Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:42 am, the temperature is 33 degrees.
It will be sunny and warm today with a high temperature in the middle to upper 60’s, dropping to the upper 40’s tonight. Showers are likely tonight with possible thunderstorms. The chance for precipitation is 100%. More showers are likely tomorrow morning. It will be cooler tomorrow with a high in the middle 50’s and falling to the middle 20’s overnight.
Little River is flowing at 89.7 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.52 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 233 cfs. The water temperature is 46.8 degrees this morning and falling.
Streams in the mountains are flowing lower than normal for this date. The streams are chilly this morning. We should see some warming later. Fishing will be best later today.
If you go fishing in the Smokies today, wait a while before going to give the water a chance to warm. Weighted nymphs will work best. Use light tippet. Fish in the low elevations where the water is warmer. Stay hidden from the trout. Fish the broken water or deep runs.
Fishing for stocked trout in the lowland rivers will be best later today when the water is warmer. Nymphs will work best for you.
Fishing for smallmouth bass in the lowland rivers will be slow this morning but may improve some later today. Streamers or nymphs are good fly choices.
There are breaks in the generation planned at only a few dams today. Check the schedules at Center Hill, Cherokee, Chatuge and South Holston dams. Maybe those will work for you.
I found an article on the Fly Fisherman Magazine website this morning that I thought everyone should read. The article was originally published in 1987. The title is “Those Crazy Rubber Legs” and it was written by Jack Dennis. Read it by CLICKING HERE.
Rubber legs tied on flies became popular decades ago, especially on large nymphs. Bitch Creek Nymphs, Girdle Bugs, Yuk Bugs and other large nymphs were catching large trout. News spread and these flies became very popular. They still work today. Now, many flies are tied using rubber or silicone legs, including streamers and dry flies.
Look at the large selection of legs in our fly tying department. They would not be there if fly tyers were not buying them.
In the early 90’s, I was invited by Jack on a Fall fishing trip to Yellowstone. We would be fishing in late October. We knew it would be cold and it was. We were camping.
Brown trout would be migrating upstream to spawn. Rainbow trout would be following them to feast on the eggs. I had never fished in Yellowstone that late. I asked Jack what I would tie. He told me to tie a few dozen weighted Prince Nymphs. And, he added, “tie a bunch large heavily weighted black Girdle Bugs”. That’s about all you will need”. He was right. Both flies worked great. The Girdle Bugs were also used to fish in the smaller meadow rivers drifting along the undercut banks. We returned at least two more times over the next few years and the fly patterns did not change.
Jimmy Jones will be conducting a Free Fly Tying Demonstration at the shop Saturday between 10 am and 2 pm. All you have to do is show up. I have watched Jimmy tie at demonstrations. He is an avid Smokies fisherman who lives in Maryville. He ties umique patterns that work well in the mountains.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
November 29, 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.
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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