Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:47 am, the temperature is 25 degrees.
Highway 441 and Clingmans Dome Road were closed early yesterday due to ice and snow. Highway 441 re-opened later in the day. Clingmans Dome Road remains closed today.
It will be sunny and warmer today with a high temperature in the low 50’s dropping to the low to middle 30’s tonight. Tomorrow will be chilly and wet with a high in the upper 40’s and rainfall amounts between a quarter and half on an inch possible. Rainfall amounts may be higher in the mountains. Rain is likely tomorrow night with a low in the middle 30’s. Wednesday will be mostly cloudy and cold with a high in the upper 30’s.
Little River is flowing at 129 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.69 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 184 cfs. The water temperature is 43.9 degrees this morning and falling.
Most streams in the mountains are flowing close to normal. Water temperatures are cold and below the trout’s preferred range. Water temperatures are currently 44 degrees at the Oconaluftee River gauge and 41 degrees at Cataloochee Creek.
Fishing in the mountains will be slow until the water warms. What we would like to see is water temperatures at 50 degrees or warmer. It is possible that could happen today in the lowest elevations but it may not. If you go, wait until later today and check the USGS gauge sites that report water temperatures. They are Little River, Cataloochee Creek and Oconaluftee River. Weighted nymph rigs will probably work best though streamers may get the attention of post spawn brown trout.
Fishing for smallmouth bass in the lowland rivers will be slow today due to the cool water temperatures. If you go, make it late. Try nymphs or streamers.
There are generation schedules at a few dams today that look encouraging for tailwater anglers. Check out the schedules at Center Hill, Cherokee and Norris dams. See if those will work for you. Visit the TVA website from the links below.
Water temperatures will determine our fishing success now that we are experiencing Winter weather conditions. When water temperatures fall into the 40’s or colder, most trout become sluggish. Their metabolism slows down. They do not require much food, if any. Post spawn brown trout are hungry and may feed in the colder water for a while.
This is what we deal with during the Winter months. We are always hoping for something close to 50 degree water temperatures.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
November 14, 2022
FREE FLY TYING DEMONSTRATIONS HELD ON SATURDAYS
For the first time since 2019, we will be holding our Free Fly Tying Demonstrations on Saturdays. The demonstrations will begin at 10 am and last until 2 pm. You do not need a reservation. Just show up and enjoy. These demonstrations will kick off November 5th, and last through mid-December. Then, they will resume in January.
Mike Bone will be tying on Saturday November 19th. Mike has been guiding, mostly on the Clinch River and Holston River trout tailwaters for decades. He is also an accomplished smallmouth bass guide. Everyone likes Mike. You will too. CLICK HERE to visit Mike’s website.
Saturday December 3rd - Jimmy Jones will be demonstrating today. Jimmy lives in Maryville. He is an avid Smokies angler and golfer. He ties some very interesting and unique flies that work very well in the Smokies.
I have learned new techniques, watching Jimmy tie.
Saturday December 10th - Jonathan Yeager - Jonathan is also known as the "Fly Doctor". He is a professor at UT Chatanooga. He ties flies commercially and sells them to his customers. He is an avid fly fisherman who spends his fishing time on wild trout streams in the Appalachians and stocked tailwaters.
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com
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