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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:38 am, the temperature is 46.8 degrees.
Rain fell off and on yesterday and almost continuously overnight. We got 1.38 inches of rain yesterday and .25 inches overnight for a total of 1.63 inches in Townsend. The flood watch we were under has been lifted.
Showers are likely today with a high temperature in the low to middle 40’s. The temperature will fall to the low 20’s tonight and snow flurries are possible. It will be sunny tomorrow with a high in the upper 30’s and a low in the low 20’s. Sunday will be sunny and warmer with a high around 50 degrees and a low in the middle 20’s.
Streams in the Smokies are flowing high, too high to wade safely. Some streams are flowing at record levels for this date.
Little River is flowing at 2,200 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 4.79 feet on the gauge which is a record, previously set for this date in 2016 at 1,420 cfs. Median flow for this date is 367 cfs. The water temperature is 45.9 degrees this morning.
Little Pigeon River is flowing at 5,110 cfs, 5.72 feet, compared to median flow of 595 cfs at the Sevierville Gauge.
Oconaluftee River is flowing at 7,270 cfs, 7.14 feet, which is a record for this date set in 1957 at 3,040 cfs. Median flow for the date is 598 cfs.
Tellico River is flowing at 2,040 cfs, 5.27 feet, compared to median flow of 307 cfs.
Cataloochee Creek is flowing at 1,740 cfs, 5.48 feet, compared to median flow of 131 cfs. Record flow for this date was set in 1936 at 1,200 cfs.
This will not be a good day to fish in the Smoky Mountains or in the lowland rivers flowing out of the mountains and through the valleys.
Newfound Gap Road from Gatlinburg to Cherokee was closed yesterday morning due to high winds and it remains closed now.
There are long breaks in the generation planned at several dams today, including Cherokee, Norris, Wilbur, South Holston and Chatuge. If you hope to fish on one of the tailwaters, check the TVA website from the links below to see what your options are.
We have been busy at the shop so far this month even though this is early February which is a slow time in the fly fishing business. Fly fishing anglers are preparing for Spring fishing which may not be that far off. Looking at the long term weather forecast, I do not see significant warming in the immediate future through February 18th. When Spring fishing conditions appear in February, it is usually later in the month.
Last year, fishing improved in the Smokies during the first week of March. By March 12th, the streams warmed to 50 degrees overnight and fishing was good. I looked at last year’s report for March 15th. The water temperature was 52 degrees that morning. Aquatic insects and trout were very active.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
February 4, 2022
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com
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