Here at Trout Zone Anglers, our goal is to give you the best possible day on the water. Accordingly, I keep trip sizes small with no more than two anglers per guide. We feel that hiring only the best fly fishing guides in the area will provide you with the most memorable day on the water. Our guides are all chosen not only for their intimate knowledge of the streams they guide on but also for their overall attention to detail and quality of service. We believe that a guided fly fishing trip should help you become a better angler. Our guides are here to help you accomplish that goal.
We have had some amazing guides helping us with trips over the years. Starting in 2018, we added long time Smokies guide Travis Williams. He has since retired from guiding but now runs the famed Gatlinburg Trout Facility, managing one of the best trout fisheries in the state of Tennessee. As we continue to expand our offerings, we have continued growing our guide staff.
In 2021, we added Pat Tully who is an excellent angler and guide. Pat has been guiding for the prestigious and exclusive Blackberry Farm. He is one of the most patient anglers I know and once watched a big brown trout over 20″ long for 2+ hours until the fish started feeding. He then waded in and proceeded to catch that trophy fish. Most anglers could not sit still for that long! Pat is now joining the other Trout Zone Anglers fly fishing guides and hopes to share his love of fly fishing with you.
Next, in 2023 we added expert guide and angler Elam Kuhn on a part time basis. Elam is one of the fishiest guys I know and knows the Smokies better than almost anyone I’ve met. His approach to fly fishing reminds me a lot of my own style. Elam is now the Fly Fishing Manager at Blackberry Farm and thus is too busy to run trips for Trout Zone Anglers, but we hope to bring him back at some point in the future.
Most recently, we have added Chris Bean to our regular guide staff. Chris comes to us from Blackberry Farm and has guided there for several years before making the transition to Trout Zone Anglers. Chris has a passion for our streams and the fish that live there and approaches all of his fishing and guiding with the goal of figuring out the most effective methods and techniques. He brings yet another unique skill set that makes us stronger as a guide staff, and we’re glad to have him on the team.
We hope to continue growing while only hiring additional guides who can provide a superior fly fishing experience. Note that all Trout Zone Anglers guides follow the specific requirements for the bodies of water they guide. If you are fishing on a river or lake regulated by the USCG, then your guide is certified as an OUPV Captain by the USCG. If you have a specific guide request, please let us know that at the time of booking. We here at Trout Zone Anglers look forward to sharing a day on the water with you sometime in the future!
Sincerely,
David Knapp
Meet the Trout Zone Anglers Fly Fishing Guides
David Knapp is the owner and head guide at Trout Zone Anglers. He began fly fishing as a kid and never looked back. Learning on the streams of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it didn’t take long before David began to learn the intricacies of tailwater fishing for trout on rivers like the Caney Fork. Smallmouth bass and other warm water species like carp are another favorite for David. While he prefers chasing big brown trout wherever he can find them, with his favorite being in the Great Smoky Mountains, he also has a real soft spot for native brook trout. In the summer, you are likely to find David with a light fly rod and a few dry flies chasing brook trout in the higher elevations of the Smokies.
A high school math teacher for several years, David brings his teaching passion and expertise to guiding. He believes that a guide trip should be a learning experience that helps you become a better angler. To that end, David completed a Masters in Outdoor Education and continues to expand his knowledge and skill set to provide the best possible experience for visiting anglers.
David’s specialties include teaching traditional high stick nymphing methods along with more modern euro techniques, tailwater midge fishing from the drift boat, and targeting large predatory brown trout. David also enjoys streamer fishing, both in the mountains and on tailwaters out of the drift boat and also chasing musky on the fly. Finally, David is somewhat of a bug nut. If you want a chance to fish some of the best dry fly hatches in the Smokies, then David is your guy.
Pat Tully grew up in the Jacksonville, Florida area. His passion of fishing was first ignited at the age of eight. His grandpa and dad taught him how to fly fish on several ponds he frequented. Fast forward to college and he was looking for any opportunity to head to north Georgia. There he liked to chase beautiful wild trout. After visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with his wife, they decided to go on their big adventure and move to the area. Pat is still amazed that he can catch wild trout in his own backyard. This is something he hopes never to take for granted.
After ten years in the turf-grass maintenance industry, Pat is excited to share one of his favorite passions with people. That could include hiking in for native brook trout, chasing after big browns, or stalking rainbows on Abrams Creek. He is married to a wonderful and understanding wife. They enjoy the time they have had with their 7 year old daughter and 5 year old son. Pat looks forward to passing on his love of fishing to his kids someday. When he isn’t on the water, you can find him playing with his kids, woodworking, and fellowshipping with his church family.
Pat’s specialty is teaching anglers to find success on the streams of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Chasing brook trout is always a favorite, but Pat also enjoys hunting for large wild brown trout and teaching the tactics necessary to be successful there. Pat has developed a passion for large tailwater trout, and also spends a lot of time on the Clinch River pursuing the wild rainbows there as well as big brown trout. He also guides the Caney Fork and Obey Rivers in middle Tennessee.
Chris Bean was born and raised in Knoxville, TN. He now lives in Maryville, TN with his wife and daughter. When he is not fishing, Chris likes to spend his time either backpacking with his wife or finding new ways to challenge himself at the fly tying vice. Chris got his start in the guiding industry at Blackberry Farm, where he guided full time for 3 years before coming to work for Trout Zone Anglers.
Chris cut his teeth fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) where he still likes to spend much of his personal fishing time. His biggest passion, after the Lord and his family, is chasing predatory cool and cold water fish – including smallmouth bass and muskies on our larger local rivers and trophy wild brown trout in the GSMNP. He also has a love for adventure that finds him chasing native Brookies, constantly exploring new water, and spending time in more remote and less pressured backcountry areas of the GSMNP.
Chris has a passion for instructing and enjoys helping people of all skill levels learn something new and improve their angling skillset. His specialties include fishing the GSMNP, chasing trophy brown trout in small freestones, streamer fishing, casting instruction, and tight-line/Euro nymphing.