Whether trout actually like bridges or whether they just happen to provide the perfect vantage point to spot fish is debatable, but either way, there are many famous bridges in fly fishing. One of my all time favorites and probably one of the more famous is the well known $3 Bridge on the Madison River in Montana. Another highly recognizable bridge I've been fortunate enough to catch fish below is on the White River in Cotter, Arkansas. Many fly anglers can glance at these scenes and know exactly where they are.
 |
| $3 Bridge on the Madison. ©2015 David Knapp Photography |
 |
| "Cotter Bridge over the White River in Arkansas" Photo Courtesy of Taylor Wooten ©2024 |
When I started fly fishing, most of my fly fishing information came in the form of books, magazines, and VHS videos. Fly Fisherman magazine was one of my favorite moments each month. When it came in the mail, I would find a comfy chair and settle in for a long reading session. In my later years, I've made it a point to visit some of the more recognizable or famous places I still remember from reading those magazines. Back then, you had to go a little out of your way to learn about these places, at least to the extend that you had to spend some money to buy a magazine or book, then had to take the time to read the thing in its entirety. Now, things are just a little more accessible.
Just for kicks and giggles, I asked Google's Gemini AI what some famous or well known bridges in fly fishing were. Interestingly enough, it came up with some very solid answers and did so in mere seconds. I won't repeat them here, but do the experiment yourself if you have time. Now all of that information is at our fingertips. I was talking to my good friend and fellow guide Rob Fightmaster the other day, and we were commiserating about how the Internet has ruined fly fishing. There was a time when you had to drive to a stream or trailhead, and then fish (or hike and then fish) a stream to know if it was worth the time of day or not. Now, some of our favorite small streams are absolutely covered in anglers. There are lots of people who want to enjoy the fruits of fly fishing, but don't want to put in the effort and miles on their boots. With modern technology (like a certain well known app), all of that is easily accessed.
As a fly fishing guide, I'm not too worried about job security. Getting to a high quality trout stream is easier than ever with all of the information out there, but catching fish still takes some old fashioned know how. Just lately, we've had a ton of last minute calls from people vacationing in the Smokies and fly fishing for several days with minimal to no success. For the lucky few we were able to squeeze into our guide calendar, they quickly learned how to catch fish up here. For the rest, we had to respond with a "sorry but we're booked, holler back next time."
That said, it is a fair question to ask myself: how much information is appropriate to share online? For the last few years of guiding, I've found myself being more and more careful about how I frame pictures with clients, especially if I (or they) will be using the picture on social media. Once, when I had a client catch a giant brown trout, we told the creel clerk about it when he asked about our day. For the next week or so, the area of river we had caught that fish had numerous spin anglers trying and trying to catch that big fish. It doesn't take long for news to get out in the fishing world, and not everyone has my same set of ethics. And that takes us back to the bridges.
If I had a dollar for every picture I've taken of clients with very recognizable bridges in the background, I would be rich. Well, maybe not exactly, but you get the idea. Here in my neck of the woods, some bridges are more well known than others. For example, the highway 61 bridge in Clinton, TN over the Clinch River is super recognizable if you've ever been there. Same thing with the I-75 bridge over the Clinch and the five I-40 bridges over the Caney Fork. In the Smokies, there are several recognizable bridges over various streams including Little River. Some are road bridges and some are trail bridges. Some of the trail bridges in the Smokies are even more recognizable than the road bridges are.
For some reason, I am drawn to scenes with bridges in them. The contrast of the rugged wilderness with the engineered imprint of man is striking, and I often find myself snapping pictures of bridges regardless of whether I have an angler in the picture of not. Sharing them is more of a challenge, as I'm always torn between sharing the incredible scenery and the risk of hot spotting. Not that there are really any secrets anymore, but I don't want to be the guy that adds even a little extra pressure on my favorite streams. That holds true regardless of whether they are in my backyard or are on the other side of the country.
So, for the time being, I'll mostly avoid sharing recognizable views of the waters I fish. To know the spots I'm fishing, you would generally need to already be very familiar with the water to figure it out from my pictures. That's the way it should be. We need to get back to anglers putting in the time and earning their knowledge. If you've already earned it, my sharing a picture isn't going to change you fishing there or not.
Recently, the Bassmaster Classic was held in Knoxville, TN. Video clips made their way around social media throughout the event and shortly after, featuring anglers vying for the big money. One of the things I noticed about the winner was that he was staring at a screen. I've done just enough research to know that live scope is a major hot topic in the tournament bass world (and fishing world more broadly). That said, for me personally, if I want to play video games, I'll stay home. I get out to enjoy nature and am always interested in ways to make the game harder, not easier. Sure, if I was pursuing the big purse in a major tournament, I might look at things differently, but there is a reason I'm not a tournament bass fisherman.
Instead, I'll keep pouring over maps for hours in far flung destinations, searching for what may just be the best fishing hole I've ever fished. I won't know unless I go try it out for myself, regardless of how much research I do ahead of time. After all, for me, the searching is as much the draw as what I find there. While I'm off looking at maps, here are a few local bridges that just might be recognizable to an angler. How many of them do you recognize?
 |
| My good friend Bart hooked up on an East Tennessee trout river. ©2025 David Knapp Photography |
 |
| Early mornings on the river. ©2026 David Knapp Photography |
 |
| One of the most fished streams in the Smokies. ©2026 David Knapp Photography |
 |
| Smallmouth streams need some love also. ©2025 David Knapp Photography |
 |
| Some backcountry bridges are more recognizable than others. ©2025 David Knapp Photography |
