Anglers Lured to Townsend for Fly-fishing

Monday March 01, 2004

"...In a world where most men seem to spend their lives doing things they hate, my fishing is at once an endless source of delight and an act of small rebellion; because trout do not lie or cheat and cannot be bribed or impressed by power." Robert Traver a federal judge Trout Magic TOWNSEND, Tenn. -- For Edward Dye, fly-fishing is more than a here-today-gone-tomorrow trend. The sport is one Dye picked up as a teen and has traveled across the country to enjoy. It is also a passion that finally led him and his wife away from their life in the big city to a small, peaceful town at the entrance of the Great Smoky Mountains, where finding a place to drop a line is as easy as walking out your own backdoor. Dye, who grew up in Memphis and had spent 21 years of his life building a successful dental practice in an upscale part of the city, now spends most of his early mornings and afternoons fly-fishing in the Townsend community he calls home. "ThereÕs a certain mystic that goes along with fly-fishing," Dye said. "Here in Townsend, you have a setting straight out of a trout fishermanÕs dreams. You can travel for 17 miles down the east prong of the Little River, fishing from hole to hole, or choose to hike deep into the mountains and literally get away from everything." Townsend has two good fishing rivers: the Little River and Abrams Creek. There are a total of 700 miles of fishable trout streams in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Anglers can expect to catch three wild trout in this area - the Rainbow, Brown and Brook. The Rainbow trout was imported to this area from the West Coast and the Brown from Germany, both in the 1920s. Brook trout is native to this area. While there is some stocking of the streams outside the park, stocking has not been allowed in the park since the early 1970s. To maintain the supply of fish in this and other streams, many fly fisherman are voluntarily throwing their fish back into the waters after a catch. "About 50 percent of all anglers are catch-and-release fisherman, said Byron Begley, a partner in the Little River Outfitters, a full service fly-fishing shop in Townsend. "I expect that number will increase as time goes on and more people become aware of the conservation issues with trout." Trout are gradually losing their habitat due to population and other agricultural concerns, Begley said. The popularity of fly-fishing is growing in America and in Tennessee. Tennessee membership in Trout Unlimited, a national organization made up almost exclusively of fly fisherman, has nearly doubled since 1992. Nationwide, enrollment has increased by 29 percent. Fly-fishing has become a year-round sport among anglers. "You can go out when itÕs 10 or 11 degrees and still catch a trout," Begley said. "And the mountains are absolutely gorgeous in the winter." Probably the thing anglers like best about this area is its restfulness. You wonÕt find the traffic and combustion you find in other nearby cities. "My wife and kids love to make a day out of it. We go out fishing, have lunch by the stream, then put up a hammock and take a noonday snooze. After that, weÕre back out fishing," Dye said. "And the beauty of the area is magnificent. There are so many places you can go where you have the stream absolutely to yourself," Dye said. "I have so many award-winning photos captured in my mind. IÕve seen bear, turkeys. I had a buck walk right down to me and look me right in the eye. Those are all moments you never forget." To fish in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, anglers need a Tennessee or North Carolina fishing license. To fish outside the park in Tennessee, fishermen need a Tennessee license and a trout stamp. For more information on fly-fishing in Townsend, please call the Smoky Mountain Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-525-6834 or 865-448-6134.

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