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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:08 am, the temperature outside is 54.5 degrees.
It will be sunny and very warm today, with a high in the upper 80’s. No rain is expected today. Tomorrow will be cooler, in the mid-80’s, with a 30% to 60% chance for scattered thunderstorms. The weather websites do not agree on the chance for rain. I’m pulling for the one that thinks the chance is 60%.
We have had no measurable rain this month so far, at the Knoxville Airport. We normally see 2.58 inches at this point in September.
Rainfall is still 12.05 inches above normal for the year.
Little River is flowing at 34.4 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.17 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 80 cfs. The water temperature is 68.7 degrees. The lowest recorded flow on this date was 21.7 cfs in 2007.
Little Pigeon River is flowing at 85.6 cfs, 1.13 feet, compared to median flow of 123 cfs. The lowest recorded flow of this date was 46 cfs in 1948.
Oconaluftee River is flowing at 149 cfs or 1.15 feet. That compares to median flow of 196 cfs. On this date, the lowest flow was 75.3 cfs in 2007. The water temperature is 65.5 degrees this morning.
Tellico River is flowing at 52.8 cfs or .62 feet at the Tellico Plains gauge. Median flow for this date is 69 cfs. The lowest flow on this date was 22.9 cfs in 2016.
Cataloochee Creek is flowing at 30 cfs, 2.16 feet, which compares to median flow of 39 cfs. The lowest recorded flow on this date was 16.6 cfs in 2008. The water temperature is 60.4 degrees.
As usual, the streams in and around the Smoky Mountains are flowing low. Hopefully, we will see a change tomorrow.
Stealth is essential to your success. Hide from the trout and you will catch more. You may need to cast further to avoid detection. Dress to blend with the forest. Stay low. I would use a longer leader, at least 9 feet. Use fine tippet material. A dry fly with a Green Weenie dropper would be my choice. I would use a dry fly I could easily see from a longer distance. Try a Parachute Adams.
You should still fish the higher elevations where the water is cooler. Look for temps in the 60’s.
I would hike into the backcountry and fish smaller, shaded streams.
Fly fishing anglers are catching trout in the mountains. The low water conditions require different techniques than those used when the water is flowing higher.
Lowland river fishing is fair at best. Fish the deeper shaded pools for smallmouth bass, rock bass and sunfishes. Poppers or foam floating flies are what I would use.
If you plan to fish on a lake today, go early or late when the sun is off the water. As the sun rises, find shaded banks. Poppers, foam floating flies, streamers or Rubber Legged Dragons would be my choices. My streamer would be either a black weighted Wooly Bugger or a Puglisi Threadfin Shad.
You have some trout tailwater options today. Visit the TVA website from the links below to determine when and where to fish.
Business is picking up at the shop. I am seeing a lot more traffic in town. More travel trailers and motor homes are present on the roads. The Fall Festival and Old Timers day will be held in town this Friday and Saturday. That may account for the increase in traffic.
This weekend will offer visitors many interesting and fun things to do at the Visitors Center, Heritage Center, Cades Cove, and the Little River Railroad and Lumber Company Museum.
You can see the schedule of events, music shows, and a list of vendors by CLICKING HERE.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
September 25, 2019
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com |