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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:53 am, the temperature is 58.3 degrees.
This will be another beautiful and comfortable day, with a high temperature in the low to mid 80’s, falling to the low 60’s tonight. No rain is predicted today.
Little River is flowing at 173 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.88 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 95 cfs. The water temperature is 63.7 degrees this morning.
Most streams in the mountains are flowing higher than normal. Water temperatures are cool. Fishing conditions are very good, especially for early September. Trout will be actively feeding. Fish using nymphs or dry flies. Fish the broken water in riffles, pockets, plunge pools and deep runs. Stealth is very important to your success. Do not let the trout see you and you will catch more.
Getting a good drift is essential. Your fly should be moving at the same rate of speed as the water where the fly is drifting. Fish close and keep your fly line off the water, allowing only your leader to contact the surface and you will get a better drift and more strikes.
Trout see food drifting by all day long, moving with the current. If your fly is moving slower or faster, you are not likely to fool them.
The lowland rivers are flowing higher than normal and in good shape right now. It will be sunny today, so if you plan to fish on a river that has no or little tree canopy, fishing will be better early or late when the sun is off the water. I would use foam floating flies, hair bugs or poppers and fish in the deeper pools. Streamers or nymphs may work too.
Check the TVA website from the links below to see what your tailwater fishing options are today. I saw some but I did not look at every schedule.
The lakes will be crowded today. It will be sunny. Go early or late to avoid the traffic and sun on the water. There have been two boating accidents in the area this weekend, with one fatality. Be careful out there. I would be launching at daybreak and plan on fishing until about 10 am. Then, I would go home.
After today, there will be light recreation boating on the lakes. The impoundments will be lowered now that the boating season is over to create more water storage capacity. That has already begun. Fishermen will enjoy less traffic and better fishing.
Townsend Mayor Ron Palewski, passed away yesterday after a brief illness. He was in his 80’s. Ron served the city on the Council for many years. He made Townsend a better place. I don’t think anyone could say anything bad about him. He was loved by everyone. I worked with Ron when I served on the City Planning Commission and on other city business. I always enjoyed my time with him.
A transplant from Chicago, Ron brought his mint condition 1966 Pontiac GTO with him. It is beautiful. I never saw him drive that car except in our Christmas parades, unless it rained or snowed.
RIP buddy. You will be missed by us all.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
September 7, 2020
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com |
