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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 7:06 am, the temperature outside is 35 degrees.
The cool days and cold nights will end beginning today. It will be sunny today with a high temperature in the mid-70’s. The low tonight will dip only to the mid-50’s. Tomorrow and Thursday will be even warmer, day and night. There is no rain expected until Thursday night and Friday. There is also a chance for rain Saturday but none expected Sunday.
Little River is flowing at 373 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.43 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 282 cfs. The water temperature is 52.0 degrees this morning and falling.
Flows in most streams in the Smokies are flowing above median flow. Little River can be safely waded and fished. Other streams are flowing higher above normal.
One negative condition this morning is falling water temperatures. They will bottom out later this morning, then begin to warm. Warming water will improve the fishing significantly. Aquatic insect activity will also respond to the warming water today, and through the week.
If you go early, start with nymphs. I would use my favorites, Pheasant Tail, Hare’s Ear, Tellico or Prince. Most reasonable nymphs will work.
I would probably start with a Light Cahill dry fly this afternoon, either the Parachute or Dun version. Other dries that will work are Adams, Elk Hair Caddis or a small Yellow Stimulator. Once the water warms later today, the trout will be actively feeding on or below the surface.
Fly fishing in the Smokies will be very good this week, after the water warms later today.
Tennessee Valley Authority is filling some of the lakes to summer pool for recreational boating. They are not generating heavily right now at some dams. There have been and will be fly fishing opportunities, especially at Cherokee and Norris Dams. I did not check them all this morning, but there are probably many more tailwaters to fish in the Tennessee Valley. It is about time!
They are sluicing at Center Hill Dam and generating heavily at Wolf Creek Dam today. Those are two excellent trout tailwaters.
Lowland river fishing will improve this week. You can catch smallmouth bass and rock bass on streamers or nymphs. My favorite fly this time of the year is a Black Wooly Bugger. Lowland river trout fishing is good too, and it is going to get better.
Wow! Some beautiful deer and elk hair arrived from Natures Spirit. I just opened an account with them. I’m looking forward to putting the hair on a display this morning. That hair is select and awesome. I also ordered and we received some Hanak competition hooks and beads from Natures Spirit. We also got some Polish Quills. More Euro Nymphing hooks and beads will be arriving soon from Umpqua. I had a Euro Nymping sign made and there will now be a department for fly tying devoted to that part of our sport.
Our fly tying department is performing very well. We have given it a lot of tender loving care over the past 6 months. It shows!
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
April 16, 2019
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com |
