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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:02 am, the temperature outside is 48.6 degrees.
It will be cooler today with a chance for showers and possibly thunderstorms. The high temperature will be in the low 60’s dropping to the 30’s tonight. Tomorrow will be sunny and slightly warmer with a high in the mid-60’s. Rain is likely Friday. Saturday and Sunday will be sunny again.
Little River is flowing at 341 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.32 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 261 cfs. The water temperature is 58.3 degrees this morning.
Streams in the mountains are continuing to recede. Many can be safely waded, including Little River, which is at a level we consider to be on the high side of good. You will find swift water in some streams so be careful wading. Water temperatures are very good in the lower elevations.
Dry flies and nymphs will work. Fly selection is not as important to your success as presentation. Stay hidden from the trout and get a good drift. There are many aquatic insects on the water so food is plentiful and trout are feeding. Your dry fly selection should include Light Cahill, sulphurs, Yellow Sally Stones and Elk Hair Caddis. For nymphs, I would use Pheasant Tail, Tellico, Hare’s Ear and Prince Nymph patterns.
Lowland river fishing has improved for now. Nymphs and streamers will work for trout and smallmouth bass.
TVA and the Corps of Engineers are generating at most dams in the region today and sluicing at some. I did not see any wade fishing opportunities on the tailwaters but I did not check every schedule. Look at the tailwater schedules from the links below. You may find a river that can be waded or fished from a boat.
This may not be a good fishing day on the lakes, due to the possibility of thunderstorms. If you go, you may want to stay close to the ramp.
We are opening the store this morning for the first time to customers since mid-March. We will be limiting the number of customers in the store to five at a time. We will also be offering curbside pickup and mail order. Social distancing is crucial. Please stay six feet away from other customers and us. We will be wearing face masks and keeping our distance from you while trying our best to give you good service.
We will not be selling fishing licenses. You can buy them online. It’s easy. The store is stocked well.
I go in every morning to sanitize everything I think we touch before everyone else arrives. We are also sanitizing throughout the day. Finally, I started changing into cleaning clothes at work. I am using bleach and you know what that does to clothing. After the cleaning is done, I change back into my work clothes.
What will be even more of a change for everyone is the opening of Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Saturday. The main roads will open allowing anglers an opportunity to fish streams that have not been fished for a while. Some bath rooms will be open.
You may find some secondary roads closed during the first phase of the opening. Hopefully, upper Tremont Road will be open. Campgrounds and visitor centers will be closed. They should open later, in two weeks, if phase one goes well.
This is going to be a beautiful weekend though it will be cool. Many people will be visiting the Park. Some will be hiking, and others will just be driving around enjoying the beauty. I bet Cades Cove will be packed. People will be fishing too. That makes us all happy.
Some restaurants in town have re-opened. I do see a lot of customers eating outside when the weather permits.
There is definitely more traffic in town. Visitors are spending the night.
Things are changing once again and for the better. Fishing conditions are improving too.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
May 6, 2020
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com |
