The Little Tennessee River

The Little Tennessee River originates in the North Georgia Mountains near the town of Clayton in Rabun County.  It then flows North through the town of Franklin, North Carolina, and later into Fontana Lake. 

“The Little T,” as some like to call it, has a great reputation for its smallmouth bass fishing -- and for good reason.  It is one of the most sought after smallmouth bass fisheries in western North Carolina. 

There is really good access along Needmore Road for the fly fisherman who likes to wade fish. 

The Little Tennessee is a fun river to fish because you really never know what you may feel tugging at the end of your fly rod.

It has smallmouth bass, crappie, largemouth bass, bluegill, red eye bass, walleye, brown trout, and steelhead in the late winter months! It also has a few musky left over in the lower reaches. 

There is also a stretch of water in the town of Franklin that has been stocked with several hundred musky the last two years. However, it will take those guys a couple of years to really get to a fun catchable size. When they do, look out!  

Our fly fishing guides here at Turning Stone’s Fly Fishing are always out on The Little Tennessee River throughout the summer months, keeping tabs on the action. The Little T is nearby Franklin, Bryson City, Highlands, Cashiers, Clayton Georgia, Scaly Mountain, Sky Valley Georgia, Dillard Georgia, Mountain City Georgia, Dillsboro, Sylva, and Cherokee.