Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:38 am, the temperature is 26 degrees.
It will be clear early with increasing clouds this afternoon. It will be breezy at times today. The high temperature will ‘be in the middle 40’s with a low tonight around 20 degrees. Tomorrow will be sunny with a high around 40 and a low in the low to middle 20’s.
Little River is flowing at 144 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.75 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 150 cfs. The water temperature is 39 degrees this morning.
Some streams in the mountains are flowing right at normal while others are flowing slightly below. Water temperatures are cold at all elevations this morning, below the trout’s preferred range. We may see the water warm some later, but not much.
Most trout will be lethargic, though post spawn brown trout may be fairly active. The streams are cold and clear. Your best tactic today will be using weighted nymph rigs in the mountains and when fishing for stocked trout in the lowland rivers.
Fishing for smallmouth bass and rock bass in the lowland rivers will be slow due to the cold water temperatures.
Fly anglers who normally fish on the lakes are either not doing it, or not talking about it. I am not a Winter lake fisherman so I don’t know what to expect. I do know it will be breezy and cold today with predicted winds gusting up to 20 miles per hour.
There are long pauses in the generation planned at some dams today. In many cases, the pauses will be this afternoon which is interesting. Check the schedules at Wolf Creek, Norris and Center Hill Dams on the TVA website from the links below. You may find some tailwater angling opportunities below these dams and others. If you are boating or fishing with a guide you will have more options.
I am looking forward to our Free Fly Tying Demonstration today. The featured fly tyer is Mike Bone, a professional guide who has spent decades floating clients down our area tailwaters. Mike will be tying and talking to you about fly fishing between 10 am and 2 pm. You don’t want to miss this one. All you have to do is show up.
Paula started feeding the birds with half of our feeders for over a week and a bear has not torn them down. She brings the feeders in a night. Bear hunting season will be open this weekend in our County from what I understand. The rules are confusing. The bears seem to know and I think they head to the Park for safety. I hope I didn’t just jinx us.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
November 19, 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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