Brook Trout are Legal Again!

Thirty years ago, in 1976, the powers that be removed the native Brook Trout from the list of species that one was allowed to catch and eat from streams in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I didn’t know what the reasons were until yesterday, when an article appeared in the Knoxville paper.

Columnist, Sam Venable, a lover of all things native to the beloved Smokies wrote that by the end of the 20th century the Brook Trout had almost vanished from all but the most remote streams in the Park and needed to be protected. Now after much research and restoration work, the Brookies are once again on the legal list and can be fished for and kept.. Mr. Venable is as delighted by the news as I am and the news brought back vivid memories to both of us.

I had never once caught a Brookie in the Park but I was lucky enough to be camping with friends when two of the group brought back a mess of the small fish for dinner. I was unimpressed with their size but I was caught up in the excitement that preceded dinner. The buzz about the fish being delicious and hard to catch was noted, but it was the first bite of the gorgeous, golden fried morsel that hooked me. That was my first and last taste of Brook Trout as the ban went into effect almost immediately thereafter.

I read the paper, caught the article by Mr. Venable and spent a long moment savoring that creekside dinner from 30 years ago. Then I took a phone call from a local store telling me that I had won a new rod and reel in their grand opening celebration!! Now that’s Serendipity! It will cost $56 for fishing licenses for my grandson and myself, and we’ll camp at Elkmont or Cosby this year instead of at Douglas Lake.

April 15th is the day to look forward to, and I thank Sam Venable for alerting me to the good news. He too knows well what we’ve been missing all these years!