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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 6:34 am, the temperature outside is 48.6 degrees.

It rained again much of the night with rainfall in Townsend measuring .35 inches. One half inch of rain fell at the Knoxville Airport yesterday while that number was .77 inches in Townsend. The forecast is calling for another quarter to half of an inch today and up to a quarter of an inch tonight. It will be warm again today.

Tomorrow will be a little cooler, and sunny later in the day. Sunday will be sunny and warm.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PREDICTED HIGHS AND LOWS TODAY

Little River is flowing at 753 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 3.06 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 330 cfs. The water temperature is a very warm 52.5 degrees this morning.

Little Pigeon River is flowing at 2,020 cfs or 3.69 feet at the Sevierville gauge. Median flow for this date is 527 cfs.

Oconaluftee River, at the Birdtown gauge, is flowing at 1,390 cfs or 2.95 feet. That compares to median flow of 550 cfs for this date. The water temperature is 49.6 degrees this morning.

Tellico River is flowing at 1,090 cfs, 6.41 feet, which compares to median flow of 280 cfs for this date.

Cataloochee Creek is flowing at 303 cfs, 3.25 feet, and that compares to median flow of 118 cfs. The water temperature is 48.6 degrees this morning.

Right now, the streams in the Smokies are flowing at two to three times their normal level for this date. More rain is coming. But, it will end tomorrow morning. Water temperatures are very warm, like we see in the Spring, when the hatches begin. I saw terrestrial insects last night, trying to reach the lights inside our house.

If we did not have so much water in the streams, fishing would be very good. Hopefully the rain we get today and tonight will not be as much as is predicted. Maybe, fishing will be better this weekend. The ground is saturated, which means the streams will recede fairly slow.

If you go today, be careful wading. I think your best bet would be to stand near the banks and fish heavily weighted nymphs close, and “high sticking”. The trout, especially in the lower elevations will be active due to the warm water temperatures. Be mindful, that there is the possibility for rising water. Some streams may be stained today.

You may find Little River Road is closed from Metcalf Bottoms to the Townsend “Y”. The Park’s Roads Twitter page has not been updated since January 1st, and it indicates that road is still closed due to downed trees and debris. It may be open, or maybe it is not. The Park is short staffed due to the government partial shutdown. Due to that, they may not have updated the page, or they don’t have the personnel to clear the road.

If you enter the Park from Townsend, you may only be able to fish the Middle Prong, West Prong, Laurel Creek, Anthony Creek or Abrams Creek.

You may be able to enter the Park at Metcalf Bottoms, and fish toward Elkmont. According to the Park’s Twitter page, you can.

Wherever you go, you will find high water, compared to normal.

Dave and Melissa Harrell will be demonstrating fly tying at the shop tomorrow between 10 am and 2 pm. They will be tying simultaneously at different locations in the shop. This event is free. All you have to do is show up. You can sit down and watch them tie, while talking to them about fly fishing and tying. Their home water is the Clinch River tailwater. This is an opportunity to learn more about that river and other tailwaters in East Tennessee.

Our fly tying department is stocked very well. I know, because I placed an order yesterday and I will order from more suppliers today. We should receive two shipments today, one from Renzetti and another from Umpqua and Metz. I put out a Whiting Farms order yesterday. Wapsi and Hareline Dubbin orders were received just before the new year. When an order for the fly tying department arrives, I order from that supplier again. If we are out of something, that is usually because they are out.

Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.

Byron Begley
January 4, 2019

Fly Tying Classes January, February and March 2019 Taught by Walter Babb and Brian Courtney Beginner to Advanced CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com