The Smoky Mountain Angler

We had such a great time wade fishing in the Smokys with Jesse, that when the trip was over, we went straight back to the SMA shop and booked a drift trip with him!! Jesse was super knowledgeable about all the water systems and the fish! He’s super laid back and patient with you as you learn all the tips and tricks about fly fishing! From wade fishing in the Smokys to drifting down the Clinch River, we enjoyed all aspects of both trips and highly recommend Jesse as your next guide!

We came in for our honeymoon and wanted a float trip (our first). And we were not disappointed!!! Chad was amazing and super patient and fun with my wife and I. We caught some amazing Smokey mountain trout. You can trust that these guys will give you an experience and amazing fish. Support your local fly guides and book these fellas!

My wife and I had a fantastic time fishing with Bill! He was knowledgeable, patient, passionate, and helped us have a fun time catching some great fish. I would happily book with Smoky Mountain Angler again, and would ask for Bill again if I did.

Booked with this company for a guided full day wade trip and it was a great experience. Our guide Chad Williams was very experienced and did a great job with teach a couple of newbies some of the basics. We had a great time and were able to hook fish. Overall we enjoyed our time outdoors, learning a new skill and we were extremely thankful for the beautiful fish we were able to hook. Thank you Chad we appreciate you.

I booked a last minute wade trip and it was by far the best thing experience I’ve had in Gatlinburg. I was lucky enough to have Bill as my guide and he was very knowledgeable and helpful for someone that has never fly fished before. I will definitely book this trip again whenever I visit the area.

SMA and Josh were the absolute best! Josh shared so much knowledge and was incredibly helpful in every way. I learned a lot and can’t wait to put my newfound skills to use!

The Smoky Mountain angler has a straightforward booking process. This was our first time fishing with them, and our guide was Bill. He was extremely knowledgeable and on a very difficult day after a strong rain the night before still managed to put us on the fish. Honestly, even if he hadn’t, the knowledge that he shared over our half day trip was well worth the money. The only downside is I wish we would’ve booked for a full day.

We can’t say enough good things about Chad, Jesse, and our Smoky Mountain Angler experience. We learned so much in the two days we fished this week. My ten year old son was an inexperienced fisherman. He rode with Jesse who is simply amazing with kids. Our first day my son caught 7 small mouth bass on a spinning reel. The second day, with Jesse’s unending enthusiasm and encouragement he convinced Jack to fly fish (despite great reluctance). Jack caught 7 rainbow trout and a carp. Jesse made the river trip fun and my son came away from the experience as a far more confident fisherman. My husband and I enjoyed the well-informed instruction of Chad. He is highly knowledgeable on so many topics. He helped my husband on his cast and was able to pinpoint areas for refinement. Chad took the work out of changing flies and always rigged up my husband for the most successful experience possible. For the record, I did not fish but was along to enjoy nature. The first day I was at the bow and listened as he instructed my husband. The second day I rode at the stern and was finally able to connect what Chad was saying with my husband‘s actions. Believe me, I was completely stoked just being on the river and enjoying what I saw. I do enjoy bait casting, but watching Chad’s direction really made me want to consider giving fly fishing a try. Chad also made our trip fun on the second day by bringing his turtle box, an amazing speaker system that floats. He introduced us to Colter Wall, whose music couldn’t be more appropriate for fly fishing in Tennessee. It added such a regional dimension to the fishing experience. We’ll be sure to add him to our playlist. Take a trip with these two Smoky Mountain Anglers. You’ll be well-taken care of and learn so much! And if you’re lucky, Chad might even sing.

Booked with this company for a guided full day wade trip and it was a great experience. Our guide Chad Williams was very experienced and did a great job with teach a couple of newbies some of the basics. We had a great time and were able to hook fish. Overall we enjoyed our time outdoors, learning a new skill and we were extremely thankful for the beautiful fish we were able to hook. Thank you Chad we appreciate you.

Great trip and great guide! Jesse did great teaching my 9 y/o. Very professional and patient with 2 beginners. Beautiful area to fish and very reasonable cost wise

What a wonderful place to shop! Spent a week in Gatlinburg and everyone at the shop is just fantastic. We ended up booking a full day guided trip in the park with Jesse. He put us on fish, we couldn't ask for a better guide. 10 out of 10 will recommend! Here is a couple photos of the several that was caught that day

Chad is an amazing guide! He made sure we had a good time and taught us how to fish. He was very patient with us! The area we were fishing had lots of fish and we had so much fun!!

Stopped in to see a Tennessee fly shop. It was small but had some really good gear. Had the cutest dog in there! I felt it was messy and could be organized a lot better. Got some awesome hats and a few flys.

Nice little shop to get some flies and fishing advice for Smokey mountain/Gatlinburg area. More expensive than equipping at home and bringing it with you by a lot but that's to be expected in a tourist town.

We had Chad W. as our guide. He was patient with us beginners and we had a ball, caught fish, fell int the water and learned a lot.

Passing through Gatlinburg I decided to try my luck on a little trout fishing and this is one of the few places that actually provide daily fishing licenses. This place is a little off the beaten track so to speak so you might have to make a little extra effort to find this place but once I came inside folks were a nice friendly and knowledgeable and give me a few suggestions where to go fish as well as provide me my license

Strongly recommend. If you want to fish on your own, they have tackle and are full of information. They also rent poles. If you want a guide, prices are reasonable. And this isn't a little tourist trip where they take you to the side of the road and put you in. Guide led us up a river with fish in pretty much every hole. (These are small rainbows inside the park, but plenty of action.) I found them friendly, helpful, and fairly priced.

In a few years we'll have only mega chains like Dick's and Bass Pro. Until then why not support local shops like this one, staffed with knowledgeable fisherman who are from around these parts. You can't buy a basketball or a skateboard there but who cares! I have booked three fly fishing tours for my boys over the last several years and they have all been fantastic. Support Smoky Mountain Anglers if you need any fly fishing gear or guides, you won't be sorry.

My friend and I (two women) were as inexperienced as they come. We were in town from CA and decided to try something we had never done before. It was fantastic! Chad was patient and made the whole morning fun and relaxing. We went to several sites and stood in the beautiful streams catching several rainbow trout. I highly recommend booking at least a half day, especially with Chad!

My wife and I highly recommend, the highly rated, Smoky Mountains Angler. They have a terrific website, very nice facility, and the staff is knowledgeable and helpful. We are new to fly fishing and Derrick our guide did a great job teaching us, which allowed us to catch rainbow trout, and have a terrific experience in the national forest.

I booked a fly fishing excursion for my husband and he really liked it. Had a great time and can't stop talking about the trip. Wants to definitely go again. He would recommend the guide CJ Stancil.

Wonderful time! Not cheap, but worth the price if you want to have a fly fishing experience with an expert guide.

Outstanding. Friendly, helpful, eager to answer really dumb fishing questions. Bought two handsome Orvis pullovers there and they shipped one of them to Texas for us. This is a great business to visit even if you don't fish.

My sister and I had the best possible experience with Smoky Mountain Angler. We booked a half day of fly fishing with a guide. These guys took care of everything. Our guide was Brad and he was fantastic! We could not have asked for a more knowledgeable, patient, expert guide. The scenery was spectacular!

What a great group of people at Smoky Mtn. Anglers! Special Thanks to Valerie for getting us all set up and, especially Brad- possibly the best guide... Period! You expect a specialty store to have a "special" knowledge & skill set but these folks go above and beyond. First-rate pro shop, gear and accessories. The actual guided trip was a lifetime memory! If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never believe 1 guide could move 3 anglers up a stiff current and consistently place us in the perfect spots every time! He did this with infinite patience, affability and a genuine love of his craft. If you are in Gatlinburg and have ever even thought about fly fishing, do yourself a favor- stop by Smoky Mtn. Anglers and ask for Brad to take you out fishing!!

Chad was a great guide. We caught about 30 fish and learned how to fly fish. We had a blast and saw some beautiful views.