The Fish
The hatchery produces more than 1 million fish annually and stocksaccessible streams daily. If you’ve not caught your limit, ask hatcherymanagement for areas where the big ones are biting.
Brook Trout
The brook trout is a familiar jewel, the only native game fishin these mountain waters, ranges between 6-8”, full grown.It has brilliant red spots in circles of contrasting colors, light redfins with white edges. The “brookie” is born wild here and is highlyspirited. Less competitive for habitat, they’re found mostlyin smaller, narrow streams where water runs cold and crisp,but flooding conditions push them downstream.
Brown Trout
Browns, stocked by the tribal hatchery, are brown to olive in color with green, orange even red spots encircled in yellow or white. Reclusive, they hug fallen trees or boulders in large pools and can be found under shaded banks. Their main diet is flies and smaller fish but they’ve been known to break the surface for a small bird now and then. Large Browns reach 18-26” and as much as 6-16 lbs.
Golden Trout
An unmistakably bright flashing fish, the stocked golden trout species was recentlyintroduced for enjoyment and variety. Originally spawned in 1954, after several breeding generations, the golden trout has unique value as a trophy fish. Expect the golden to behave and size like the large browns & rainbows.
Rainbow Trout
The most populous stocked fish in these waters, rainbows display a wide lateral pink to red strip on its side, is dark olive on its back, light colored at the belly and speckled overall. Lively, the rainbow will be found in riffles and swift runs as well as open waters. Stocked brood fish successfully spawn large numbers of wild rainbows.
Donaldson Trout
Developed for fast growth and fight on the line, this trout is popular amongexperienced fishers for the challenge. Early stocking success has encouraged thehatchery to continue to introduce this “super trout.” The Donaldson is a dark steelcolored fish without the spots and side markings of other trout. Expect to be hearing plenty of stories about the fight, the size and, of course, the one that got away.
The Sicklefin Redhorse
Biologists and tribal hatchery managers are working to reestablish the sicklefinredhorse, once a staple food source for the Cherokee people.The project is being financed through funding from the Cherokee Preservation Foundation. An unusual fish, the sicklefin redhorse has a curved dorsalfin and a bright red tail. This rare fish exists almost entirelyin Western North Carolina waters. Undiscovered by biologistsbefore 1992, it was first documented for science by Dr. RobertJenkins, professor of biology at Virginia’s Roanoke College.A traditional Cherokee food staple used throughout the winter months,the sicklefin redhorse was harvested with the help of underwater wallsor weirs, which were constructed to corral the fish into large baskets.A non-game fish, the reestablished sicklefin redhorse will providean important biodiversity of fish species and complement the severalspecies of game trout and other wildlife in tribal streams.
Stream Temperatures
Shaded, cool mountain streams are the best habitat for trout.The naturally cool and nutrient-rich waters of the Great SmokyMountains Park are the sole source of the Cherokee Enterprise Waters.Studies show that trout flourish where water temperaturespromote hatch organisms and remain sufficiently cool.The optimal temperature for brook trout is 66º, within the range of 40º-75º.
Click Here For Water Temperature Chart