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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:13 am, the temperature outside is 42.4 degrees.
It will be cool today, with a high in the upper 50’s. Rain is predicted today. That should start after 11 am and continue through tonight. There is a slight chance for rain tomorrow morning, then clear skies are expected with a high in the low 70’s.
Tropical storm Nestor will travel northeast from Florida this weekend, bringing rain to much of the drought stricken southeast. “The National Hurricane Center expects rainfall accumulations of 2 to 4 inches from the central Gulf Coast and Northern and central Florida into the eastern Carolinas, with isolated areas receiving up to 8 inches.”
Little River is flowing at 29.7 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.14 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 81 cfs. The water temperature is 54.5 degrees this morning.
Little Pigeon River is flowing at 112 cfs, 1.18 feet, which compares to median flow for this date of 124 cfs.
Oconaluftee River is flowing at 128 cfs, 1.07 feet, compared to median flow of 182 cfs. The water temperature is 52.0 degrees at the Birdtown gauge.
At the Tellico Plains gauge, Tellico River is flowing at 39.7 cfs, .57 feet, compared to median flow of 74 cfs.
Cataloochee Creek is flowing at 28.9 cfs, 2.15 feet, compared to median flow of 41 cfs. The water temperature is 48.0 degrees.
Most streams in the Smokies are flowing low. The good news is, we are expecting rain later today and tonight, with accumulations up to ½ inch in the low elevations, and possible higher amounts in the higher elevations. Water temperatures are cool in the low and mid elevations.
Fishing is fair to good. You can fish the low elevation larger rivers now that the water is cooler. That is what I would do. You may see brown trout out in the open, but otherwise, fish the choppy water where most trout are hiding. Dry flies might work today, but I suspect nymphs will work better. Take a rain jacket.
I checked generation schedules at a few dams in our region. There are times of angler friendly flows at a couple of tailwaters. Check the TVA website from the links below to see if you can work with the generation schedules on your favorite tailwater.
We are holding a beginner fly fishing class today at the shop. I don’t know how many students we have signed up. I know Walter Babb is teaching, and I think Rob Fightmaster will be instructing too.
Walter is bringing a new bamboo rod he made to donate to the usual charity in Sweetwater, Tennessee for needy people. The rod will be auctioned in December. I will photograph the rod and place an ad at the bottom of this page a couple of weeks before the auction. Walter donates a rod every year and I place an ad here. You will be able to bid on the rod by phone. More later on that.
I’m going to spend the day receiving fly tying materials. I spent yesterday pressure washing and bleaching the curbs at the shop. That was a job. They look new. I still have the curbs to wash in the back of the parking lot. That won’t take too long.
If you have not visited our store, I can tell you this, our parking lot is huge. When Paula and I built the building over 15 years ago, we wanted plenty of parking for our customers, students and staff. The lot will comfortably hold 50 vehicles.
I have been blowing off the parking lot every morning before the store opens, after cleaning the bath rooms. When the leaves really start falling, I may give up.
The Smokies have many visitors. This is leaf season. I’m not too sure people are enjoying much of a leaf change this year. The flash drought and hot fall have affected the big show. Maybe it will come later than usual in the valley. I don’t know what is happening in the highest elevations. Nobody is talking about it to me.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
October 19, 2019
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com |
