Gatlinburg's prime fishing spot, the Little Pigeon River, will be taking a temporary hit to one of its fish populations, critics be dammed. Gatlinburg is renovating its state-owned trout production palace and locals and tourists alike will have to wait until projects wrap up this October to get their lines wet with the city's trout offerings. Starting this past week, the Gatlinburg Trout Facility began its renovations, putting a stop to the weekly stocking of fish it's known for since the good ol' times of 1981, several local reports state.

Gatlinburg is ripping out all six raceways, those waterlogged pathways where trout have grown from roe to 'whoa' under the watch of anglers and picnickers for decades, and it's not just a facelift. Beyond the new raceways, an anti-predator pavilion is going up plus bleachers for the curious minds who want to dive deeper into fish farming without getting wet. Renovations in the Herbert Holt Park home base are said to be completed in October, WATE reported.

City Manager Greg Patterson is casting a wide net with this overhaul, aiming to hook not just fish but also the hearts and minds of nature lovers and fishing aficionados alike, with a better connection to the scaly denizens of the stream.

Travis Williams, the top fish at the Gatlinburg Trout Facility, didn't mince words about how the construction may leave anglers feeling a bit like a fish out of water. “The Recreation Department apologizes for being unable to stock trout into the river during the renovations at the Trout Facility,” Williams was quoted, casting responsibility with the grace of a practiced fisherman,  “Please know that this project will allow the Gatlinburg Trout Program to be even better in the future for the many individuals and families who come to Gatlinburg to enjoy fishing.” This promise was echoed in a statement to  WVLT.