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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:53 am, the temperature outside is 63.7 degrees.
Today will be mostly sunny and warm, with a 30% to 40% chance for thunderstorms this afternoon and tonight. Saturday and Sunday will be mostly sunny. There is only a slight chance for thunderstorms both days.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PREDICTED HIGHS AND LOWS TODAY
LOCATION |
HIGH |
LOW |
TOWNSEND |
85 |
66 |
GATLINBURG |
84 |
65 |
ELKMONT |
80 |
63 |
CADES COVE |
82 |
65 |
NEWFOUND GAP |
76 |
58 |
MOUNT LECONTE |
65 |
53 |
CHEROKEE |
86 |
62 |
SMOKEMONT |
79 |
60 |
Little River is flowing at 205 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.97 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 122 cfs. The water temperature is 66.2 degrees this morning. All streams in the Park are flowing above median flow for this date.
For the most part, the streams will continue to recede today, through the weekend, unless a stray thunderstorm drops rain in a drainage. That is not likely.
With flows reaching normal, you will need to be careful not to be seen by the trout. Dress to blend in with the surroundings. Stay low if possible. Fish the broken water, where the trout will be hiding.
Going early or late is a good idea, when the sun is off the water. Otherwise, find shaded areas. They will be more plentiful in the backcountry on smaller streams.
The water will be warm in the low elevations. Fish the mid to high elevations streams. You may find low water on some small high elevation streams. I would fish the East Prong of Little River above Elkmont during the day or Lynn Camp Prong, which are close to Townsend. There are many choices like these all over the Park.
I would use Yellow Sally Stonefly patterns, foam beetles and attractor flies fished dry. You should consider using a beetle, with an ant pattern floating or sunk behind. If you see a fish take a fly behind your beetle, it is probably a trout eating your ant. Ants are hard to see on the water. I like to trail them behind something else. The trout may eat your beetle. Or, your beetle acts as a strike indicator.
Should you decide to fish the lowland rivers for smallmouth bass or rock bass, you will encounter fairly low flows. You will do best during the early or late hours, when the sun is off the water. Poppers should produce until the sun rises high in the sky. Then, you may need to use streamers, in deeper water. If you are floating, hit the shaded banks during the day. I believe fishing on the lowland rivers will be fair at best, this weekend.
We have many lakes around us, nine of them. Some lakes are warmer than others, especially depending on where you are on a lake. Below dams on some, the water is cold or cool. Smallmouth bass fishing in shallow water will be best where the water is cooler. If the water is 80 degrees or warmer, largemouth bass, bluegill, shellcrackers and carp will be your best targets.
Fishing on top for most lake species will be best when the sun is off the water. Go early or late over the next three days because it is going to be sunny. If you continue to fish at midday, look for shaded banks or fish streamers deep. It is hard to fish deep with a fly rod, unless you use sinking fly lines. I don’t use sinking fly lines, though I probably should.
You may find large bluegill or shellcrackers in deeper water, 4 to 6 feet. I like to use a 9’ leader and a Rubber Legged Dragon. Dragons are very effective panfish flies, used when the big fish are deeper. They are weighted with bead chain eyes. Cast them out and let them sink. Then, retrieve very slow. Keep your line and leader tight, so you can detect a strike. Then, hang on.
I tie Dragons in larger versions and in lots of different colors. A burnt orange Dragon is one of my favorites. I catch bass on those too. I believe the fish think that fly is actually a small crawfish, not a dragonfly nymph.
Fly fishing on lakes is one of my favorite things to do. My passion for that is probably driven by the fact that I love boats and boating. But, this was something new to me 15 years ago, and the process of learning has been enjoyable.
The boat Paula and I have now is a simple vessel, a deep V 16’ aluminum craft with a 20 horsepower motor. Trolling motors are mounted on the bow and the stern. The boat is light, nimble, easy to haul, easy to push in and out of our boat house and simple to load or launch. I keep looking at buying a larger boat, but shy away because ours works so well. Our boat is great for two anglers, but too small for three. It is comfortable, with great cushy seats and flat floors.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
July 27, 2018
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com
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