Print it. Bag it. Bring it.Phones die, screens crack, and most of this water has no signal. Print this map, fold it into a zip-top bag or dry bag with your license, and you have a backup your electronics can’t give you. Every marker is numbered so you can say exactly where you are.
| # | Point | Type | Lat, Lon | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unnamed weir Low weir — scout and portage | Dam / hazard | 35.04252, -83.38418 | Low weir across the river above Prentiss. Unnamed in OpenStreetMap; treat any low-head structure as a portage. |
| 2 | Riverside Access Macon County | Access / boat ramp | 35.09087, -83.38176 | Developed bank access on the upper river below the Georgia line. |
| 3 | USGS 03500000 — Little Tennessee River near Prentiss USGS streamflow gauge · the site's reference gauge | USGS gauge | 35.15000, -83.37972 | The gauge GuidedFloats reports for this river, above Franklin. Reproduces the roster coordinate exactly on the NWIS site service. |
| 4 | Nantahala Ranger District Office USFS · Nantahala National Forest | Agency / conservation office | 35.16939, -83.40687 | Forest Service district office in Franklin; the agency contact for the national-forest reaches and the Needmore tract road access. |
| 5 | Fish Tales Outfitters & Guide Service 29 E Main St, Franklin · fly shop & tackle | Bait, tackle & fly shop | 35.18210, -83.38070 | Franklin fly shop and guide service, two blocks off the river greenway. Placed from the street address, not an OSM shop node. |
| 6 | Porter Bend Dam Dam — portage | Dam / hazard | 35.21939, -83.37106 | Dam at Porter Bend below Franklin. Scout and portage. |
| 7 | Rose Creek Campground Private campground near the river | Campsite | 35.23778, -83.40519 | Campground near the Rose Creek confluence, within walking distance of the river. |
| 8 | Tanasi Landing Place Little Tennessee River Greenway | Access / boat ramp | 35.23889, -83.39772 | Landing and interpretive site on the Little Tennessee, marking the Cherokee town of Tanasi. |
| 9 | Pyle Dam Dam — portage | Dam / hazard | 35.26727, -83.42142 | Dam on the reach below Franklin heading toward the Needmore tract. Scout and portage. |
Gauge: USGS 03500000 — Little Tennessee River near Prentiss, NC. Live flow on the web page.
Species: Brown Trout, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Redeye Bass, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass
Regulations: www.ncwildlife.gov/fishing/regulations
Emergency: call 911 and give the number of the nearest point on this map plus its coordinates.
Rock Hill Road river access south of Franklin - established public put-in on the upper river.
Little Tennessee River Greenway in Franklin - long stretch of public bank access with parking.
Prentiss bridge crossing near the gauge - mid-valley access and a common wading spot.
Tessentee Bottomland Preserve - conserved riverfront access on the upper river.
Lake Emory access below Franklin - the lower end of the free-flowing upper river.
Needmore Tract river access - large conserved corridor with several informal launches downstream.
US 441 crossings north and south of Franklin - convenient bridge access for short wades.
Spring: high, colored water early, then a strong smallmouth prespawn as the river drops into shape in May.
Summer: the prime float months, with topwater smallmouth fishing at dawn and dusk on the shoals.
Fall: falling water and feeding smallmouth, plus trout moving in the cooling tributaries.
Winter: cold and often high, mostly a deep, slow presentation game for the few anglers who fish it.