Oconoluftee River Fly Fishing Guide Service

The nearby Oconoluftee River flows out of the Smoky Mountains National Park through beautiful historic Cherokee N.C. home to the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. The Oconoluftee River is a freestone river that begins life high up in the Smoky Mountains National Park. Many small feeder streams make up this beautiful river, to form one of the largest rivers that flows inside park boundaries. Once outside the park, the “Luftee” as us locals refer to it, flows inside the Qualla Boundary where it’s waters are stocked with numerous healthy Rainbow, Brook, and Brown Trout. The Cherokee Indians are long know for taking care of their natural resources, and the Oconoluftee is no exception. The Tribe stocks the Oconoluftee River and other streams located on the Qualla Boundary twice a week, so there is no shortage on trout in the waters of the Oconoluftee. The Tribe does offer fishing permits, and the daily creel limit is 10 fish with no size restriction. The previous North Carolina State Record Brown Trout came from the waters of the Luftee weighing in at 15 lbs 9oz!