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Road to the Smokies: Hazel Creek Campout

By Tom Chandler 5/7/2007 5 minutes

Fly fishing a river tunes you into its water, bugs, and trout.

You gain a sense of the moment, hopefully catch a few trout, and walk away with what amounts to a frozen snapshot of what you think the river is all about, though most of the time we're wrong about that.

Hazel Creek, Smoky Mountains National Park
Hazel Creek through the trees. Pretty, pretty stuff.

If fishing a river delivers a snapshot, living alongside one for a few days tunes you into much more; the animals, the weather, the river's moods, history -- even how it reacts to sun and rain.

That's why -- when Ian and Charity offered me a chance to piggyback a backpacking trip onto their outfitted trip to Hazel Creek, I jumped at it.

They (and their outfitter) ferried a group of nine anglers across Fontana Lake, where they set up camp.

A light action 8' 5wt rod and a few flies
Light action 8' 5wt and a few flies -- all that's needed on Hazel.

Calling it a "camp" is a little misleading; they slept like royalty (cots and big tents), ate like kings (fresh-made Blackberry Cobbler, steak, shrimp kabobs, pancakes, margaritas -- the list goes on), and fished like demons.

It was a lavish production, and judging by the the number of anglers who said they were ready to sign up for the next trip, the whole enterprise is bound to be repeated.

The trail up Hazel Creek. Did I mention the wildflowers?
The hike up Hazel Creek was flat, easy, and carpeted with wildflowers.

Because I'm prone to fits of isolation and self-denial, I packed my backpack with instant oatmeal and Top Ramen, and hiked five miles up the drainage.

I enjoyed being alone on Hazel Creek, but admit that being served great food while you focus on fly fishing isn't the kind of thing I should reject out of hand.

Still, I think I made the right decision. I was hoping to lose weight, not gain it.

Hazel Creek GSMNP Overview
More Hazel Creek, farther up. Beauty, eh?

Still, there I was, five miles from the lake and setting up my ultra-lightweight "one-man" tent, which frankly felt more like a coffin.

Naturally, it started raining almost right away, and the Coffin Tent became less an abstract thought and more a temporary home.

The Coffin Tent, Hazel Creek
For the next 11 hours, this is home; the inside of the Coffin Tent.

Still, the next day (Friday) dawned wonderfully clear, so I hiked up the Bone Valley -- so named because an April blizzard trapped 100 cattle in the tiny valley and killed them, leaving bones strewn everywhere.

That was in the late 1800s, so the bones are gone. What remains is a perfect little valley, complete with historic cabin (built in 1880).

Bone Valley cabin, GSMNP
The cabin in Bone Valley, which is bigger than a coffin.


The fishing was slow until 11:00, when the rainbows started hitting my dry. I don't think fly selection was particularly important, though I believe a yellow fly improved the odds a bit (there were many yellow stoneflies flitting about).

Hazel creek rainbow trout, GSMNP
Not unlike the trout back home, except he fought with an accent.

All the fish were small, and after a couple hours, I hiked back to camp, made a late lunch, contemplated the river, and eventually headed a short ways down Hazel Creek.


It was a beautiful evening, and I was getting lots of eats on the small stimulator dry (lots of yellow stones in the air).

The fish included a couple of nice brown trout, the Tennessee version of which are so brightly colored that I marvel each time I catch one.

Hazel Creek Brown Trout
The red dots are bright, and the fins are orange. Gorgeous.

Later, I came to a large pool and didn't get a single bite. I thought it was strange until I discovered one of Ian's group had stuck a 26" brown trout there only minutes before.

Oy.

Hazel Creek Water SnakeLater in the evening, I stumbled on a Sulphur hatch (with spinner fall) and managed a few more fish.

A good day. A very good day.

I also stumbled across a snake that Ian later said was harmless, though I reminded him that I could have jumped back in fear, fallen and hit my head.

Harmless my ass.

That night, it started raining again (more hours in the coffin), and the next morning the creek picked up considerable color.

Still, it was falling and clearing, and reasoning that the rain might wash the yellow stones off the leaves and into the water, I threw a small yellow stimulator.

And yes, score one for intuition.

A Toad on Hazel Creek
A frog (or toad, I can never tell which) overlooking Hazel Creek.

For a while I hammered fish -- until it started raining hard. The water rose, it muddied, and the bite shut off.

Damn. I sloshed my way back to camp, and was confronted by the fact that I had nothing to do for the next 20 hours -- and no dry place to do it.

By that point, the Coffin tent smelled like wet feet, which wasn't all bad as I needed something to distract me from the wetness (and yes, next time I'm bringing a book).


One of the true joys of backpacking is when things get wet, there's no way to make them dry until it stops raining.

And typically, everything gets wet.

The next morning, the sun came out, so rather than pack a bunch of water down the trail, I spent an hour trying to dry my gear.

Backpacking gear drying on Hazel Creek
Everything was wet, so it looks like I'm holding a wilderness garage sale.

Somehow, all the gear in the picture above fit into the pack below. (Never underestimate man's ability stuff.)

Backpacking the Smokies
It only looks light. It's heavy.

I hiked down the trail back to the lake -- going fast and losing elevation all along the way -- and encountered members of Ian's group.

First came Charity and her client, then I stumbled on Ian fishing alone.

Ian Rutter fishing Hazel Creek
Ian Rutter pottering about on Hazel Creek.

Finally, I was at the lake, and for all intents and purposes, the trip was over.

Of course, I'm leaving out a ton of stuff, including the contents of eight pages of notes I made in a small notebook.

Rather than fall too far behind my blog posts, I'll cover the basics here and try to write an "end of the trip" wrap-up post that will be fraught with meaning and laden with deep thoughts.

Otherwise, you'd be reading this in October.

Hazel Creek Trip Fun Fact #1

On the trip over I drank a large soft drink, then drove over "The Dragon" -- a stretch of road so twisty and curvy (330+ turns in 11 miles) that motorcyclists come from miles around so they can test themselves against it. I lost the test. Even though though I was driving, I attained a state of advanced motion sickness, pulled over, and barfed on my own shoes. Nobody was more surprised than Ian.

Hazel Creek Trip Fun Fact #2
The first night in the campground I met Larry K -- who owns property on the Holston River, which Ian, myself, and some Nameless Guy had floated the day before. Amazingly, he saw us go by, correctly identifying Ian's boat, Ian, and the fact that I lost a fish right in front of his house. Ahh, Lost Fish -- the ties that bind.

Larry K picture
Larry the boat watcher.

Hazel Creek Trip Fun Fact #3
Thought I took a couple of rods, I mostly fished my 8' 5wt Diamondglass rod -- a fairly flexible, slow tapered rod that was largely perfect for Upper Hazel Creek and its tribs. You want a rod able to throw big flies if needed, but soft enough to work at leader-only ranges.

Hazel Creek Trip Fun Fact #4
Hazel Creek is a fascinating area, home to a truckload of history, including logging operations that largely leveled the area, the eventual loss of those jobs, the reversion to a rural society -- all of which was displaced when Fontana Lake was built and cut the area off from the rest of the world.

Some remnants remain: cabins, cemeteries, and even a rusting old iron headboard at my campsite.

Hazel Creek overview

Though I was ready to get dried out (and yeah, a warm shower wasn't entirely outside my realm of thought), it was hard to leave Hazel, knowing it's entirely possible I won't make it back there again.

Hazel Creek hat

Look for a wrap-up post on my Tennessee trip (I've got two days of fishing yet to blog), where I plan to write more about Hazel Creek. It's worth a few more words.

See you up the creek, Tom Chandler.

Destinations
 (1)
Culturally inclined and well preserved, Asheville is surrounded by majestic mountains, lush national forest lands and scores of fresh water rivers and streams. Long recognized for ... moreits art-deco architecture, performing arts and numerous music festivals, this mid-size city of about 84,000 has also become well known for its abundant trout fishing and is frequently referred to as the Trout Capital of the South.

//

And, you don’t have to go far to fish! The Davidson River, named after an early settler to the area and voted one of the top 100 trout streams in America by Trout Unlimited members, runs right alongside town. Less than an hour’s drive easily gets you to the Tuckasegee River. The South Fork Holston River (SoHo) considered one of the finest tailwater trout fisheries east of the Mississippi, and the Watuga River, also highly regarded, can be reached in 2 hours or less. By some estimates, there are over 4000 miles of public waters within driving distance of Asheville.

Rivers like the Davidson are most popular during the spring and fall months although year round fishing is permitted in tailwaters. During the hot summer months you may find yourself competing with tubers, kayakers, canoeists, swimmers and people just enjoying a waterside picnic.

Steeped in history and surrounded by natural wonders, Asheville offers a wide variety of options to those not choosing to fish. These include:

The Biltmore Estate, the largest single family home in the US

Asheville Art Museum

Black Mountain Golf Course

Beer City Bicycles

Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians

Great Smokey Mountains National Park

Appalachian Trail

There are several options for traveling to Asheville, including:

Fly into Charlotte’s Douglas International Airport and drive for about 2 hours

Fly into Piedmont Triad International Airport (serving Winston Salem, Greensboro and High Point) and drive for approximately 2 hours

Fly into Knoxville’s McGhee Tyson Airport and drive for approximately 2 hours
Fishing Waters
Lower Neuse River is the widest river in North America at 7.5 miles wide at it's entry point to the Pamlico Sound. It is a brackish in nature and without lunar tides, but does have ... morewide tides. It is home to many salt and warm water species.
Game Fish Opportunities:
The headwaters of the 78.5 mile long Watauga, begin at Peak Mountain in North Carolina on the western slope of the Eastern Continental Divide, and end at its confluence with the South ... moreFork of the Holston River. This trout filled tributary of the Holston is a mere 1 hour, scenic drive from Asheville.

Managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) the Watauga, like most rivers in the watershed, is affected by dams, water releases and reservoirs. The Watauga Dam created the 6,430 acre Watauga Lake. Three miles further down river, are the much smaller Wilbur Dam and Lake, used during the summer to release water back into the river. The 20 mile tailwater from Wilbur Dam to Boone lake is the most prized trout fishing part of the river.

Like other tailwaters in the region, the temperature remains between 50 to 55 degrees most of the year, providing great habitat for trout. The Tennessee Valley Resource Authority (TVRA) stocks the tailwater with rainbows, brooks and browns alongside a small population of wild trout. Most fish are in the 12 inch range although much larger fish are there to be caught. Estimates range from 2,000 to 5,000 fish per mile.

Depending on water releases the river can be waded although it’s advisable to get a TVA discharge schedule before entering the water. Wading access can be limited since property holders own the riverbed and can deny entry. The water may be fished at any time from a small boat, although due to shallow pools, you may want to keep one generator running if you use a drift boat. The river is composed of a few fast runs and long sections of rifles but large, long pools can also be found.
Game Fish Opportunities:
There are three forks to the Holston River, but if you are into fishing for trout, the South Fork is the one you want. In less than two hours drive from Asheville, you can be fishing ... moreone of the finest tailwater trout waters east of the Mississippi. The 112 mile long South Fork Holston River, referred to as the SoHo, is part of the greater Tennessee River drainage basin, managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Oblivious to borders, the river starts in Virginia and ends at its confluence with the North Fork in Tennessee.

The South Holston Dam, the uppermost of three on the South Fork, created the landmark South Holston Lake. It is the tailwaters below the lake that have made this stretch of water so desirable. Here, the insects are humming, the favorable water temperature is uniform 12 months of the year and the fish are thriving. 

Throughout the approximate 15 mile section below the dam, stocked rainbows, wild browns and smallmouth bass can be found. According to a recent Tennessee Wildlife Resource Authority (TVRA) survey, there are 5,000 to 6,000 trout per mile, averaging 12 inches in length; it’s not uncommon to find 20+ inches.

This is a river that is usually floated but can be waded depending on water levels. Because the TVA is constantly adjusting water flows, levels can change without notice and whether floating or wading, obtaining a release schedule and a skilled guide is highly recommended.

Before booking a trip keep in mind that sections of the river are closed to protect spawning browns between November and January, all trout 16-20 inches must be released and only one over 22 inches may be taken home.
Game Fish Opportunities:
Trips
$
225
-
$
450
/ Boat
Capacity:
1 - 3 anglers
Days:
Daily
Duration:
4 hours - 1 day
The Davidson River is one of the most famous rivers in North Carolina. It has the biggest fish in the state, and the most experienced. This is a crowded river that routinely yields ... moreopportunities at fish of a lifetime. It can be very tough, but all it takes is one chance at a 25″ brown trout to make you want to come back the next day. When the Davidson is good, it is as good as anything out there
$
450
/ Boat
Capacity:
1 - 2 anglers
Days:
Daily
Duration:
1 day
Our float trips are for smallmouth bass and trout on the Holston, Watauga and French Broad Rivers. Floating these rivers allows you to cover more productive water, and water that is ... morenot accessible to wade fishing. During these trips you may have opportunities to get out of the raft and wade fish “back cuts” and special riffle areas that are known to hold better than average fish.

For these trips we recommend 5 weight or larger rods from 8 to 9 foot in length.

On float trips NO STUDDED wading boots are allowed and waders are recommended year round due to the constant cool water temperature.

This trip includes lunch and non-alcoholic beverages. Lodging and fishing licenses are not included.
$
350
-
$
450
/ Boat
Capacity:
1 - 2 anglers
Days:
Daily
Duration:
4 hours - 1 day
The Watauga river is located in east Tennessee near Johnson City and is just a hour north out of Asheville North Carolina. The Watauga river starts in Boone NC and flows west into ... moreeast Tennessee into Watauga lake. After it comes out of Wilbur dam it flows and winds for 22 miles of blue ribbon trout fishing water.

The Watauga river is a tail water, which is dam released off of the bottom of the lake providing cold water and great trout fishing year round. There are large numbers of wild and stocked brown and rainbow trout. There are consistent blue wing olive and midge hatches year round and huge caddis hatches in the spring and sulphurs through the summer months. The Watauga river has a wide deep river bed providing great float fishing trips for all anglers and skill levels.

Let Asheville Anglers float you down river for a Watauga river fly fishing trip of a lifetime. Whether you are in western North Carolina or east Tennessee the Watauga river is a great choice for any fisherman.
Outfitters
Asheville Anglers Guide Service is owned and operated by Jay Dodd and Travis Honeycutt. Both Jay and Travis are locals of area, and take great pride in their home, and guide service. ... moreAsheville Anglers has been in operation since 2003 and will be for many years to come. There are many great fisherman in the world, but few great fishing guides. A great fishing guide has to not only enjoy fishing, but enjoy teaching and passing on their knowledge to others. “Our goal is to make each and every day on the water the best experience possible”.

Asheville Anglers provides all gear, tackle, and equipment on every guide trip. Each guide is outfitted with a comfortable hard bottom drift boat, sage and orvis rods and reels, and nothing but the best flies and lures available. Experience a first class guide operation with Asheville Anglers each and every trip!

AuthorPicture

Tom Chandler

As the author of the decade leading fly fishing blog Trout Underground, Tom believes that fishing is not about measuring the experience but instead of about having fun. As a staunch environmentalist, he brings to the Yobi Community thought leadership on environmental and access issues facing us today.

18 comments
[...] trip posted on Washington Fly Fishing forum; and Tom Chandler#39;s (Trout Underground) nostalgic account of camping and fly fishing Hazel Creek. var addthis_pub = #39;sperrywater#39;; var addthis_brand = #39;Fly Fishing Reporter#39;;var [...]
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[...] can see more about the past week on Tom Chandlerrsquo;s TroutUnderground blog. He backpacked up Hazel while we were there. This was after his float on the [...]
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[...] can see more about the past week on Tom Chandler#8217;s TroutUnderground blog. He backpacked up Hazel while we were there. This was after his float on the [...]
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OK, too many comments to respond to each, though I will say "Barfing in the Backcountry" does have a certain ring to it, and as you know, writers are encouraged to "write what you know about." As for the fiberglass rods in lieu of bamboo, I just decided I didn't want to be in a position to convince an airline that the bag they just lost contained $4,000 in bamboo fly rods only to have them send me ... more a check for the equivalent of four Shakespeare Ugly Sticks. There are some damned pleasant glass rods available nowadays (the feel of bamboo, not the price), and I expect I'll write a post about them soon. I'm not eating any toads, live or dead. Nor am I carrying in cans of ravioli. I'm short enough already.
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Hazel Creek is a special place indeed. I was lucky enough to go there once and plan on going back after a memorable experience. Glad to see you made it out ok, i can remember there being lots and lots of bears and coyotes..... One of the neatest things about hazel creek is the old cemetery up the hill from the second campsite. I don't know if you got a chance to see it but it's something interesting ... more to see. I couldn't make out all the dates of the headstones, but i believe some of them were the very early 1900's.
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Superb herpetological identification C4C Raine! Your are correct! Another quick fun fact: the water snake swims with its body mostly submerged. A copperhead in the water is entirely on the surface. Also the hour glass bands on the water snakes are not nearly as symmetrical or consistent down the body as they are on copperheads. However, most snakes are all identified as a copperhead or water moccasin, ... more the latter of which is not even present in the Smokies.
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Tom, I think I've solved the mystery - it's a Northern Water Snake, and as Ian said, "harmless." Not quite the righ features for a copperhead - black eyes, copperheads are usually congruent with the color of their body; and it has a shiny body, whereas copperheads are relatively drab. BUT! It does have the hourglass-like patterns tell tale of a copperhead - however, the dark bands are much wider than ... more the light ones at the ass end of the snake which is tell-tale again of the water snake, and does not occur on the copperhead. So, therefore, I conclude it is the Northern Water Snake and you were in fact safe. Most likely, that toad would do more harm to you than the snake. Hope you enjoyed your flight!
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Oh, yeah. The snake looks a little like a copperhead. If it's so harmless, have your friend pick one up sometime.
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I can see it! Tom Chandler's book "Puking In The Smokies". Or maybe "Blowing Chunks In the Back Woods". Tom, if you eat a live toad first thing when you get up in the morning, nothing worse will happen to you for the rest of the day. I promise! It's a toad, Tom, it's a toad. Thanks for the beautiful pics!
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7 cans...I'd hate to think how much that would weigh on the shoulders after a few hours of hiking uphill. Wonderful pictures - that brown in particular was gorgeous - you can't beat those vivid colors.
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Might be tough to fit that in the pack, but I've got a friend who'd probably be willing to try...he once backpacked in with 7 cans of family-size Chef Boyardee. Take care, hawgdaddy
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It isn't rednecky-enough...there's no car up on cinder blocks.
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I agree on the "redneck campsite" comment from Hawgdaddy. Of course, you have to have seen one at some point to recognize it, and yes I have camped in one! I wasn't too impressed with the packing of the bag, trust me, there are some many more things that can fit into a bag. ;) I remember my first few trips into the backcountry, let's just say that I looked more or less like a traveling gypsy. Enjoyed ... more reading about your trip, and it looks like a lot of fun, minus the rain and lack of reading material. Those are some really pretty browns though, one thing I really love about the fish up there. Insane
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Just how does one get a job as the boat watcher? Where do I submit my resume? After all, I've watched all sorts of things. One doesn't really expect one to sit and watch the boats all day do they? They do? Oh...and toads have big teethy things. Nasty bite, poisonous injection, flesh falls off yer bones. Make sure you get bit in your non-casting hand. And another thing? Just what was that black rod ... more in the picture? I've never seen a bamboo rod with that deep tone of flaming? Can't say it can't or shouldn't be done but that was a rich deep color. Bastard Mike
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Tom! That camp of yours looks like a true redneck backcountry camp. I thought my group of fishing buddies were the ones to introduce trailer park fashion to the backcountry, but looks like you may be familiar with it as well. Are you sure you're not from the South? If not, you defintitely possess some of the characteristics and would probably fit in quite well. Glad you're having a good trip. Always ... more take a book into the backcountry. If you don't, it'll rain for sure. Take care, hawgdaddy
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Glad you are back, I was missing your writing. As always great pictures and story. Will be waiting for more. Will you be home next weekend? Will be down Sat. evening to deliver some flys to Chris, and get a little fishing for a couple days. Unless the big bugs start up here. David
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Awesome trip Tom. Too bad about all the rain. I was following the weather closely via webcams, satellite photos and Doppler radar and it looked like you got pounded for a couple of those days. That snake doesn't look like the harmless variety! Will you bring me back a slaw dog?
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Tom- Frogs amp; Toads 101: Frogs have smooth, wet skin; Toads have dry and warty skin. Frogs have big hind legs for hopping and swimming. Toads are stout and have stuby legs that are better for walking. A post about Toad Hollow in Wisconsin is coming soon over at "The Edge".
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