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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:25 am, the temperature outside is 52.3 degrees.
It will be mostly sunny and warm today with a high temperature in the low 60’s falling to the mid-40’s tonight. It will be very warm over the next few days. Rain is predicted beginning tomorrow night and continuing through at least Wednesday night.
The deadly line of storms that moved through the US yesterday arrived into East Tennessee late yesterday afternoon. High winds preceded the storm night before last and all day yesterday. Tornado watches and warnings were broadcast in our area. High winds toppled trees. A 60 acre brush fire in Wear’s Valley is thought to have been started by downed power lines. The fire is contained and no homes were lost.
Rainfall during the storm amounted to .60 inches at the Knoxville Airport and .77 inches in Townsend.
Little River Road from the Townsend “Y” to Elkmont was temporarily closed due to downed trees yesterday. That road is now open. US Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road) from Gatlinburg to Cherokee is still closed. Laurel Creek Road, the only entry to Cades Cove is closed until late February for repairs on the Bote Mountain Tunnel. Cades Cove cannot be accessed by vehicles during this period. The campground is closed. Elkmont Campground is open.
The USGS gauge site on Little River near Townsend is not transmitting data. I don’t know what the flow rate or water temperature is this morning. That happened a few days ago and I called the USGS Knoxville Field Office and told them the gauge was not transmitting. It began transmitting a couple of hours later after the call. I will call them again tomorrow.
The Little River gauge in Maryville, further downstream is transmitting data. Flow there is currently 2,680 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 9.81 feet. Median flow for this date is 470 cfs. The river has crested. I feel confident the river is flowing very high in Townsend and the Park.
Little Pigeon River is receding. Flow at the Sevierville Gauge is 3,810 cfs or 4.93 feet, compared to median flow of 477 cfs.
Oconaluftee River is flowing at 2,270 cfs, 3.74 feet and that compares to median flow of 543 cfs for this date at the Birdtown Gauge. The river is receding.
At Tellico Plains, Tellico River is flowing at 930 cfs, 3.00 feet, compared to median flow of 268 cfs for this date. The river is receding.
Cataloochee Creek is flowing at 388 cfs, 3.45 feet, compared to median flow of 122 cfs for this date. The creek is receding.
There may be some fishable streams in the Smokies but I doubt it. Wading in most streams will be dangerous today. If you go, be careful wading.
I do not see any tailwater fishing opportunities today in our area. TVA and the Corps of Engineers are generating and sluicing at most dams to lower the lake levels. They are spilling at several dams on the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers.
This will be a good day to tie flies or watch the NFL playoffs later today. In my case, this will be a work day at the shop.
This is also a good day to be shopping at Little River Outfitters. We will be open, as usual.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
January 12, 2020
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com |
