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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:44 am, the temperature outside is 27.0 degrees.
Today will be sunny and fairly warm. Rain is predicted tonight. Temperatures will drop tomorrow and the rain will change to snow. Some accumulation is predicted for the valleys. The high elevations in the Smokies are under a winter storm warning tomorrow. Three to six inches of snow are expected in the mountains. It will be very cold tomorrow through Thursday night.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PREDICTED HIGHS AND LOWS TODAY
LOCATION |
HIGH |
LOW |
TOWNSEND |
54 |
32 |
GATLINBURG |
52 |
32 |
ELKMONT |
49 |
30 |
CADES COVE |
51 |
29 |
NEWFOUND GAP |
43 |
26 |
MOUNT LECONTE |
39 |
23 |
CHEROKEE |
50 |
34 |
SMOKEMONT |
45 |
30 |
BRYSON CITY |
51 |
34 |
MAGGIE VALLEY |
46 |
33 |
COSBY |
53 |
32 |
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Little River is flowing at 502 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.68 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 301 cfs. The water temperature is 42.3 degrees and falling.
Little Pigeon River is flowing at 898 cfs, 2.71 feet, compared to median flow for this date of 568 cfs.
Oconaluftee River at Birdtown is flowing at 1,020 cfs, 2.56 feet, compared to median flow of 524 cfs. The water temperature is 39.7 degrees and falling.
Tellico River is flowing at 570 cfs, 2.29 feet, and that compares to median flow of 282 cfs.
Cataloochee Creek is flowing at 231 cfs, 3.04 feet, compared to median flow of 118 cfs. The water temperature is 38.5 degrees.
The streams in the Smokies have been slowly receding since the last big rain event. They are still flowing above normal. Some are fishable for fly anglers. If you go, pick your spots and be careful wading.
Water temperatures are cold in the higher elevations this morning. Little River is fairly warm at Townsend. Today will be sunny and warmer. The stream temperatures will rise. Fishing will improve today. The water temps will fall late tomorrow and that will continue for a few days. Fishing will be very slow later this week.
If you are anxious to go fishing this week, like we all are, today is probably your best day to go, though Saturday may be a good choice too. I’m not saying I think fishing will be good. Due to the falling water temperatures expected tomorrow night, fishing today will be better than it will be Wednesday and Thursday.
Tomorrow will not be a good day to be fishing in the Smokies. The temperatures will be falling and snow will be falling as well. Road closures in the Smoky Mountains are likely later tomorrow.
If you decide to go fishing today, heavily weighted nymphs and streamers are your best choice. The trout will not be very active early. Water temps are still falling. That will change when the sun comes up and it becomes warmer later. Wait a while before going.
Fish the low elevations where the water is warmer.
When the water temperatures rise to over 40 degrees, fishing improves. Fishing for trout improves greatly when the water reaches 50 degrees. I don’t think that will happen today, even in the lowest elevations. If the water hits 45 degrees, fishing will be better.
Our sport is weather dependent. I am getting e-mails from people now, who are planning their early Spring fishing trips to the Smokies. I answered one yesterday from a person who plans to be here in late March. He wanted to know if the fishing is good at that time of the year.
It usually is. Late March can be awesome. Aquatic insects are usually very active. But, fishing success still depends on the stream conditions. There is a chance they will be cold, and a better chance they will be flowing high.
I remember when fishing was never good in February. During the past few years, February has been warmer. We have enjoyed warm water temperatures and Spring hatches in mid-February. That is only three weeks away. It could happen again this year. Or, it may not.
Aquatic insect activity is tied to water temperatures. Trout activity also depends on water temperatures. When water temperatures reach the upper 40’s to 50 degrees, and that is sustained for a few days, “the game is on”.
That is what we are waiting for.
We will see blue quills, quill gordons and blue wing olives on the water. We will see trout rising to the surface, slurping the insects down. Other aquatic insects will be hatching later. The cycle moves upstream, where colder water becomes warmer. The early hatches can be active in the high elevations, while the later Spring hatches are occurring miles downstream.
When that will happen is something we don’t know.
I do know, it won’t happen this week. The low temperature Tuesday night and Wednesday night will be in the low single digits in the highest elevations. Water temperatures will fall into the low 30’s this week. The trout will be hunkered down, waiting for warmer water.
We will be doing the same thing.
If you have not noticed by looking at the long-term weather forecast, warm air, day and night, and warm rain will be changing the whole picture beginning Saturday. From that point on, we may see high temps in the 50’s and 60’s, with lows at night in the 40’s to 50’s through February 11th.
Will Saturday start the beginning of Spring fishing?
The average high temperature in February, here is 53 degrees. The average low temperature in February is 28 degrees. It will be much warmer, especially at night than that, unless the forecast changes.
Maybe Spring fishing will happen again in February. Time will tell.
Gary Troutman and Jim Parks will be tying at the shop Saturday. They will be conducting tying demonstrations with fly fishing discussion, from 10 am until 2 pm. This event is Free. All you have to do is show up.
I have known both of these guys for a long time. They are both excellent fly anglers. They both love fishing for trout and smallmouth bass, in the Smokies and on the area tailwaters.
Gary is a professional guide, who works with Josh Pfeiffer. I fished with Gary one day last year. He is a very good guide. Gary will probably be tying smallmouth bass and other warmwater patterns.
Jim has been fishing the Smokies for over 40 years. He will be showing you how to tie his favorite four (easy to tie) trout flies.
You can learn more about them, and see our entire Winter Fly Tying Demonstration schedule by CLICKING HERE. These Saturday events will run through March 2nd, when Jack Gregory and Walter Babb will be back, together. There is also one Sunday event, featuring guides David Knapp and Travis Williams. Check it out.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
January 28, 2018
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Fly Tying Classes January, February and March 2019
Taught by Walter Babb and Brian Courtney
Beginner to Advanced
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE |
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Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com
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