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The rivers surrounding Cherokee, North Carolina, offer one of the last wild trout habitats in the eastern United States. Literally, millions of Americans visit the vast natural fishing haven in the Smokies every year, but the number of them that actually fish is, thankfully for fishermen, only in the thousands, instead of millions, allowing for a tranquil and un-crowded fishing experience for the true fishing enthusiast. A visit to Cherokee can be complemented with some awesome fishing excursions after one has soaked up the cultural fascinations available in the town of Cherokee. Most of these line-happy anglers unfortunately lack the appropriate information as to where to find the fish and are often confused or overwhelmed by the seemingly infinite number of streams in the area. Below, you will find some of the best locations for Cherokee fly-fishing; only a stone's throw away from the town itself. It is important as you embark on your WNC trout fishing journey that you know the best places to wade into the tumbling mountain rivers and cast your line.

Key Spots for the Best Trout Near Cherokee

Hazel Creek is said to be the best close location for Cherokee trout fishing. If you are ready to drive out of town and into the mountains, Hazel Creek is the best bet of finding multitudes of fish. This river has all the needed qualifications to rightfully claim being the finest spots for trout fishing near Cherokee, NC. Be sure to check out this awesome fly-fisher’s paradise. The abundant insect life in this beautiful river is one of the secrets of this stream's superior fishing capacity. Caddis flies dominate the waters, although you will find that plentiful hatches of Stenonema Mayflies attract the trout during the summer. These insects promise the best Cherokee fly-fishing. The lower section of this river is filled with rainbow and brown trout, and readily lures large terrestrial insects such as the grasshopper and jassid. Here, the winding river rushes past crumbling farms and kudzu-smothered antique trucks, forming fecund pools that teem with trout. Cherokee fly-fishing in this river is simply the most rewarding spot to visit if catching a lot of fish is what you have in mind.

Cherokee Fly-Fishing Closer to Town

Though some say Hazel Creek is the crown jewel of Appalachian fly-fishing, there are many other rivers and streams near the town of Cherokee that will beckon the Cherokee fly-fishing enthusiast. Walker Camp Prong is a lovely stream for Cherokee, North Carolina fly-fishing. It closely follows the highway between Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Cherokee and is just upstream of the popular Chimneys trailhead. Many rainbow trout await the hooks of the smart fly-fisher who takes a side trip to or from Cherokee to experience some of the most exciting North Carolina trout fishing to be found.

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