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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. The wind is blowing stoutly this morning in Townsend. Rain is in the forecast for this afternoon and tomorrow. Temperatures are going to be cooler today. It isn't supposed to get much warmer than it is right now. The high tomorrow is only going to be in the mid-50's. Hopefully you didn't pack your waders away because I think you are going to need them this weekend.
Water levels are at an excellent fishing level right now. The streamflow gauge is giving a reading of 2.14 feet or 253 c.f.s. which is just below the daily normal of 268 c.f.s. The streams are flowing clear. Water temperature is a comfortable 59 F.
Water temperatures will drop tonight. We are going to see a cooling trend over the next several days. The high temperature tomorrow is only going to be in the mid-50's. You will definitely be more comfortable wearing waders.
Fishing in the mountains has been good. Dry fly action has been solid. Smoky Mountain Candy, Parachute Adams, Elk Hair Caddis in lighter colors have all been working well. Nymphs like Pheasant Tails and Prince nymphs are as good as ever.
Walter Babb stopped in yesterday after going for a hike up the Little River Trail. The Little River Trail is back open and now they have Jakes Creek Trail blocked off. The National Park Service is demolishing some of the cabins at Elkmont. A few are being saved. It is going to be wierd to go up there an not see all the cabins. What are the fake news sites going to write about if they are gone? "Lost Town Discovered in Smokies"
Speaking of Walter Babb...If you ever thought about owning a Walter Babb fly rod but can't stand waiting for 6 months or a year for it to be painstakenly made for you then now is your opportunity. There is a silent auction to benefit the UT Medical Center Nursing Fund. The silent auction will run all next week in front of the Gift Shop at UT Medical Center! Starts Monday. Starting bid is $500.
Read what James Babb wrote for Walter's bio.
"I knew my brother was a good fly tier when the flies he gave me for my tenth birthday looked better than the expensive ones displayed in Percy Swainson's Drugstore in Tellico Plains. But I didn't know he was a great fly tier until forty-some years later, when I saw his old-time Smoky Mountain trout flies displayed in the Museum of American Fly Fishing.
I always knew he was a gifted and knowledgeable trout fisherman - he's routinely outfished me since we could walk - but I didn't realize he was Total Yoda of the Southern Appalachians until I was signing copies of my second book at Little River Outfitters in Townsen some years ago, and people were clustering around to meet me not because I was the editor of Gray's Sporting Journal and an internationally prominent fly-fishing writer, but because I was Walter Babb's little brother.
I knew he was an amazing bamboo rod builder the first time I cast one of his early rods. But when John Gierach - the bestselling fish writer size Izaak Walton and who has more fine cane rods in his closet than many a museum, fished one of Walter's rods in Tellico, ordered one, and a year later wrote in the introduction to Fishing Bamboo that there are "local streams I won't fish with anything else" - I knew Walter had reached a sort of pinnacle.
Confirmed, a few months ago, when John and I were talking about what to do with all our fly rods now that we're crowding the edge of our actuarial tables. John said he was making a list of his rods and a list of his friends, and matching them up. Except for the 7'9" 4-weight Walter made him. That rod, he said, had become his favorite small-stream rod, and he expected to be buried with it.
James R Babb
Searsport, Maine
out of Lenoir City"
How is that for a recommendation?!?
If you go fishing today be careful for falling trees. Thank you for being here with us.
Daniel Drake
May 4, 2017
Respond to: info@littleriveroutfitters.com |
