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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. The air is warm and the sky is clear this morning. It is perfect weather for starting the day with a cup of coffee on the porch.

We are in for another few days of beautiful weather. Rain is in the forecast again for Friday. I would mention how much but that seems to change every time I check. I use the Weather Underground app on my phone. It will say rain starting at whatever time. Sometimes it is amazingly accurate.

Fishing conditions in the Smokies are good. The streamflow gauge is giving a reading of 2.27 feet or 303 feet. This is just a little higher than the daily normal of 216 c.f.s. Water temperatures are a comfortable 57 F. The streams are clear.

Where to go today depends on what you want. All the streams are in good shape. Do you want to try for brown trout? Then the Little River or Oconoluftee is your destination. If you are craving brook trout then you can go to Lynn Camp Prong, Sam's Creek or Walker Camp Prong. Rainbow trout? just about anywhere that is wet.

I would try dry flies today. Yellow Stimulators, Smoky Mountain Candy, Elk Hair Caddis, Neversink Caddis are good choices to start with. Sizes are going to range from #12 - #16. Using a nymph for a dropper is good also. Green Weenies and Squirmy worms

We've been learning about Tenkara rods since we got them in. I think the ultimate key is to keep it simple and not over think it too much. On the tip of the rod is a little piece of line called the lillian. This is what you attach your line to. At the end of the lillian is a simple overhand knot. I was wondering why there isn't a loop connection on it? To me it just seems like that would be easier than doing the girth hitch around that little piece of line. Well, when I called Tenkara USA the other day to place an order I asked John about that very question. I figured the answer would be....well..it is tradition.. His answer was simpler and had more reason behind it. Because the line/leader is so long you would have to pull the entire length of it through the loop to get it attached. Once you get used to doing the hitch around the lillian it is faster to do that knot. I still need to figure out how to land the fish with 12 feet of rod.

Thanks for reading the Fishing Report and thank you for being here with us.

Daniel Drake
May 10, 2017

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WALTER BABB FLY ROD BASKET - SILENT AUCTION
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 this week in front of the Gift Shop at UT Medical Center! Starts Monday. Starting bid is $500.