The Trout Zone

Nowadays, most of my fishing trips are carefully planned, sometimes months in advance.

As a fly fishing guide, I lose flies all the time.

Whether trout actually like bridges or whether they just happen to provide the perfect vantage point to spot fish is debatable, but either way, there are many famous bridges in fly fishing.

Enough has been written and argued about the best fly rods for the Smokies that I won't rehash everything here.

Check out the latest newsletter from Trout Zone Anglers at: https://mailchi.mp/e51ac9952e98/news-from-trout-zone-anglers-may-2026 Our open dates are filling quickly, so just reach out for updated availability if you are interested in a guided trip.

Chasing big trout often involves throwing meat.

My free time is fairly limited these days.

Some of my favorite hiking here on the Cumberland Plateau is that way because of the lack of other people.

If you do not receive my guide businesses email newsletter but are interested in reading, here is a link to our current newsletter for February 2026.

While every year is different, most winters allow some good fishing opportunities in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

If you've been waiting for the January newsletter, here it is.

There are certain things that will ruin you as an angler.

Winter is what I like to call "hiking season" because I can't stand the heat and humidity of the southeast.

If you haven't received our latest newsletter or are not subscribed, here is a link to check it out.

By the end of our fishing on day two of our big adventure, we had a decision to make.

Human nature causes us to look on the past with nostalgia.

Waking up next to a tumbling mountain trout stream has to be the best way to enter a new day.

If you subscribe to my monthly newsletter for Trout Zone Anglers (my guide service), you should have already received this.

Every year, I look forward with anticipation to the fall colors.

A rainy evening on a Smoky Mountain trout stream. ©2025 David Knapp Photography Fishing accessible water is always great for a quick fix, but more and more I find myself striving for new to me water.

Fishing new water is always exciting.

Summer is my least favorite season.

Fly fishing has been a way of life for me since I took the plunge from the relative security of teaching to being a guide.

If you've followed this blog for any length of time, then you probably know that I enjoy hiking almost as much as fishing.

This was a great year of fishing for me.