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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:10 am, the temperature outside is 64.2 degrees.
Today will be hot again, with a high around 93 degrees. We have a 10% chance for thunderstorms today and a 30% chance tonight. Wednesday through Friday will continue to be hot, in the low 90’s. Saturday and Sunday will be somewhat cooler, with a higher chance for showers and thunderstorms.
Little River is flowing at 29.7 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.27 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 80 cfs. The water temperature is 70.2 degrees. The low elevation temperature rose to over 73 degrees yesterday.
I saw Little River in town once yesterday. The numbers above indicate low water and what I saw was very low water.
Little Pigeon River is flowing at 112 cfs, 1.24 feet, compared to median flow of 161 cfs.
Oconaluftee River is flowing at 160 cfs, 1.19 feet, and that compares to median flow of 206 cfs. The water temperature is 67.1 degrees. Yesterday, that number topped out at 72 degrees.
Tellico River is flowing at 72 cfs in Tellico Plains. Median flow for this date is 80 cfs.
Cataloochee Creek is flowing at 34.9 cfs, 2.20 feet, compared to median flow of 47 cfs. The water temperature is 62.2 degrees. Yesterday, the temperature there rose to slightly over 65 degrees.
It is safe to say the streams are flowing low. Little River is flowing much lower than normal, while some other streams are not.
You can also see that the higher elevations have cooler water temperatures, with Cataloochee Creek being a very good example.
So, my advice remains the same for now, fish in the higher elevations where the water is cooler. Dress for success by wearing muted clothing so you blend with the forest. If the trout don’t see you, you will catch more.
The trout will be hiding in broken water. Dry flies and nymphs will work. Try a dry and a dropper. I would still use a black foam beetle and a Green Weenie, though other patterns will produce for you.
I would go early or late to fish the lowland rivers. Smallmouth bass and other warmwater species will be in the deeper pools and in the shade.
Go early or late to the lakes too. Fish the shaded banks.
You may find some fishing opportunities on the tailwaters. Check the TVA website from the links below to see if you can work with the generation schedules and sluicing in some cases.
Two good friends of mine fished on the Cumberland River below Wolf Creek Dam yesterday, and two more are floating the same river, further upstream tomorrow. I am anxious to hear how they did.
Jerry and I will be floating one of the lower tailwaters Thursday with Josh Pfeiffer. It is going to be hot out there. We will be fly fishing for smallmouth bass. I am hoping we do well and I’m sure we will have a great time.
I am looking at the extended forecast through September 24th. It is going to be hot, above normal, for several days. The forecast calls for cooler temperatures later in the period. The chance for rain increases beginning this weekend, remaining through the period. You can’t always count on the long term forecasts. It could be better or worse. I am hoping for better. I know we all are.
The normal high temperature from September 25th through the end of the month has been in the mid to upper 70s. The normal low through the period is in the low 50’s down to the upper 40’s.
Wouldn’t that be nice?
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
September 10, 2019
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com |