Caddis flies dominate, although you will find that prolific hatches of Stenonema mayflies get the attention of trout during the summer. The lower portion, dominated by rainbow and brown trout, is highly productive for large terrestrial imitations such as the grasshopper and jassid. Here, the stream rushes past old homesteads and fragrant orchards, forming many long, slow pools, perfect for floating a cinnamon ant pattern. Nothing will put the adrenaline in your system faster than a lightning-fast strike from a trout coaxed from one of these beautiful pools. Brookies can be found in the main stream beyond an elevation of 3,040 feet, one of the lowest elevations for brookies in a major streamshed in the Smokies.
Hazel Creek has one of the loftiest tributary systems in the park.
These headwater streams provide some of the finest brook trout habitat in the Smokies. The lower reaches of Hazel Creek not only hold trout, but healthy populations of largemouth, smallmouth, and rock bass. This is one of the very few places in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where largemouth bass can be caught by fly fishermen. Devastation and Rebirth Hazel Creek is located in the southeast section of the Smokies. It is bound by Welch Ridge and Jenkins Ridge.