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The Fishing Report 12/19/17 Great Smoky Mountains National Park and East Tennessee
Time of Readings 5:40 am Eastern Time Zone : CFS=Cubic Feet Per Second
Fishing Gauge Indicating Fishing is Slow
 

Water Temperature Little River
Stream Flow
Sunrise
Sunset
Rainfall 2017 YTD Knoxville Apt
Rainfall Normal YTD Knoxville Apt

 

41,5 Fahrenheit
1.72 Feet 117 CFS
7:41
5:25
49.47"
46.08"



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Townsend, Tennessee - Fly Fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains, East Tennessee and Western North Carolina

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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:40 am, the temperature outside is 35.4 degrees.

Today will be warm, in the low 60’s. Tonight’s low is expected to be in the upper 40’s. Rain is coming this afternoon and tonight. Tomorrow will be warm and wet again. We should get an inch or more of rain during this event.

The balance of the week will be warm, with highs in the upper 50’s and lows in the 40’s. More rain is on the way Friday through Christmas Day.

This rain is a blessing. So far in December, we have had about 1/3 of the rain we normally get during this period. It has been dry and the streams are flowing much lower than normal.

Little River is flowing at 117 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.72 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 238 cfs. The water temperature is 41.5 degrees.

Keep an eye on the water temperature. It has been rising every day and will continue to do so through at least Saturday. If that number reaches 44 degrees, fishing will improve. If it reaches 50 degrees, fishing will be even better.

I don’t know if the water will reach that point, but I hope it does. I kind of doubt it. There will be fly fishermen in town this week for the holidays. Our local anglers will be on the water. We are all anxious about the prospects of one last good fishing weekend before Winter weather arrives and stays for a few weeks.

That Winter weather is coming back, beginning Christmas Day. I am seeing the word “snow” in the forecast through January 2nd.

I would start with nymphs, weighted and tickling the stream bottom. Aquatic insects may become active as the water warms. Trout may be feeding on them. Be ready for dry fly fishing. It may or may not happen where you are fishing but I think it will occur at times this week, if the conditions permit.

Watch for large brown trout. They have spawned, and they are hungry. You have a shot at a Smokies trout of a lifetime. They can reach a length exceeding 28” in Little River. One of my best friends caught one. I know of many browns brought to the net in the 22” to 26” range.

Use heavy tippet and be “ready to run”, up or downstream.

One trick I’ve heard about addresses the problem of a big trout running downstream through a riffle. I’ve tried it on salmon and it works. The protocol is, if you think that is going to happen, give the fish slack, so it thinks it has won the battle. They may terminate their run, temporarily. Then, prepare for another fight in the pool. Get your wits together.

That is hard to do! We have been conditioned over the years to never allow a slack line when fighting a fish. If we do, we’ll lose it. On the other hand, if a trout runs downstream through a riffle to another pool below, the odds are you are going to lose it anyway.

I have hooked and lost many fish of a lifetime, from trout to tarpon. During those rare times, it is nearly impossible to be in complete control. I make mistakes. I wish I had done things differently. It does not bother me anymore. I’m used to it now. I am happy to have just fooled the fish. Hey, they have to win too!

A few years ago I was talking to Joe Humphreys on the phone. He was not in his usual happy state of mind. Joe is always happy.

He had just returned from the Little Red River in Arkansas. They were filming a “night fly fishing show”. He lost the trout of a lifetime, after a long battle, at the boat. The hook came out of it’s mouth. He thinks it was a world record.

I can’t remember if the trout was a rainbow or a brown. I think he estimated the fish’s weight at 40 to 50 pounds. Can you imagine that? And, the video cameras were running the whole time. I would probably be bummed about that too. He was for sure. I saw him later, at Troutfest, and he seemed to have gotten over it.

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

Byron Begley
December 19, 2017

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com 

 

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