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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:52 am, the temperature outside is 69.3 degrees.

Today will be mostly sunny with a high temperature in the mid-70’s. It will be breezy. There is an 80% chance for rain tonight as temperatures fall. Tomorrow will be chilly with a high in the mid-40’s. Tomorrow night will be cold. Expect mostly sun on Saturday with highs in the mid-40’s.

Little River is flowing at 242 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.11 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 338 cfs. The water temperature an incredible 53.8 degrees this morning and rising.

Fishing should be good in the Smokies today. Water temperatures are well within the trout’s preferred range, especially in the lower elevations. It will be very warm today. Water temperatures will continue to rise.

We do have a front moving in, that can negatively affect the fishing. I don’t know if it will or not.

Water temperatures will begin falling tonight and through the weekend. Fishing may be fair to slow this weekend, or maybe it won’t.

I think nymphs will work best. However, conditions are right for some Spring hatches. That could happen. Warm water like we have now can cause the early Spring aquatic insects to emerge, even in February. The water needs to stay warm for three days for that to occur. This is the third or forth day.

I would be prepared with some dry flies, just in case. Have some Parachute Adams dries in your box in sizes #12, #14 and #16. It is always a good idea to have some Blue Wing Olive dry flies and emergers in your box, this time of the year.

After today, we’ll have to see what happens to the water temperature. If it falls to the mid 40’s, fishing will slow some. At 40 degrees, fishing is usually very slow.

We are busy at the shop. Our business is up considerably over last year and the year before. The first week of February, which ends today, will be way up from last year. That is not caused by a lot of people fishing in our area. They are not. TVA has been blowing water through the dams, keeping the tailwater anglers at home. We have had high and cold water at times in the Smokies, so far this year.

I think fishermen are preparing. Last year was the wettest on record in Tennessee, North Carolina and other states. According to NOAA and NASA, last year was the wettest year in 35 years, in America. We did not have the usual fishing opportunities. We had a lot of high water in our region. From what I am hearing, anglers are hoping this year will be better. They are counting on it and planning for it.

I can tell you one thing for sure, our customers are tying a lot of flies this year. I do the ordering for the fly tying department every week. That department has been busy, much busier than it has been in several years.

Our fly tying classes have been very well attended this year.   

I am taking a week off. I have worked every day since January 2nd. Daniel will be writing the Fishing Report for a week, beginning tomorrow. I may work while I’m off, but not in the shop. I love working on the Little River Outfitters project. Even after 24 years in this business, I love it as much as ever before.

We will hold Free Fly Tying Demonstrations Saturday and Sunday this weekend. The demonstrators will tie flies and talk about their fly fishing experiences between 10 am and 2 pm. All you have to do is show up.

Steve Brown and Mike Wallace will be demonstrating Saturday. Guides David Knapp and Travis Williams will be performing Sunday.

You can read more about them and other free demonstrations we are holding this year by CLICKING HERE.

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

Byron Begley
February 7, 2019

NOTICE: Great Smoky Mountains head fisheries biologist Matt Kulp will be giving the State of the Park Fisheries Address at the Little River Chapter of Trout Unlimited's February meeting. Date: Tuesday February 26th.

The chapter meetings are held at Barley's Restaurant in downtown Maryville, Tennessee. Social hour begins at 6 pm. The meeting starts at 7:00 pm. You do not have to be a TU member to attend. Newcomers are welcome and encouraged to attend.

The Little River Chapter of Trout Unlimited has partnered with Great Smoky Mountains National Park, voluneering and raising funding, since 1993.

Fly Tying Classes January, February and March 2019 Taught by Walter Babb and Brian Courtney Beginner to Advanced CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com