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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:21 am, the temperature outside is 41.7 degrees.
Light showers are likely today with rainfall totals up to one quarter of an inch. Expect a high temperature in the upper 40’s dipping to the freezing mark tonight. It will be mostly sunny tomorrow with temperatures similar to what we will have today and tonight.
Little River is flowing at 519 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.73 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 318 cfs. The water temperature is 45.5 degrees this morning.
Streams in the Smoky Mountains continue to recede. Most are flowing above median flow but some are fishable. They are swift in areas so be careful wading. Many fly fishing anglers prefer lower water conditions. But, like Jack says, “trout love water”. I can’t dispute that or anything else Jack says on the subject of fishing.
Water temperatures are chilly but trout may be somewhat active in the lower elevations today. We will see the water temperatures fall tonight and tomorrow night. Then, a warming trend should raise the temperatures slightly, later this week. The chance for rain is low beginning tomorrow and lasting through Friday. If we do not get too much rain today, fishing should improve by the weekend.
I would plan on using heavily weight nymph rigs or possibly streamers. There is a chance you will see aquatic insects on the water. Trout could be feeding on the surface, but I think the chance is low.
TVA and the Corps of Engineers are cutting back the flows at some dams in East Tennessee and other dams, including Wolf Creek Dam in Kentucky. This could be the sign of better fishing conditions on our tailwaters in the near future. Check the TVA website from the links below to see if you can work with their generation schedules today. I saw what could be a couple of opportunities.
We could use a break on the tailwaters. Actually, we could use a break everywhere.
January is just about behind us. February is normally warmer. In some years, fishing on the freestone streams can be good in February. The Spring hatches sometimes begin in February. When that occurs, fishing can be excellent.
This has been a wet month but temperatures have been fairly warm. I don’t think we have had measurable snowfall in Townsend this year. I have seen snow on the highest peaks during the last few days.
Mount LeConte reported three inches on the ground yesterday morning with more snow possible last night. Snow is predicted in the high elevations today where a “Winter Weather Advisory” is in effect. Daytime snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches is expected. The predicted high temperature at Mount LeConte is 34 degrees today, dipping to the mid-20’s tonight. US Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road) is currently closed due to ice and snow.
There is no snow predicted in the lower elevations today.
I spent the weekend ordering fly tying materials and tools for the tying department. Everything I ordered should be in the shop by Saturday. One big order I placed last week will arrive today or tomorrow. Not many of our customers have been fishing lately, but they have been tying flies. The fly tying department sales have been exceptional.
I worked until 2 pm yesterday, then came home and tied flies. I am tying lots of small Wooly Buggers with slotted tungsten beads on jig hooks to use as anchor flies on nymphing rigs. I’ve been tying olive, black and white Buggers. My buddy Frank is doing the same thing. Between us, we’ll have plenty tied for our other fishing buddies when we finally get to go fishing together again.
I am looking forward to that.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
January 27, 2020
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com |
