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Brook trout are one of three trout species in the Smokies.
NPS
The fisheries team sampling native brook trout.
Brittany Spikowski
Fish in the Smokies
The Smokies is home to over 70 species of fish from 12 different families, as well as more than 900 species of aquatic invertebrates, including 14 new to science species discovered in the park. Since 1986, biologist, have monitored fish populations in both high elevation (>3,000 feet) and low elevation (<2,500 feet) streams within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Biologist have successfully surveyed 29 of the 38 park watersheds, covering a total of 2,385 miles, which is roughly 82% of the park's total 2,900 miles of streams.
Most of the park’s larger streams originate as springs along the Appalachian Trail, which runs along the crest of the Smokies. As the streams travel down the mountainside, they are joined with other streams to form larger waterways. In the high elevation streams, characteristics include steep gradients, significant shade, and rushing cascades, of which brook trout dominate. Conversely, the lower elevation streams feature gentler gradients and less shade, resulting in wider and slower-moving waterways inhabited by smallmouth bass, rock bass, shiners, minnows, suckers, and darters.
Changes in stream channels, along with differences in water chemistry, bedrock, and temperatures, affect where different fish species are found within the watershed.
Game Fish
In the early 1900s, significant environmental changes occurred in the park due to logging and the introduction of non-native rainbow trout, which destroyed 75% of the native brook trout's habitat. Rainbow trout out-competed brook trout by reproducing at a faster rate as well as growing faster, taking over the streams.
As a result of research and successful restoration efforts, park management reopened brook trout fishing in 2006 after a 30-year ban. A three-year study found that the breeding ability of adult brook trout remained stable with and without fishing.
Fish populations in and around the park are most heavily influenced by major floods and droughts. Long-term studies show that about 91% of anglers practice catch and release, having little effect on population dynamics in park streams. Additionally, about 64% of anglers in the Smokies are from outside the region, highlighting the park's wide appeal for fishing.
Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)
NPS
Brown Trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss)
Adam Walker
Rainbow Trout (Salmo trutta)
NPS
Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu)
NPS
Rock Bass (Ambloplites rupestris)
Adam Walker
Game fish identification
Has a dark, olive-green or blue-green body with distinctive red spots. There is a worm-like pattern, called a "vermiculated" pattern, across its back. The fins are tri-colored, typically displaying orange and black with a trailing white edge. You might notice red spots in the top dorsal fin.
Has a light to golden-brown body with dark or red spots that have white halos around them. Their fins may also have white edges.
Has a light body, which can be silver or pale blue, with dark spots scattered across it. A striking large pink stripe runs along its side, sometimes accompanied by a pink or red patch on the cheek. Some fins may have a white edge.
Has a brown to bronze body with distinctive vertical stripes along its sides, complemented by a yellowish to white belly. Its upper jaw is level with its eye.
Has a olive green to bronze body, with distinctive dark spots creating a vertical band along its sides. It features two dorsal fins that are united, along with six anal spines, a large mouth, and red eyes.
Threatened and Endangered Species
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to three federally protected fish species: the citico darter, smoky madtom, and yellowfin madtom. All three species live in lower Abrams Creek, which flows from Cades Cove to the Little Tennessee River, with an upper and lower section divided by Abrams Falls. Between 1986-2001, park biologists collected these protected fish from surrounding habitats and reintroduced them into Abrams Creek. Restoration efforts have led to both madtoms and citico darters establishing reproductive populations, and now are at 90% and 100% of their former capacity. However, the stream’s isolated location is still a concern. Biologists are working to promote a healthy fish population by relocating 1-2 adults per year of each species between Abrams Creek and Citico Creek. This approach will help to move genetic material between populations, mimic historic gene transfer, and maintain genetic diversity and resilience.
Get a checklist of all of the fish species in the park.
Species Attribute Definitions
Definitions
Occurrence
Occurrence values are defined below. One or more Occurrence Tags may be associated with each Occurrence value.
Present: Species occurs in park; current, reliable evidence available.
Probably Present: High confidence species occurs in park but current, verified evidence needed.
Unconfirmed: Species is attributed to park but evidence is weak or absent.
Not In Park: Species is not known to occur in park.
Occurrence Tags
Adjacent: Species is known to occur in areas near to or contiguous with park boundaries.
False Report: Species was reported to occur within the park, but current evidence indicates the report was based on misidentification, a taxonomic concept no longer accepted, or other similar problem of error or interpretation.
Historical: Species' historical occurrence in park is documented. Assigned based on judgment as opposed to determination based on age of the most recent evidence.
Abundance
Abundant:
Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, and counted in relatively large numbers.
Plants: Large number of individuals; wide ecological amplitude or occurring in habitats covering a large portion of the park.
Common:
Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, but not in large numbers.
Plants: Large numbers of individuals predictably occurring in commonly encountered habitats but not those covering a large portion of the park.
Uncommon:
Animals: Likely to be seen monthly in appropriate habitat and season. May be locally common.
Plants: Few to moderate numbers of individuals; occurring either sporadically in commonly encountered habitats or in uncommon habitats.
Rare:
Animals: Present, but usually seen only a few times each year.
Plants: Few individuals, usually restricted to small areas of rare habitat.
Occasional:
Animals: Occurs in the park at least once every few years, varying in numbers, but not necessarily every year.
Plants: Abundance variable from year to year (e.g., desert plants).
Unknown: Abundance unknown
Nativeness
Native: Species naturally occurs in park or region.
Non-native: Species occurs on park lands as a result of deliberate or accidental human activities.
Unknown: Nativeness status is unknown or ambiguous.
List Differences
The Checklist contains only those species that are designated as "present" or "probably present" in the park.
The Full List includes all the checklist species in addition to species that are unconfirmed, historically detected, or incorrectly reported as being found in the park. The full list also contains species that are "in review" because their status in the park hasn't been fully determined. Additional details about the status of each species is included in the full list.
The checklist will almost always contain fewer species than the full list.
