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Welcome to the Fishing Report form Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:57 am, the temperature outside is 65.8 degrees.
We are going to enjoy some cool wet days this week with high temperatures in the upper 70’s to the low 80’s each day through Sunday. Lows at night will drop to the mid 60’s. Rain chances are high every day through Saturday, in the form of scattered thunderstorms. This will be a great fishing week, though some storms may contain heavy rain which could spoil the fishing temporarily in some watersheds.
Little River is flowing at 119 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.64 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 106 cfs. The water temperature is 68.4 degrees this morning.
Streams in the Smokies that have USGS gauges are flowing at or slightly higher than normal this morning. Water temperatures are warm in the lowest elevations. Fish a little higher where the water is cooler. Dry flies and nymphs will work for you.
Lowland rivers are flowing at normal which is low in August. Fish the deeper pools with foam floating flies, hair bugs or poppers. We should have cloud cover often this week which is helpful. There is a chance the rivers may swell or become stained at times over the next few days. Or, maybe they won’t.
There are a few wade fishing opportunities on tailwaters in the area but they are limited. Boating may be a better option. Visit the TVA website from the links below to ponder your options.
Lake fishing is fair. Go early or late. It will be overcast at times through the week which is helpful. I would start with topwater flies first, then switch to streamers or swimming nymphs if the fish are not interested in your surface flies. Jack told me yesterday fishing was slow for he and Joe this week on one of the lakes. He heard bass were schooled and feeding on shad late in the evening, on top.
That occurs when the sun is off the water and plankton rises to the surface. Threadfin shad follow the plankton. Shad “filter feed” on plankton. Game fish follow the shad and feed on them. When that occurs, I have fared well using a small 2” long Puglisi Shad imitation. You have to be quiet and sneak up on the schools using your trolling motor at a very slow speed. You can do the same in a canoe or kayak too. You can get closer if you sit and do not stand.
I am tying at least one spun deer hair bass bug every evening. My goal is to become good at it. So far, I have not reached that goal. Actually, I am not even close. But, they are looking better every day. I’m not ready to show them to my friends quite yet. Fly tying for me began in 1962. I’ve tried spinning and trimming deer hair several times and eventually gave up. This time, I’m not giving up.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
August 18, 2020
NOTICE: FLY TYERS WEEKEND HAS BEEN CANCELLED THIS YEAR.
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com |