Cruise the Smokies Spring Rod Run

Sponsored by the North American Indian Women’s Association (NAIWA), the Strawberry Festival features fresh berries, delicious recipes, strawberry products, and fun activities for the whole family. Admission is free to the public. 

Entertainment/Event Schedule:
9 a.m.
Opening ceremony
Concession stand opens
Strawberry Legends: adult and youth

10 a.m.–2 p.m. 
Children’s strawberry themed table activities

11 a.m.
Children's activities and Miss Strawberry Shortcake

1 p.m.
Concession stand closes

2 p.m.
Adult and youth contests
Prizes awarded     

4 p.m.
End of festival                  

Spend the long weekend with the boys: rainbow, brook, golden, and brown. Your $15 entry fee and $17 two-day fishing permit lets you compete for $10,000 in tagged fish within the beautiful freestone streams of Cherokee, NC; only the 2.2 miles of catch-and-release waters are excluded.

Tagged fish will be specially stocked for this event, and when you catch one, you redeem it for cash prizes at the Natural Resources Enforcement Office located at 517 Sequoyah Trail off Hwy 441. Open to all ages and for all legal fishing methods.

Register for this tournament anywhere fishing permits are sold in and around Cherokee or online at FishCherokee.com by Friday, May 22, 2020. Prize redemption will run from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. each tournament day. 

In honor of Tim Hill, a longtime employee at our very own trout hatchery who sadly passed away far too soon, we’re inviting you to fish and compete in this fun and lucrative tournament in his name. With a registration fee of $15 and a two-day fishing permit for $17, you’ll be fishing for your share of $10,000 by catching beautiful fish in rivers all across the Qualla Boundary (excluding the 2.2 miles of catch-and-release waters), which will be stocked with tagged fish.

Tagged fish will be specially stocked for this event, and when you catch one, you redeem it for cash prizes at the Natural Resources Enforcement Office located at 517 Sequoyah Trail off Hwy 441. Register anywhere fishing licenses are sold or at FishCherokee.com by Friday, July 10, 2020. Fishing will start one hour before sunrise and end one hour after sunset each day. Open to all ages and for all legal fishing methods. Prize redemption will run from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. each tournament day. 

It’s not too late to take home the summer’s biggest trout. Your $15 entry fee and $17 two-day fishing permit lets you compete for your share of $20,000 in the pristine, freestone streams of Cherokee (excluding the 2.2 miles of catch-and-release waters).

Tagged fish will be specially stocked for this event, and when you catch one, you redeem it for cash prizes at the Natural Resources Enforcement Office located at 517 Sequoyah Trail off Hwy 441. Register anywhere fishing licenses are sold or at FishCherokee.com by Friday, September 4, 2020. Fishing will start one hour before sunrise and end one hour after sunset each day. Open to all ages and for all legal fishing methods. Prize redemption will run from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. each day.