Although bream are a traditional best bet for kids' fishing, young anglers will find nothing at all wrong with catching nice catfish in the Tennessee River. Photo by Richard Simms.

Vacation preferences are sort of like Jack Sprat and his wife, with the fat being fishing plans and the lean being other forms of exploration and relaxation on the same vacation. And like the nursery rhyme couple, families who are making summer plans can assemble a "platter" that serves up both kinds of opportunities and have a grand time licking the whole thing clean.

Knowing that various family members will have different ideas about what makes a great vacation, we've sought destinations that blend fishing and non-fishing opportunities. Understanding also that different families like different forms of play, we've made selections that vary dramatically in character. From fish species to the types of waters to the types of other opportunities for family play, these four spots offer a little bit of everything. We also sought to spread the picks through all parts of Tennessee, knowing that with economic times being what they are, many families might prefer to stay close to home this summer. So, here are our best fishing vacation picks, beginning in the east and traveling west.

GATLINBURG
Gatlinburg visitors need not venture far to find fishing action because the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River, which runs right through town, is stocked weekly with trout, as are a couple major tributaries, which also wind through town. Another aspect of the fishery here that makes Gatlinburg especially conducive for family fishing outings, portions of three streams are open for fishing only to children 12 and under.

Gatlinburg's streams get stocked on Thursdays, so no fishing is permitted that day. But that means the waters are freshly loaded at the beginning of every weekend. A special permit is required in addition to a Tennessee license for anglers 13 years old and older. No license or permit is required for anglers less than 13 years old.

The in-town trout waters, always stocked and exceedingly handy, provide the quickest access to fishing action for families who want to wet a line during their vacation, but they are only one small portion of the angling opportunities that await folks who opt to vacation in Gatlinburg. Lying at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains and immediately adjacent to the national park, Gatlinburg is a gateway to literally hundreds of miles of pristine wild trout waters. In addition, the same stream that serves up in-town trout in Gatlinburg offers some of Tennessee's best wade-fishing for summer smallmouths just downstream of town.

Trout fishing in the national park is strictly for wild fish, as no trout have been stocked in these waters for more than 30 years. The streams run clear and cold down both sides of the mountains, and either a Tennessee or North Carolina license (no trout stamp required) allows anglers to fish anywhere in the park. Only single-hook artificial lures may be used. A five-fish combined limit applies to rainbow, brown and brook trout and smallmouth bass with a 7-inch minimum size for all four species.

Trout are clearly the main attraction in the park, but there are also smallmouths and rock bass in the lower ends of a few larger rivers. A couple of streams run roadside and are easily accessible. Most can be reached only by walking, and some are several miles up trails. Success in park waters requires stealth, and accessing many stream sections involves substantial effort. The reward is beautiful wild fish in a spectacular setting, and, more often than not, minimal competition from other anglers.