My perspective from fishing the bottom part of Lake Michigan (Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan) was minnows (for bait fisherman) reeled in over rocks from the piers. If you use artificial lures or flies. small spoons or rooster tails or Clouser minnows (Fly fishing)

Wiggle stones and Czech nymphs!

I like to use a swivel for flies I want to 'wiggle' or otherwise move, even on the surface

Love swinging soft hackles and high stick nymphing with them too!

I'd use a 5wt for casting larger flies and fot longer casts, but a 3wt would suffuce

The best Speck (aka Brook Trout, or native Appalachian Char)waters are any (and often) all of the higher elevation feeder creeks and any waters above falls. Little Cataloochee, on the NC side of the park, is a favorite Speck spot of mine, as is Kanati Fork, a easy access Speck feeder to the Oconaluftee River (also in NC).The TN side of the park is also a Speck Mecca-I'm just not as knowledgeable of that side. Be friendly and pick up trash when you see any and locals will give you great and current spots too. Enjoy!

I fish a 5wt, 9 foot Redington in Western North Carolina and find it works well on the streams

Boy do I miss ice fishing. Great fish and pics!

Here in Western North Carolina I use bead-head soft hackles without an indicator and cast well above the point I think hold fish

Learn to single- and double-haul. It will increase your cast exponentially!

Thanks for sharing, and super cool