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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:09 am, the temperature outside is 59.9 degrees.
The high temperatures will be in the low 80’s today and tomorrow, with rain showers and thunderstorms in the forecast Sunday, through Tuesday. Most of next week, we will see highs in the 70’, with lows in the 40’s and 50’s. We have a fair chance for more rain next Friday and Saturday.
Little River is flowing very low at 25.5 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.09 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 74 cfs. The water temperature is 70.2 degrees this morning, at the low elevation gauge site near Townsend. The lowest recorded flow on this date was 24.8 cfs in 2017.
All streams in the Smokies, that have USGS gauges, are flowing very low today. They are probably all flowing low.
The water is warm in the low elevations. Fish the higher elevations where the water is cooler. Look for temps in the 60’s.
Anglers are still catching trout. Most people I have talked to are hiking into the backcountry, in the higher elevations. The trout are concentrated in broken water. Stealth is vital to your success. Don’t let the trout see you and you will catch more. Dry flies and nymphs will work. You will probably need to cast further than usual, while still getting a good drift.
Fishing conditions will improve soon. The chance for rain is fairly high tomorrow, and very high Monday. Water temperatures will plunge next week. That will give you the opportunity to fish in the lower elevations. It is going to feel like Fall, finally.
The lowland rivers are flowing slow and low. They are also very warm. A customer told me yesterday, she heard TWRA would be stocking trout in the river yesterday, where they are camping. I don’t believe it. Maybe that will happen next week. I don’t know exactly which river they were talking about. Stocking lowland rivers next week would make more sense. The water will be cooler and mortality will be lower.
TWRA postponed their fall stocking because the water has been too warm.
Go early or late, when the sun is off the water, if you plan to fish the lakes using fly fishing gear. As the sun rises, seek shaded banks.
There are angler friendly flows on a few tailwaters in the region. Check the TVA website to see what your options are today.
John Chambers returned from a several month camping trip out west. He worked at the shop yesterday. I don’t know what his work schedule is right now, but it is good to have him back.
Business has been good at the shop this month so far. It looks like we are running ahead of last year again. September was a little disappointing, due to the short drought here and in many states. I hope that’s over now. It came on fast and hopefully it will depart the same way.
Many of our mail order customers live in the drought stricken areas. People have not been fishing much due to the record breaking heat and dry conditions.
The shop is stocked well, in anticipation for better times ahead.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
October 5, 2019
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com |