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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. It is a cloudy morning here and the temperature is still a nice 76F.
There is a chance of rain this afternoon. Most likely it will just be pop up storms so where it rains will be isolated. The next several days are going to be slightly cooler with highs only in the mid to high 80's. It is going to feel like Spring again after all these hot days.
This morning the Little River is flowing at 1.83 feet or 164 c.f.s. The daily normal for today is 129 c.f.s. The streams are clear.
Water temperatures are warm in the lower elevations. The gauge is reading 72.3F. Higher elevations will be cooler.
Fishing will be best early in the day or late in the evening when temperatures are cooler. Higher elevation streams will also be cooler. Whichever stream you head to, concentrate on faster sections of current. Broken water will hold more feeding fish than the slower pools. As water warms it doesn't hold disolved oxygen as well. That is one reason why the trout will move into the shallower, fast, broken water this time of year.
Yellow dry flies have been working well. Yellow Sally, Yellow Stimulators, Neversink Caddis, Doculators, Rob's Hellbenders and Smoky Mountain Candy are all good choices. You may want to use a dropper below them. The Green Weenie is an excellent choice as a dropper. It is light so it won't pull down the dry and the most important thing.....the trout love them.
Terrestrial patterns are great through the middle of the day. We don't get many grasshoppers up here in the mountains so a beetle or an ant is usually best. Beetles ride low in the water which makes them hard to see so I prefer patterns that have hi-vis posts on them. Ants are great but because they are black they are almost impossible to see. Fishing them as a dropper behind a yellow sally or beetle will be a huge help.
Where to go? Being the week after a major holiday the crowds aren't too bad. One stream I really enjoy this time of year is the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River. It is the stream that follows Newfound Gap Road (US 441) down the mountain into Gatlinburg. As you drive up the mountain, take one of the pull offs on the left side of the road. You will find a path down the hill that will lead you to the stream. It isn't far off the road, maybe a quarter mile at most. West Prong of Little Pigeon is a high gradient stream with a lot of plunge pools. It is also higher in elevation without having to hike for miles. Being a little way away from the road you will have less traffic and people. Some of the areas can get a bit rough with large rocks and boulders so if you have a hard time getting around this might not be a great destination. Higher up the road, past where the road loops over itself the stream levels out a bit and is near the road. Up there it is a good mix of brook trout and rainbows.
Pop up thunderstorms are a reality in the Summer. It can be sunny and calm then all of a sudden the sky will turn black and the bottom falls out. When fishing in the summer it is important to keep an eye on the water. If the water begins to change clarity or you start to see small debris floating down it can be a sign of a flash flood coming. You will want to make sure you are on the road/trailside of the stream. Water levels can rise rapidly and without much warning. If the water comes up fast you could find yourself stuck on the wrong side of the creek. Don't try to cross high, dirty water.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Daniel Drake
July 10, 2019
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com |
