Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. It is 6:00 am and still dark.  Spring is coming and each day the sun rises a little earlier and sets a little later.

Water levels are just a bit below normal with today's stream flow gauge reading of 2.02 feet or 205 c.f.s.  The average flow for today should be 290 c.f.s.  Stream flows are going to rise this weekend as rain is forecast for the next couple of days.  Check the stream gauge before making plans to fish the mountains.

Water temperatures have been stable over the past few days.  This morning the Little River gauge is reading about 44F.  Water temperatures are going to be rising with the influx of warm rain and warmer overnight temperatures.  Near freezing overnight temps return Monday night so I don't expect that we will see water temperatures warm enough to jump start the spring hatches.

It won't be long before the early mayflies begin to emerge.  A good rule of thumb to look for is water temperatures in the 50's for a week or more.  Once we pass that threshold the Quill Gordons, Blue Quills and Blue Duns will begin to hatch.  It usually takes a few days after that starts for the trout to remember that sometimes food is on the top side of the water.  Quill Gordons are great to fish with.  Their large size, #10 to 12, make them easy to see on the water.  Once the trout remember that dry flies are food, big floppy mayflies trying to get off the water can cause a feeding frenzy for hungry trout.

Big flies require heavier leaders.  Larger fly patterns are more wind resistant and will twist up light tippet sizes.  4X is going to turn over the big flies better.  Higher water levels mean that the trout will be less spooked by the larger line size.  If you have ever noticed that your tippet is furled onto itself it is a result of too big a fly for the leader  you are using.

I'm sure all of your email accounts have been bombarded by everyone sending out emails about the new Orvis Helios Rods.  We have a good selection at the Shop now also!  From 3wt to 10wt.  Stop by any day and we'll line some up an go cast.  

Tomorrow's Fly Tying Demo is Jayson Alexander.  He will be tying from 10 to 2.  Jayson is an artist and outdoorsman at his core. Born, and raised, in the foothills of the smokies, he has a reverence and fascination with taking what’s natural and creating a functional, beautiful tool that drives nature and angler together. Jayson is a small business owner, crafting flies, spinners, turkey calls, and outdoor stickers that feed back into our local economy and ignite the adventurer spirit in us all. He will be tying a variety of classic Smoky Mountain flies as well as an assortment of bass flies and poppers.

Our Free Fly Tying Demonstration Sunday (February 11) will feature Jimmy Jones, another Maryville resident. He will be tying between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. Jimmy is an avid Smokies fisherman. Jimmy has some well-designed flies he uses to catch trout there. He has his own “Killer” version of the Neversink Caddis for you to learn to tie. 

You do not need a reservation to attend these free demonstrations. Just show up at the shop.

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

Daniel Drake
February 9, 2024

We are holding an all-day Beginner Fly Tying Class on Saturday February 17th. Taking this class will give you a huge jump start into the wonderful hobby of fly tying. The class costs $100, which includes all the materials you will need for the day and the use of our vises and tools. We will also provide lunch for you. Space is limited so call the shop at 865-448-9459 soon to book your spot.

Join us on the weekends during the Winter for our Free Fly Tying Demonstrations.   You don’t need a reservation. Just show up. You can view our schedule by CLICKING HERE.

WALTER BABB BAMBOO RODS FOR SALE - Buy directly from Walter. CLICK HERE for more information.

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com