NC – Raven Fork (GSMNP) Fly Fishing Guide

Raven Fork Map

Raven Fork Description

Raven Fork flows through the best preserved and the most rugged wilderness area in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Those hardy enough to venture to these seldom seen waters will be rewarded with the best brook trout fishing in the park.

Raven Fork Access

Raven Fork inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the more difficult streams to fish with limited access (hence the big brook trout). One access route is to take the strenuous 1.8 miles hike to campsite #47 via the Enloe Creek Trial. The Enloe Creek trailhead may be accessed by taking the Balsam Mountain Road down from the top of Balsam Mountain or by taking the Straight Fork Road up from the Cherokee Indian Reservation.

Click on the map icon for driving direction to the Enloe Creek trailhead.

Raven Fork Fly Fishing Tactics

The Brookies in Raven Fork come readily to small dry flies (Blue-Winged Olive, size 18 to 22) and nymphs (Black Stone and Pheasant Tail) in the early Spring. Large dries (Elk-Hair Caddis and Thunderhead, sizes 12 to 16) and nymphs (Golden Stone, Black Stone, and Hare's Ear, sizes 10 to 14) work well in the turbulent water that punctuates the Raven in late Spring and early Summer. In late Summer and early Fall, attractor dry flies (Royal Wulff, Yellow Hammer, and Orange Palmer, sizes 10 to 14) produce well, as do terrestrials (Bullet-Head Grasshopper, Chartreuse Inchworm, and Fur Ant, sizes 12 to 14).

Raven Fork Fly Fishing Report

GSMNP - Small Streams Fishing Report General fly fishing report and current conditions for small streams in the Great Smoky Mountains (sponsored by Orvis)

Plan a Fly Fishing Trip

Plan a trip to fish the Raven Fork and looking for a local fly shop, fly fishing guide or outfitter? Looking for places to eat, lodging or the nearest airport? Give our fly fishing trip planner a try. Enter “RAVENSFORD, NC” in the Google search box (lower left-hand corner) to center the map on the Raven Fork area and then use the Google search box to find what you are looking for. Watch our demo video to learn more about how to use the Fly Fishing Reporter Trip Planner.

More Information

Additional information about fly fishing Raven Fork is available at TroutU who contributed to this fly fishing guide.