, bread, putty or paste-type products, and flavors/scents on artificial lures.

ALL fish caught must be released back into the stream.
Possession of any trout is prohibited, regardless of whether trout are stored in an ice chest, in a vehicle, or otherwise preserved.

Open Season: April 1 through November 30

The daily creel limit is five (5) trout per person for General Streams and two (2) trout per child on Children’s streams.
Possession of more than the daily creel limit is prohibited, regardless of whether trout are fresh, stored in an ice chest, in a vehicle, or otherwise preserved.
There is no size limit and any type of bait may be used.

General Streams

West Prong Little Pigeon River from National Park Boundary downstream to Gnatty Branch, except those sections set aside as Children’s Streams.
Dudley Creek from National Park Boundary downstream to West Prong Little Pigeon River, except those sections set aside as Children’s Streams.
Roaring Fork from National Park Boundary downstream to West Prong Little Pigeon River.
LeConte Creek from Painter’s Branch downstream to West Prong Little Pigeon River.

Children's Streams

Gatlinburg Trout Farm

Herbert Holt Park is the home of Gatlinburg's Trout Rearing Facility, which is Tennessee's only municipal trout farm. The facility is managed to maintain a trout fishery, specifically rainbow trout, within the city limits of Gatlinburg. Fish reared at the facility are transported, in loads ranging...