City: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN

Category: Annual Events & Festivals

Telephone: (865) 661-3474

Description: After a long winter without restocking, more than 10,000 trout are released into the Little Pigeon River, running from the national park boundary in Gatlinburg all the way to Sevierville. Participants are allowed to keep what they catch, and more than $10,000 in prizes is up for grabs as well. Prizes include $500 cash awards for the largest (and smallest) trout, gift certificates, trophies, fishing gear, and more. The two-day event takes place the first weekend of April. The competition is open to anglers of all ages, although entrants are separated into “tourist” and “local” divisions and then subdivided into “adult” and “children” groups. And tournament organizers say that no matter how they fare, all kids who enter walk away with a prize. The $40 entry fee covers both days of the event (or pay $25 for either day), but a Tennessee fishing license and a trout permit in Gatlinburg are also required to participate (see the Parks and Recreation chapter for information on obtaining a license). In addition to the spring event, a fall tournament also takes place the last week of September.