The local Tuckaseigee Chapter of Trout Unlimited, a national fly-fishing organization, is enlisting the help of fellow fly-fishers to speak out against the North Shore Road that would traverse the southern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and bisect Eagle, Forney and Hazel creeks.

Those creeks — located in a remote section of the park accessible only by a boat ride across Lake Fontana or overnight hiking — are prized trout fishing territory. It is one of the only few places that can rival the wilderness fly-fishing destinations of out West, and is regularly featured in national sport-fishing magazines. They are also home to some of the few naturally producing native trout populations.

The Tuck chapter, which has members from Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain, sent packets of pre-stamped postcards to all the other Trout Unlimited chapters in the state. Each chapter will distribute the postcards to their members to send in to the park service, which is conducting an environmental assessment on the prospect of the road. The Tuckaseigee Chapter, in conjunction with N.C. Council of TU, has passed a formal resolution in opposition to the road.

— By Becky Johnson