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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:37 am, the temperature outside is 51.3 degrees.

Today will be warmer. Monday will be warmer than today. It will be overcast today and through Tuesday with a chance for light rain each day.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PREDICTED HIGHS AND LOWS TODAY

Little River is flowing at 253 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.14 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 85 cfs. The water temperature is 56.7 degrees this morning.

What we have right now are perfect fishing conditions in the Smokies.

The streams are all flowing higher than normal for October. Little Pigeon River is flowing much higher than normal, five times higher than median flow. On the other hand, Little River is only flowing at three times normal flow. Many anglers would consider Little River’s flow to be perfect.

Water temperatures are ideal. The water may be cold in the highest elevations this morning, but they will eventually warm soon. The mid to low elevation temps are great.

Water temps will fall further this morning, before moving upward. Colder water is still cascading down the mountains at 5:30 am. When the sun rises and the air warms, the water will warm later. The water is within the trout’s preferred temperature range right now, at most elevations.

It will be overcast today, Monday and Tuesday. Overcast days are always my favorite fishing days. All fishes seem to move higher in the water column on cloudy days. I think they feel somewhat exposed on sunny days and less vulnerable to predators on cloudy days.  

I love fishing on lakes. On the lakes, threadfin shad rise to the surface on cloudy days. These shad are filter feeders, seeking plankton. Many species of plankton rise to the surface when the sun is off the water. The game fish move up to the surface, to feed on the shad.

So, whether I am fishing on a river, or in a lake, I try to pick cloudy days to fish. Wherever you go over the next three days, fishing conditions will be good in my opinion. Take a rain jacket.

I think nymphs will work best but I could be wrong. I would still start with nymphs and try dry flies later today.

I spent most of yesterday on my hands and knees, on concrete or asphalt. Believe me, I am feeling it this morning. Hey, I am 67 years young. Yesterday, I was the shop gardener. Paula worked with me until noon. She drove to Maryville early yesterday to buy a truck load of flowers. I finished out the day, planting fall flowers. I didn’t watch the UT  vs Auburn game. Kentucky was off this weekend.

Of course, I talked to customers and friends all day. I spoke to everyone I saw. People who don’t know me probably just thought I am a friendly gardener hired by Little River Outfitters. That is fine with me. When Jack and I painted the front of the building a few weeks ago, we were considered by many to be friendly painters. Today, I’m going to be a friendly window washer.

Then, it will be back to the grind of working on our websites, mostly from home. I would rather be on my hands and knees digging in dirt or washing windows.

I met one nice lady and her cute dog. Her husband is learning to fly fish and he was shopping in the store. We talked about fishing and gardening. I am more comfortable talking about fishing. I know enough about gardening to be dangerous. Those flowers I planted may all die. Paula is the gardener. Those she planted will probably make it.

The nice lady and I discussed the late leaf change in the Smokies. No doubt about it, the colors are late this year. She told me it has to do with the temperature and rainfall. It has been warm and wet. I always thought the color change was brought on thanks to shorter days and longer nights. I looked it up. She is right. The Fall peak will be at least 10 days later than normal this year.

I found a good article on the subject this morning on the KnoxNews website. You can read it by CLICKING HERE.

The down side of the late leaf change is, a lot of people booked reservations to be here now, and they are not seeing what they hoped to see. It is still pretty here right now. The leaves are beginning to change in the highest elevations. When the leaf color does change, their display will be shorter according to the KnoxNews article.

Get out and fish today through Tuesday. I think you will do very well.

Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.

Byron Begley
October 14, 2018

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com