When the family decided to vacation in the Smokey Mountains this summer I set off to find a fishing trip for my son and I to experience together. Booking and fishing with guide Derek not only make that bonding fishing trip come to fruition, but also made for some fantastic fishing. The communication was outstanding and Derek’s passion for fishing truly made for an amazing six hour morning trip complete with plenty of fish to cook on the grill later that night. Thanks for the memories Derek

We had an outstanding experience with Smoky Mountain Fishing Company, special thanks to our guide Derek. Booking was seamless, and Derek reached out ahead of time to make sure we were fully prepared for the trip. When we met at the ramp I could tell he knew exactly what he was doing, and that confidence carried through the entire day. He was easy to talk to, very friendly, and kept the experience relaxed. especially when we made mistakes, or missed a fish, which he handled with a playful attitude that made the experience even more enjoyable.
Once we got on the water, Derek didn’t waste any time. He was direct. if the fish were on the left, cast left. On the right, cast right. That kind of clarity made a big difference because we didn’t waste time fishing in the wrong places. We started upriver and he had his vehicle shuttled downstream, which allowed us to cover several miles of water.
The bite was steady all day, and we caught both rainbow and brown trout. The highlight was my wife landing her biggest rainbow trout ever. Derek handled that moment like a professional. He stopped the boat, kept my wife focused, and made sure that fish made it into the net. While I caught a solid one too, hers was definitely the star of the show.
Derek was clearly invested in getting us on fish, while still keeping it our responsibility to catch them, which is exactly how it should be. He came fully prepared with all the gear we needed, and everything ran smoothly from start to finish.
I highly recommend Derek and Smoky Mountain Fishing Company to anyone looking for a great guided fishing experience. I wouldn’t hesitate to book with him again.

Before this Fishing trip all my son caught was blue gill. He was not expecting to catch fish this big! He was so excited! Captain Derek was great and knows his stuff, and really made sure my son and I had alot of fun. On the way home, we picked up stuff for fish tacos. we definitely will be booking with Derek again in the future!

First and foremost, Captain Alston was the best. I’ve done several guided trips salt water fishing and have never had a guide as personable, patient, and willing to share his knowledge and experience as this trip.
While the fishing was not super hot, he let us know going into the trip. “We’re fishing quality, not quantity, unless you want me to put on a bunch of little fish.”
We are all about quality and he did not disappoint! My son hooked what looked to be an 18-20” Rainbow, but lost it right at the boat. I then hooked my own PR Rainbow (22-24) AND landed it in the boat… after some fist bumps and warranted smack talk to my oldest boy, we continued to motor (row) on and nabbed a few smallies, as well. All and all a great and highly recommended trip! You can’t go wrong with this ambitious, motivated Captain who is just as excited to put you on the fishing as if he caught the beasts himself!