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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. It is cloudy and 48 degrees this morning. The sun is supposed to make an appearance sometime today.

Water levels are dropping but they are still high in the Smokies. The gauge is reading 3.01 feet or 715 c.f.s. This is higher than the daily normal of 360 c.f.s. It will take a few days for flows to get down to a more normal level.

Water temperatures are on the rise. This morning the Little River is right around 50F. Warm weather today and the next several days is going to make it rise even higher.

If you head to the Smokies today or over the next several days you need to be mindful of high water. It can be workable if you plan for it. Smaller streams like West Prong of Little River, Laurel Creek and Anthony Creek can be good options. They have smaller watersheds and tend to run off sooner than the big rivers. Another option is the larger streams in the low elevations. Yes there is a lot of water but when it has a chance to flatten out is less turbulent. You will need to stay to the edges and there will be sections that you aren't going to be able to fish but these streams can offer up some larger than average trout.

Spring hatches have begun. There is going to be a variety of insects on the water this time of year. Most all will be in a darker, blue/gray color scheme. Quill Gordons are large, in the #10 - #14 range. Blue Quills are small being in the #18 - #20 range. You will also likely see some dark colored caddis.

Dry flies are fun, my favorite way to fish. They aren't always the most efficient method, even during a hatch. Several of the Spring mayflies hatch into adults under the surface and swim through the water before emerging onto the surface. During this time in the water they are very susceptible to being eaten. Quill Gordons are one of these mayflies. Traditional wet flies are very effective during these early Spring hatches. You can swing them like they are meant to be fished or you can use them as a dropper below a dry.

The proper technique for traditional wet flies is more across and down. This is a lot different than the upstream dead drift we usually do. As the wet fly "swings" in the current the fly will rise up through the water just like the bug is swimming to the surface.

All the tailwaters are still unfishable. There isn't much rain in the forecast right now so hopefully the TVA is able to get lake levels under control. By the time levels get good to fish the trout will think all those same zebra midges and pheasant tails are something they've never seen before.

If you head to the mountains today be careful around the water. Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.

Daniel Drake
March 11, 2019

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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