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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:09 am, the temperature outside is 33.3 degrees.
Today will be overcast with a high temperature around 50 degrees, dropping to the mid-30’s tonight. There is a 30% chance for light rain today and tonight. It will be partly sunny tomorrow with a high in the low 50’s and a low in the upper 39’s.
US Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road), from Gatlinburg to Cherokee is still closed today due to snow and ice. Laurel Creek Road, from near the Tremont Road to Cades Cove is closed until about March 1st. Cades Cove is closed.
Little River is flowing at 458 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.62 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 302 cfs. The water temperature is 44.8 degrees this morning.
Most streams in the Smokies are flowing above normal. Some are flowing comparatively higher than normal than others. Little River is close to being on the high side of good at 2.62 feet. The water is swift in areas, so be careful wading.
Water temperatures are falling this morning, which is usually typical at 5 am. There are nights when the water temperatures rise, if a warm front is moving into the area. The low elevation stream temperatures are in the low 40’s currently, while in the higher elevations, the temps are colder, in the 30’s.
For that reason, you will do best fishing in the low elevations where the water is warmer. That will probably be the case for a while. Trout can be active when the water temperature exceeds 40 degrees. The fish are typically inactive when the temps are in the 30’s. Ideal water temperatures for trout range from 50 degrees to the low mid-60’s.
I would plan on using heavy nymph rigs today. The streams are flowing higher than ideal, so the extra weight will help keep your nymphs down and drifting closer to the speed of the current where you are fishing.
Of course there are exceptions. Trout could be taking dry flies or fishing could be slow. Nothing in fly fishing is absolute.
Some dams in the region are generating today but there are exceptions. There are some tailwater fishing opportunities, especially if you don’t mind driving or you are fishing from a boat. Look at the TVA generation schedules from the links below to see if you can work with their schedules today.
The agencies, TVA and the Corps of Engineers are cutting back on the discharges at most dams.
Business in tourist destination towns like ours, are subject to weather and road closings in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. For instance, the threat of bad weather can cause visitors to cancel their reservations at hotels, campgrounds and rental cabins. If the Park closes due to a budget impasse in Congress, which has happened, that has a drastic impact on businesses in gateway towns. Road closures, in the Park have a negative effect on business.
Soon, roads leading to the Cataloochee Valley will close until later this Spring. Now, the road to Cades Cove is closed.
I have been hearing that businesses in Townsend has been affected by the Laurel Creek Road closure. I suppose, visitors know they can’t get to the Cove, so they are not coming to Townsend.
I read an article and watched interviews with two local restaurant owners on the WBIR website this morning. You can see it by CLICKING HERE.
One business owner said business during the Winter months is 20% lower than it is in the good months. That sounds about right to me. This January, she said her business is down 60%. That is tough to deal with. Laurel Creek Road should re-open in late February so Cades Cove will re-open.
Our business is about even with last year during the first four weeks this month. That is disappointing to me because last year was a good growth year. So, maybe the Laurel Creek Road closure has affected us too. I didn’t think it would. Fly anglers have many other choices other than fishing along Laurel Creek Road or Cades Cove.
What we watch closely is weather, temperatures and rainfall, floods and droughts, warm water or cold water. Those conditions affect our business significantly. Because we are in the mail order business, I also watch the weather in other states, especially the Southeast US and some to our north.
When the drought eased last year in the states near us, I was relieved. All of the southern states, including Tennessee and some to our north were affected by that drought.
The fly fishing business in our area was also negatively affected last year, by heavy rain during the winter and spring. Our customers could not fish on the tailwaters nearby for an extended period of time. I look at the generation schedules at the dams in our region every morning. What I saw then and now is not what I hope for.
The last thing I want to see are disappointed fly fishing anglers with limited fishing opportunities. When you are happy, and fishing often, our business is good.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
January 29, 2020
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com |
