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Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Rock Bass, and Smallmouth Bass Identification
Brook trout that you may find in the Smoky Mountain National Park usually live less than 3 years are found from north Georgia to southern Canada. Brook trout seldom exceed 8 to 9 inches in length.
Brook trout are actually char and not a true trout but they are native to the Smoky Mountains unlike other trout found in the Smokies. The locals refer to them as spec or speckled trout.
This non native species of trout was imported from Europe and can live from 8 to 12 years. The average size brown trout caught in the park range from 6 inches to 12 inches but there are a few monsters that can weigh about 10 pounds and measure in at 30 inches making the brown trout the largest fish in the Smoky Mountain Park.
Brown trout are best found in lower elevations in the park in areas with good cover and slow moving water.
The rainbow trout found throughout most of the Smokies are a non native fish from the western part of North America and were stocked in local streams by logging companies in the early 1900's. More anglers fish for rainbow trout than any other fish in the national park.
Under normal conditions the rainbow trout run between 6 to 20 inches and live around 4 years. Rainbow trout larger than 12 inches are very uncommon.
Living from 5 to 7 years, smallmouth bass in the park range in length from 6 to 14 inches. Some huge 5 pounders have been caught in some of the streams in the national park.
Your Smokies Fishing in the National Park pages: