From trout tournaments to just recreational fly fishing, the Smoky Mountain trout brings many visitors to the National Park each year. However, trout fishing is not necessarily the easiest way to spend a day in the Smokies. It actually takes time and lots of patience to become good at and requires a lot of gear that can be, at times, a hassle to carry around – especially around the creeks and rivers in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park . That being said, at the Cooper Creek Trout Pond in Bryson City, NC you can catch a trout; take it home to eat, and all without having to ford a mountain stream or spend hundreds of dollars on a rod and other fishing equipment.
A little over an hour south of Sevierville, TN traveling U.S. 441, Cooper Creek Trout Farm sits on 70 acres of land in western North Carolina. Cooper Creek was originally constructed in the 1970s, and though it has gone through a handful of owners, the current ones have kept the farm open year round. So yes, you can fish even when there is snow on the ground. There’s no better way to trout fish and get a guaranteed catch then by fishing at the Cooper Creek Ponds – a place dedicated to helping you catch trout.
A number of branches and streams flow from the pond through the farm. Again, you’re guaranteed to catch a fish. The staff will even catch the fish for you if you’re having a hard time just to make sure that you take a fish home with you. Don’t worry about bringing gear either, they provide it. Rods and reels are available for you to use or you can bring your own and break them in at the farm. You don’t even have to have a license to fish here.
At Cooper Creek you keep whatever you catch. Once they’re caught, the fish don’t get thrown back in for someone else to catch, it’s yours. Cooper Creek staff will also clean the fish for you. Or they’ll show you how if you plan on trying it out for yourself. It’s a very clean operation, from the fish all the way down to the streams they live in. Just make sure that you give yourself enough time to hang out for the whole day, especially if you’re bringing a family or large group to the creek. It’s going to be a lot of fun that you don’t want to miss and won’t forget any time soon.
As previously stated, Bryson City, NC is home to the Cooper Creek Trout Pond. Right outside of town you can spend the morning riding the train and then spend the afternoon catching trout in the mountains. Fresh caught trout is one of the delicacies that the Smokies offers to its visitors. Rather than fishing somewhere that you can’t be sure to catch a fish, go to Cooper Creek. They will help you fish and make sure that all of the kids and adults get to reel in their supper.
Check out Cooper Creek’s Facebook page for the latest goings-on at the creek.