Over the next three months I’m taking a head first dive into the deep end of the southern Appalachian mountains. Mind you.. nearly everything East of the Muddy Mississippi will be fully foreign to my fresh eyes. The primary reason for making this trip is to fix my relationship with the aforementioned brook trout, and more specifically fostering a new connection with the Southern Appalachian strain that calls these mysterious mountains home.
When its all said and done, I hope to make a positive change in the eyes of as many anglers as possible and raise awareness for these special fish. For those just as unfamiliar with the region as I was, my boots will stay wet from North Georgia all the way up to Southern Virginia and everywhere in between.
My own personal goal for this excursion is to catch one brook trout specimen from each of the states in which it’s native, of course the side mission will be to document everything else I experience along the way. This is set to be a fish focused film that attempts to untangle some of the misconceptions and current issues surrounding Americas first game fish. This was a massive opportunity to learn and hopefully at the end of it all, make a difference in the future of brook trout.
DONATION LINK:
In the comments section please note for: “Brook Trout Restoration”
https://friendsofthesmokies.org/make-a-gift/
VIEWING "BOX":
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RESEARCH LINKS:
ALL STATES: https://www.blueridgeoutdoors.com/fly-fishing/where-to-catch-native-brook-trout-in-southern-appalachian-streams/
SC: https://www.dnr.sc.gov/fish/pdf/TroutBook.pdf
SC: https://www.gameandfishmag.com/editorial/fishing_trout-fishing_sc_0407_02/191640
SC: https://www.tu.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06TU_Southeast_Regional_2019_Overview_of_South_Carolina_Trout_Restoration.pdf
SC: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev3_037153.pdf
NC: https://peachtree-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/TroutFishingexcerpt.pdf
NC: file:///Users/michaelmcalexander/Downloads/WINC-2019-Sept-Oct-Sample-Taking-Stock.pdf
NC: file:///Users/michaelmcalexander/Downloads/NCWRC%20Trout%20Socioeconomic%202023%20(1).pdf
NC: file:///Users/michaelmcalexander/Downloads/Trans%20Am%20Fish%20Soc%20-%202013%20-%20Weaver%20-%20Assessing%20Effects%20of%20Stocked%20Trout%20on%20Nongame%20Fish%20Assemblages%20in%20Southern%20Appalachian.pdf
NC: https://www.grayssportingjournal.com/beyond-big-snowbird/
GSMNP: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f645bbde524e4de1a0d1bef1efa2b382
GSMNP: https://www.flyfishingsmokymountains.com/streams/
GSMNP: https://randrflyfishing.com/2007/07/05/return-of-the-native/
GSMNP: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/brook-trout-morphology.htm?fullweb=1
GSMNP: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/lynn-camp-prong.htm#:~:text=The%20Lynn%20Camp%20Prong%20restoration,restoration%20project%20occurred%20in%202011.
TN: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/twra/documents/gis/Trout_Map_Side2.pdf
TN: https://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3958&context=utk_graddiss
TN: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/twra/documents/fishing//trout/Coldwater-Trout-Report-R4-2018.pdf
VA: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1zW2RFP3bE8yMkBM1jM6aGTr4d50&hl=en_US&ll=36.60540987227468%2C-80.77480147000622&z=13
VA: https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/media/Virginia-Wild-Trout-Management-Plan-2019-2028.pdf
VA: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1zW2RFP3bE8yMkBM1jM6aGTr4d50&hl=en_US&ll=36.72547339805084%2C-80.57598980628897&z=11