Photo by Ron Sinfelt

The term "trout water" brings different images to different anglers' minds, and in Tennessee those images can be widely varied. From the sparkling creeks that tumble between boulders and rhododendron tangles high in the Appalachian Mountains to the broad, flat waters of Middle Tennessee tailwaters, the Volunteer State offers tremendous diversity and an abundance of opportunities for trout fishermen.

More than 600 miles of mountain streams, all in the eastern part of the state, support wild trout populations. Rainbows are the most abundant wild trout, but the lower ends of many wild trout streams support strong populations of brown trout, and 150 different headwater creeks are home to native brook trout.

In addition, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency stocks 75 streams in all parts of Tennessee with more than 325,000 catchable-sized trout each year, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and TWRA together stock more than one million trout annually into the tailwaters of 11 different hydroelectric dams. The tailwaters, which are generally larger and much more productive than other trout waters, are located in Middle and East Tennessee.

Finally, several Tennessee reservoirs support very good trout fishing, and trout tend to grow large in reservoirs. Anglers commonly troll spoons or fish at night with natural offerings for reservoir trout, creating very different types of experiences from anything available from trout streams. Adding even greater variety, lake trout are part of the stocking mix in a couple of reservoirs.

Because of the sheer abundance of quality opportunities in Tennessee, picking top spots for fishermen is a tough proposition. Areas selected below by no means constitute a comprehensive look at Tennessee's top-quality trout fisheries. However, they do offer a sampling of Tennessee's widely varied offerings, and each promises outstanding fishing in the year ahead.

CLINCH RIVER
The waters that produced Tennessee's biggest brown trout ever more than 15 years ago remain some of the best trout waters in the state. In fact, because of major dam/tailwater improvements done by Tennessee Valley Authority and enhanced management plans by TWRA, the Norris Lake tailwater is a notably better fishery today than it was when Greg Ensor landed his 28-pound, 12-ounce giant in 1988.

As part of a broad-based management plan (which runs through 2006) for the Clinch, the TWRA now stocks more than 400,000 trout per year in the river, which is nearly twice the number that were stocked through 2001. The majority of the fish are fingerling rainbows and browns, which grow up in the river to look and act like wild trout. The stockings include 37,000 catchable-sized trout, which are stocked periodically throughout the year.

"Rainbow trout dominate the fishery, but the browns are still there. They grow to large sizes and definitely attract the attention of a contingency of anglers," said Bart Carter, Region IV stream biologist for the TWRA. "When we sample the river, we pretty routinely bring up 9- to 11-pound brown trout."

Last fall, Carter weighed an 18-pound brown trout that a bass fisherman had caught from the far lower end of the tailwater.

The Clinch is a big river, averaging more than 100 yards across. The 12-mile-long tailwater can be waded on low water or floated when one of two generators is running. When both generators are running, the river gets pretty high and swift, making it very difficult to get lures in front of trout.

Low-water fly-fishing calls for small flies, light tippets, careful approaches and good presentations. Midges and scud-imitating patterns can be critical to success. Small, in-line spinners in muted colors and assorted natural offerings perform well for spin-fishermen during low-water periods.

When one turbine is turning, however, the fish get significantly more aggressive. Woolly Buggers and minnow-imitating streamers offer flyfishermen the best prospects for getting a big brown to bite. Spin-fishermen do well with sinking minnow-imitating plugs.

A handful of public access points are scattered along the Clinch, beginning with a TVA access point at the base of the dam. General trout regulations apply.