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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:26 am, the temperature outside is 68.2 degrees. This reading is taken at a personal weather station located a few hundred yards from our home and accessed through Weather Underground online. The equipment is located in the open, on a tower, in the sun, not in the shade. The highest recorded temperature there was 92.5 degrees yesterday, much hotter than predicted by the National Weather Service.

It will be warmer than normal today and through the weekend. Rain chances today are fairly low. The chance for rain increases tomorrow and Friday. We have a decent chance for rain both days this weekend.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PREDICTED HIGHS AND LOWS TODAY

Little River is flowing at 98 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.59 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 91 cfs. The water temperature at the low elevation USGS Gauge site is 69.4 degrees this morning. That number peaked at 72 degrees yesterday.

The streams in the Park that have USGS gauges reported a sharp increase in flow yesterday due to small thunderstorms, with one exception. Now, they are all at slightly above median flow. Little River watershed got no rain yesterday.

Right now, with the streams flowing at the normal low we have this time of the year, hiding from the trout is essential to your success. Dress to blend with the forest. Stay as low as possible. Don’t cast a shadow over the area you are fishing. The trout will be spooky due to the normally low water we have now.

The streams are very warm in the low elevations and that trend will continue through the weekend. When the water temperatures rise into the upper 60’s and low 70’s, dissolved oxygen is low, making it stressful and unhealthy for the trout. The water will be cooler in the mid to high elevations. You will enjoy better fishing, while knowing when you catch and release a trout, the fish will be more likely to recover from the experience.

Fish the choppy water where the trout are trying to hide from predators. Fish areas where riffles enter pools, pockets behind rocks in riffles, choppy runs and areas where there is natural cover. Try to fish shaded water.

I talked to a guide yesterday, who recently caught a 25-inch brown trout in Little River. I talked to several anglers yesterday so I may have this mixed up. I think he told me he caught the trout on a Prince Nymph. This is more likely to happen during the Fall. That is a great fish to catch, especially in August, during the day. The large browns are usually more active at night, when it illegal to fish in the Smokies. The exception is, prior to the spawn, during the spawn and post spawn.

Fly fishermen are telling me, they are doing well on the trout tailwaters, especially the Clinch River. I have also heard reports from anglers reporting slower fishing for trout on the tailwaters.

Fly fishing for smallmouth bass on the tailwaters has been very good.

Fly Tyers Weekend will be held in a few weeks at the shop, in a huge tent. The dates are October 27th and 28th. I think over 40 fly tyers have signed up to demonstrate. The event is free and it is always well attended. I love it. You can read more by CLICKING HERE.

I spent over two hours yesterday afternoon, in the scorching sun and 92.5 degree temperatures, sanding and coating the front doors at the shop. The front of the shop faces the west. That side of our building takes a beating from the sun. I know, because I took a beating from the sun and heat yesterday. I plan to do the same for at least two more afternoons.

I am meeting with a company next week, to get a price on patching, coating and striping our parking lot. My goal is to get that done before Fly Tyers Weekend. Jack and I painted the front of the building two weeks ago. When it cools off some, we will stain the wood in the eves and posts on the front porch overhang. That is going to be a job! We will be up on that eve on walk boards, with a plastic shield to keep stain from dripping on you when you enter or exit. I tend drip when painting, especially above my head.

We are going to power-wash and seal the stone entrance to the shop.

We have new signs on the pole and the building. I pruned all the trees and shrubbery on the front of the building. I’ll do the back and south side soon. The shop looks good!

The fly tying department is doing extremely well. I am ordering to re-stock every week. Yesterday ended the 4th week of August. I will check again today, with yesterday’s sales included. It looks like that week will double last year’s sales for the same week. August sales should be up between 60% and 70% over last year. I am happy about that.

Many people think I have retired, because I spend much of my time working at my home office. That could not be further from the truth. I am 67 years old. I plan to work the rest of my life. I love work and always have. More often than not, I choose work over fly fishing.

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

Byron Begley
August 29, 2018

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com