Trout Streams of Southern Appalachia

from the introduction:
No longer does the mention of fly-fishing for trout in the southern Appalachian Mountains draw befuddled looks from listeners. Instead, the fly-fishing fraternity is now so well established in the region that fly-casters are often in the majority on some streams and rivers. Still, overall, bait- and spin-fisherman outnumber fly-fishermen in the South by a wide margin. The main reason for this disparity is the region's tradition of "meat" fishing - the folks who inhabited these mountains in past decades were usually more concerned with putting fish on the table at mealtime than with the sporting aspects of fishing. This book is targeted to aid the folks already fishing for trout in the southern Appalachians with the long road, novice fly-casters, and newcomers to the region. It does not endeavor to identify every brook or pothole in the region that contains trout, nor does it reveal a list of previously unknown fly-fishing destinations. What it will do is take a look at the trout streams found on public land in the mountainous Appalachian regions of Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee that offer fly-fishing possibilities. Fly-fishing the bulk of the small headwater streams of the region often more closely resemble some sadomasochistic ritual than an entertaining outdoor pursuit. Clawing through rhododendron thickets or crawling through streamside briar patches in order to poke your rod through the bushes and dap a fly on the surface of pools the size of a washtub does not fit the definition of fly-fishing for most anglers. The purpose of this tome is description - we will consider which of these creeks, recognized as trout water by their respective states, are ideal for fly-fishing. The creek needs to have enough freely accessible public water to make it a destination worth investing the commute time. This book should provide the reader with useful information that should open a new and exciting world of trout fishing in a region of remarkable beauty, and in the process, save the angler a great deal of time usually lost in the search for appropriate fly-casting waters.