Anglers, Come to the Smokies to Enjoy Cherokee Fishing

For families bringing kids on their first fishing trip or experienced anglers looking to compete in tournaments, Cherokee fishing is for you. Over thirty miles of clean, clear Oconaluftee River waters flow through the Qualla Boundary, home of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation. Come enjoy all the natural beauty, excitement and fun that Cherokee Fishing offers.

Cherokee Fishing Tournaments and Competitions

There are numerous opportunities throughout the year to compete in Cherokee fishing tournaments and competitions. Serious anglers, for you we’ve got major events such as The Rumble in the Rhododendron Fly Fishing Tournament where two person teams compete for cash prizes. The first place team wins $5,000, second place team $3,000 and third place $2,000! Cherokee fishing is fun whether you are competing or not, but to add the thrill of competition to this already great sport, register for one of Cherokee’s tagged fishing tournaments. Catch a specially tagged fish; redeem it for a cash prize!

Cherokee Fishing Permits and Regulations

Preparing for Cherokee fishing trip on Qualla Boundary the Reservation lands owned by The Eastern Band of Cherokee is simple. You only need a Tribal permit to legally fish on Boundary lands. You can get your official Cherokee fishing permit from many businesses in Cherokee or you can purchase it online.

The Cherokee fishing permit costs $10.00 per day. Reduced rates are available for those purchasing multi day passes. You can get a permit good for a full year starting on the date of purchase for $250.00. A Tribal fishing permit gives you access to fish on Enterprise Waters, including most of the Ravens Fork, Oconaluftee River and Soco Watersheds. For those of you who want to go for trophy fish in the Catch and Release area of Ravens Fork you will need to buy an additional Tribal Special Use Permit: $25 for 3 days or $75 for a year from date of purchase.

Enjoy Cherokee Fishing, Hiking, Tubing, Golf and Other Great Outdoors Adventures

If you want help planning a great Cherokee fishing vacation that includes other outdoor adventures in Cherokee and beautiful Western North Carolina, Smoky Mountain Host would love to help. We have great information on fishing in the smoky mountains and Cherokee fishing, as well as hiking trails, bike trails, tubing, kayaking, golf and more. We can help you plan an outdoors adventure dream vacation!

We can also help you find a place to stay, recommend places to eat and give you info on many other activities and attractions in the Smoky Mountains. If you have any questions or would like to order our free Travel Guide call call 1-800-432-4678. Or you can order the guide online.