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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:30 am, the temperature is 46.9 degrees.
Today will be mostly sunny with a high temperature near 80 degrees, dropping to the middle 50’s tonight. Tomorrow will be mostly sunny again with a high near 80 and a low around 60.
Little River is flowing at 426 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.46 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 375 cfs. The water temperature is 50.7 degrees at the low elevation USGS gauge near Townsend. Yesterday, the temperature rose to 52 degrees.
Many streams in the Smokies have receded to near normal with others flowing above normal. We still have plenty of water, more than some anglers prefer. You will find swift areas in the streams. However, streams flows are much lower than they were earlier this week.
The streams have warmed to the low end of the trout’s preferred temperature range in the low elevations. Warmer water boosts the trout’s metabolism, and their need for food. We are at the beginning of that point now. Trout fishing conditions are not perfect, but they are better. We will see improvement today and tomorrow. It will be very warm and water levels will continue to recede. It takes time for trout to adjust and respond to warmer water temperatures in the early Spring.
You may see sporadic short lived hatches of aquatic insects. The insects you see on the water may be quill gordon, blue quill, blue wing olive, midges and other species. The longer these insects are available for food, the more likely trout will be feeding on adult insects, on the surface.
If you go fishing in the mountains today, target the low to middle elevation streams where the water is warmer. I would start with weighted nymph rigs first, but be prepared to switch to dry flies and emergers.
Choose dark mayfly patterns, that mimic the insects you are most likely to see. I would have Quill Gordon, Blue Quill and Parachute Adams flies with a range of sizes in my box along with some dark wet flies to trail behind your dry fly. If you see your dry fly move or submerge, with no apparent attack from a trout on your dry fly, the fish probably took your wet fly. Your dry fly also serves as a strike indicator. If you are catching trout on the wet fly, you may consider fishing a tandem rig with two wet flies.
If you want to keep things simple, fish a dry fly alone with no dropper, or a wet fly emerger the same way.
Fishing in the mountains will improve today and tomorrow as the water warms and recedes further.
Fishing for stocked trout in the lowland rivers flowing out of the mountains will improve today and tomorrow as temperatures are now in the trout’s preferred range. Nymphs, streamers, squirmy worms and mop flies are good fly choices when fishing for stocked trout.
TVA and the Corps of engineers are planning to generate today with no breaks or only short pauses at most dams in this area. I was hoping for better generation schedules today giving tailwater wade fishing anglers some options but I didn’t see many. If you are boating or floating with a guide, there are probably more options. Check the generation schedules yourself. I do not look at every one, only those nearby. And, you know where, when and how to fish on your favorite tailwater. Professional guides know how to work with generation schedules.
This is going to be a beautiful day to be fishing in the freestone trout streams. I expect we will see many visitors in town. We will be busy at the shop. I will be working upstairs helping fly tying shoppers.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
March 5, 2022
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com
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