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 6:58 am, the temperature outside is 50 degrees.
Today and tomorrow will be sunny and warm, with a high temperature both days in the mid-70’s. We have a good chance for rain Friday, a lower chance Saturday, and a high chance for thunderstorms Sunday.
Little River is flowing at 1,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 3.35 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 355 cfs. The water temperature is 55.2 degrees.
Little Pigeon River is flowing at 2,890 cfs, 4.29 feet, which compares to median flow for this date of 611 cfs.
Oconaluftee River is flowing at 925 cfs, 2.45 feet, compared to median flow of 645 cfs.
Tellico River is flowing at 766 cfs, 2.69 feet, compared to median flow of 355 cfs. Median flow for Tellico is often very close to Little River’s median flow. Today, it is exactly the same.
Cataloochee Creek is flowing much closer to median flow that other rivers in the Smokies. Right now, flow is 173 cfs, 2.85 feet, compared to median flow of 138 cfs.
So, most of the rivers and streams around here are flowing high again today. Some are too high to safely wade. If you go, be careful. The freestone streams may be more angler friendly tomorrow, but, they are receding slowly at this point in time. We’ll see.
Most lowland rivers are flowing high today. For instance, Little River at the Maryville gauge is flowing at 1,880 cfs, compared to median flow of 637 cfs.
Check the TVA website, to see the predicted flows at Norris Dam. That river may be an opportunity for you today.
The water level at Center Hill Lake is 13.9 feet below full pool, about the same level as last year, and the year before, at this time. Yet, they are sluicing at the dam today. Risk reduction construction is still ongoing, evidently. The Corps of Engineers prefers to keep the lake level 15 to 20 feet below normal until this project is finished.
The Caney Fork tailwater below Center Hill Dam has always been on of my favorites. I suppose, once the target level of 15 to 20 feet below normal is reached, the sluicing will cease. Then, fishing the Caney will be possible again.
You can read more about this project by CLICKING HERE.
Wolf Creek Dam underwent a long term dam re-habilitation project a few years ago. This dam backs up the Cumberland River, forming the Lake Cumberland reservoir, the 9th largest in the US. A few weeks ago, the lake set a record high level. The lake was lowered by spilling at the dam, as much as 55,000 cfs. Now, the lake is exactly at full pool. The spilling stopped. The tailwater is fishable again at times. There was some serious flooding below Wolf Creek Dam in Kentucky. Flood waters below the dam have receded.
The Cumberland River tailwater fishery is another favorite of mine.
Lake fishing in shallow water with fly fishing gear is improving daily.
There are some fly fishing options today. We could use less rain right now.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
April 10, 2019
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com |