The mission of Tennessee Trout Unlimited’s trout adventure camp is to instill in youth 12 to 16 years old the importance of conserving, protecting and restoring our aquatic resources.
The tool we use to accomplish this is teaching campers the fundamentals of fly fishing. We believe that sharing our passion for the sport will develop an understanding not only of how to enjoy fishing for trout in the Great Smoky Mountains, but also of the responsibility we all share for the integrity of our coldwater ecosystems.
The camp was founded in 2010 as the Great Smoky Mountains Trout Adventure Camp and later renamed in honor of John Thurman, the person most instrumental in the camp’s establishment. Thurman, of Norris, died in October 2020.
The camp, based at Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, is sponsored by the Tennessee Council of Trout Unlimited with funding from the Tennessee Trout Unlimited Conservation License Plate, and supported by volunteers from the state’s eight TU chapters.
For more information, visit the camp website (click here).
The tool we use to accomplish this is teaching campers the fundamentals of fly fishing. We believe that sharing our passion for the sport will develop an understanding not only of how to enjoy fishing for trout in the Great Smoky Mountains, but also of the responsibility we all share for the integrity of our coldwater ecosystems.
The camp was founded in 2010 as the Great Smoky Mountains Trout Adventure Camp and later renamed in honor of John Thurman, the person most instrumental in the camp’s establishment. Thurman, of Norris, died in October 2020.
The camp, based at Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, is sponsored by the Tennessee Council of Trout Unlimited with funding from the Tennessee Trout Unlimited Conservation License Plate, and supported by volunteers from the state’s eight TU chapters.
For more information, visit the camp website (click here).
Applications Are Open Now For 2025 Camp, Set For June 16-21
Applications are open for the John Thurman Trout Adventure Camp for middle-school-age girls and boys, scheduled June 16-21 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The camp, sponsored by the Tennessee Council of Trout Unlimited (TU) and supported by proceeds from TU’s Tennessee Conservation License Plate, is based at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont.
The camp is aimed at youth 12–16 years old who are interested in learning conservation through the sport of fly fishing in a mountain stream environment. Campers can be boys or girls (TU does require at least two campers of one gender) and are encouraged to be Tennessee residents.
John Thurman Trout Adventure Camp promotes an appreciation of coldwater conservation through activities in stream science and fly fishing. Campers receive instruction in fly casting, fly tying, how to fish mountain streams, as well as being guided on fishing trips by experienced mentors.
Science activities include catching and identifying aquatic invertebrates and flying bugs that trout eat, learning how they are duplicated with artificial fishing flies, trapping and identifying fish that live in streams, and observing fish in their natural habitat by snorkeling in a stream. Although activities are planned for every day, there is also time for recreation including swimming, hiking and fishing.
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont is located along the Middle Prong of Little River in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The facility includes dining hall, classrooms and sleeping facilities; the institute’s professional staff lead some camp activities.
For more information including photos from previous camps, a schedule of camp activities, and an online application, please go to the camp website, www.tntroutadventure.org. You can also contact Sean Fagan or Mike Givney.
Camp tuition in 2025 will be $550. Financial aid can be obtained through Tennessee TU chapters—for a list of chapters, click here.
The camp, sponsored by the Tennessee Council of Trout Unlimited (TU) and supported by proceeds from TU’s Tennessee Conservation License Plate, is based at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont.
The camp is aimed at youth 12–16 years old who are interested in learning conservation through the sport of fly fishing in a mountain stream environment. Campers can be boys or girls (TU does require at least two campers of one gender) and are encouraged to be Tennessee residents.
John Thurman Trout Adventure Camp promotes an appreciation of coldwater conservation through activities in stream science and fly fishing. Campers receive instruction in fly casting, fly tying, how to fish mountain streams, as well as being guided on fishing trips by experienced mentors.
Science activities include catching and identifying aquatic invertebrates and flying bugs that trout eat, learning how they are duplicated with artificial fishing flies, trapping and identifying fish that live in streams, and observing fish in their natural habitat by snorkeling in a stream. Although activities are planned for every day, there is also time for recreation including swimming, hiking and fishing.
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont is located along the Middle Prong of Little River in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The facility includes dining hall, classrooms and sleeping facilities; the institute’s professional staff lead some camp activities.
For more information including photos from previous camps, a schedule of camp activities, and an online application, please go to the camp website, www.tntroutadventure.org. You can also contact Sean Fagan or Mike Givney.
Camp tuition in 2025 will be $550. Financial aid can be obtained through Tennessee TU chapters—for a list of chapters, click here.