Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Cataloochee Valley Post-Helene Fisheries Evaluation
Originally Published in The Angler Magazine – December 1 2025 by Tom Champeau – Pisgah TULink to the magazine: https://coastalanglermag.com/great-smoky-mountains-national-park-cataloochee-valley-post-helene-fisheries-evaluation/ Tom Champeau – Pisgah Chapter of Trout Unlimited In late September 2024, Hurricane Helene damaged roads, trails, foot bridges, and historic buildings of the Cataloochee Valley in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). The […]
Preserving Genetic Integrity of Southern Appalachian Brook Trout
Originally Published in The Angler Magazine – November 19, 2025 By Tom Champeau – Pisgah TULink to the magazine: https://coastalanglermag.com/preserving-genetic-integrity-of-southern-appalachian-brook-trout/ Tom Champeau, Pisgah Chapter of Trout Unlimited In western North Carolina, federal and state fisheries biologists are working hard to provide trout populations that support recreational fishing while protecting stocks of wild rainbow (originally from […]
Land O’ Sky Trout Unlimited – October Chapter Meeting Recap
Date: October 14, 2025 Guest Speaker: Jon Stamper, River Cleanup Coordinator, MountainTrue The Land O’ Sky Trout Unlimited chapter met on October 14 for an update on river cleanup and post-Helene river recovery work across Western North Carolina. Our guest speaker was Jon Stamper, MountainTrue’s River Cleanup Coordinator. Jon grew up in Asheville, now lives […]
Land O’ Sky Trout Unlimited + Georgia State University + National Park Trust: September in the Smokies
There’s nothing better than watching new anglers light up with excitement on the water — and that’s exactly what we got to be part of in the Great Smoky Mountains this September. Thanks to the National Park Trust, we had the privilege of helping host 14 enthusiastic Georgia State University students and staff for a weekend […]
Back in the Water: Land O’ Sky TU’s Temperature Monitoring Journey
If you’ve followed Land O’ Sky Trout Unlimited for the last couple of years, you know that we’re not afraid of a big project—or a few setbacks along the way. Our mission has always been clear: protect and restore native brook trout waters in Western North Carolina. And while that sounds noble (and it is), […]
Armstrong Hatchery Reopens, Paving the Way for Big Boost in Trout Program
Good news is flowing for trout anglers across Western North Carolina. Less than a year after Tropical Storm Helene nearly destroyed the Armstrong State Fish Hatchery in Marion, the facility is already set to be fully operational by November—a remarkable turnaround for such a heavily damaged site. Helene caused extensive destruction at Armstrong, wiping out […]
Biggest Conservation Stories from 2023
2023 was another big year for conservation within the fly fishing community. We witnessed historic victories to protect and restore habitats and environmental disasters and fishery management challenges that threaten the longterm sustainability and abundance of our fisheries. Follow along for our 2023 conservation roundup–the good and the bad. 1. Pebble Mine Rejected!After years and […]