If you do not see today’s Fishing Report, please refresh your browser to empty your cache.
Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:58 am, the temperature is 34.0 degrees.
It will be mostly cloudy and warmer today, with a high temperature in the low 50’s, falling to the upper 20’s tonight. Rain will arrive again tomorrow, then turn to snow late in the day. The high temperature will be in the low 40’s, dropping to the low to middle teens at night. We can expect snow showers Thursday night. Friday will be sunny and cold.
Many roads are still closed due to snow and ice in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road), Little River Road, Laurel Creek Road and Cades Cove Loop Road.
Little River is flowing at 761 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 3.10 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 329 cfs. The water temperature is 46.2 degrees and falling.
Most streams in the Smokies are flowing higher than normal. Some are swift and may not be safe to wade. Access to many streams is limited by closed roads. Water temperatures are falling. Over the next few days, the water will be cold and get colder. Trout will be sluggish. These are not ideal conditions for fly fishing in the mountains.
The same is true in the lowland rivers flowing out of the mountains and through the valleys. The streams are flowing high and water temperatures are chilly. Smallmouth bass fishing will be slow. You may catch stocked trout on nymphs, squirmy worms, mop flies or egg patterns. Be careful wading.
I saw a few breaks in the generation schedules at some dams on the TVA website, especially later today but not many. Visit the site from the links below to see what is going on at your favorite tailwater.
It is hard to believe that just a few days ago, the streams were warm, fly fishing for trout was good, and aquatic insect activity was high. We had good friends visiting over the New Year weekend and we were sitting outside without wearing jackets. The high temperature was in the 60’s and low 70's.
We had our first snowfall this week. Many people are still without power. Power was off at our house for 24 hours and I feel lucky.
The mountains are covered with snow, though the views have been mostly obscured by fog this week. The caretaker at LeConte Lodge reported 10 inches of snow on the ground and a low temperature of 13 degrees day before yesterday.
Now, we anticipate colder days, the chance for more snow, and sub-freezing temperatures at night. Winter has arrived!
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
January 5, 2021
BEGINNER FLY TYING CLASSES HELD BY THE CLINCH RIVER CHAPTER OF TROUT UNLIMITED BEGINNING SATURDAY JANUARY 15TH.
This is your chance to begin tying trout flies in a six week course held in Norris, Tennessee. The Saturday classes will last three hours. All materials and tools will be provided. This is a great fly tying class, that has been held by the chapter for many years. The instructors are experts. The cost of the class is $125. You can learn more about this class by CLICKING HERE.
WALTER BABB MADE BAMBOO FLY RODS FOR SALE DIRECTLY FROM WALTER – CLICK HERE
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com
|
