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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. Well it isn't raining this morning and that is an improvement. Some of the Park roads are still closed. Newfound Gap Rd/US 441 is clear of debris and is now back open. It was closed yesterday and this morning due to snow and ice. Can you believer that? in May? Mount LeConte received several inches of snow yesterday.
Laurel Creek Road (the road to Cades Cove), Cades Cove Loop Road, and Tremont Road are open. Little River Road is still closed from the Townsend Wye to Metcalf Bottoms. You should be able to get into Metcalf via the Wear Cove Entrance (Lyons Spring Road). You can also get to Elkmont from Sugarlands Visitor Center.
Park Service work crews are working hard to re-open the roads so we just have to have some patience. For the most up to date info you can call 865-436-1200 then hit 2 and then hit 2 again. This will take you to the road information report. You can also go to Twitter. https://twitter.com/smokiesroadsnps Hopefully they will get the Park open for this weekend.
Water levels are pretty good in the Little River drainage today. The streamflow gauge is giving a reading of 2.60 feet which is 458 c.f.s. This is a good, slightly high flow. The daily normal for this date is 233 c.f.s. The main challenge today is going to be the low water temperatures. Temperatures have dropped significantly over the last several days. This morning it is 49.6F. You will want to be wearing your waders...and probably a fleece jacket.
The weather forecast over the next week looks much more pleasant and spring-like. No rain is expected until Thursday. Highs are going to be in the upper 70's to low 80's and lows are only going to be around 60. This will cause water temperatures to rise streadily this week which will improve fishing.
Fishing in the mountains today, I would start with nymphs. Don't forget the split shot. Cooler water temperatures are likely to have the trout hugging the bottom. Prince Nymphs, Pat's Rubberlegs, Tellico Nymphs, etc will be choices to start with. Early in the day I would forego the dry fly and just fish a nymph. You can get it deeper in the water if it isn't restrained by an indicator fly. As the day warms I would switch over to dry flies.
Dry fly patterns have been changing to lighter colors. Light Cahill, Sulphur, Yellow or Tan Caddis, Yellow Neversinks, Rob Hellbenders, Smoky Mountain Candy. Sizes are generally going to be #14 to #16.
Have a fun time fishing today and this next week. Thank you for being here with us.
Daniel Drake
May 7, 2017
Respond to: info@littleriveroutfitters.com
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