While most of the streams in Great Smoky Mountains National Park are too small for fishing, about 20 percent of the 2,900 miles of waterways do support fish populations. Standard state fishing licenses are required, either from North Carolina or Tennessee (depending on in which state you are fishing). You do not need any type of license from the National Park Service.
I am not a fisherman and therefore cannot give you any advice on where to go. In the two weeks I spent in the park, I don’t recall seeing anyone fishing, so the best spots most likely aren’t right out in the open. For information on fishing in the park, visit the National Park Service’s Fishing web page for Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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Last updated on March 15, 2020