(GATLINBURG, Tenn.) SMOKIES.LIVE – Gatlinburg opened up catch and release season with a fishing tournament paired with a litter clean-up.
Instead of an entry fee, the Spring Trout Tournament and River Cleanup accepted a bag of garbage from the riverbank. Organizers say this combines the love for angling and keeping Sevier Beautiful into one event.
“Fishing in Gatlinburg is very important to many people and being able to fish in clean waters and surroundings is imperative, which is why the emphasis has been placed on cleaning up litter, especially in areas along the river and below the tree line,” Gatlinburg Trout Facility Manager Travis Williams said.
168 people participated in the event which ended with weigh-ins for fish caught today totaled at 7.28 lbs. There was a 9 lbs. caught that was not a part of the tournament.
Williams said he noticed a lot of litter on the creekbanks, and there has always been an emphasis on the roadways, he wanted the rivers to be just as clear of litter.
Gatlinburg is the only place in the state that gets stocked year-round weather permitting. Click here to find out the best time to go fishing in Gatlinburg.
The tournament format was a catch-and-keep tournament with a two-fish limit.
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