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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:22 am, the temperature outside is 66.0 degrees.
This week will be much warmer than normal, but it will be cooler than it has been lately. There is a slight chance for rain today through Wednesday. Beyond that, it will be mostly dry through mid-October, which is normal.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PREDICTED HIGHS AND LOWS TODAY
LOCATION |
HIGH |
LOW |
TOWNSEND |
82 |
63 |
GATLINBURG |
80 |
62 |
ELKMONT |
78 |
61 |
CADES COVE |
79 |
62 |
NEWFOUND GAP |
74 |
59 |
MOUNT LECONTE |
63 |
54 |
CHEROKEE |
78 |
59 |
SMOKEMONT |
72 |
56 |
BRYSON CITY |
79 |
60 |
MAGGIE VALLEY |
73 |
59 |
COSBY |
82 |
61 |
Little River is flowing at 253 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.14 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 78 cfs. The water temperature is 66.5 degrees this morning.
Little Pigeon River is flowing at 605 cfs, compared to median flow of 141 cfs. Most streams in the Smoky Mountains are flowing above median flow.
So, we have water levels that are excellent, and water temperatures are cooler in the lower elevations. Fishing conditions are very good.
Trout will be feeding well, as their metabolism is in high gear thanks to the warmer than normal water temperatures.
Try dry flies or nymphs. Nymphs may work better than dry flies, but you never know. The trout are hungry and looking for food at all elevations. Just about any reasonable fly patterns will work.
More important, is stealth and presentation. Dress to blend with the forest. Get a good drift by making sure your fly is moving at the same rate of speed as the current it is drifting in. You can’t do that all the time, but the more you do, the better your fishing will be.
The lowland river conditions are better. Fly fishing for smallmouth bass and rock bass is good, thanks to the higher than normal flows we have right now, and cooler water temperatures.
Fly fishing on some reservoirs is good for largemouth bass and bluegill. Lately, fly fishing for smallmouth bass has been slow for me. That may be improving as the waters cool somewhat, in shallow water. I will find out this week.
Fly fishing for smallmouth bass has been good on the tailwaters, from what the guides have told me.
October fishing is finally here and the outlook is good for many reasons, at least, short term.
I found no news that the lady hiker, who is missing in Great Smoky Mountains National Park has been located. The search continued yesterday. A large group of trained rescuers, tracking dogs, helicopters and drones are working each day to find this lady, who has been missing since last Tuesday.
Clingmans Dome Road is closed, so aircraft and search teams can work from that area. You can read more on the USA Today website by CLICKING HERE.
Again, hopefully they will find her today.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
October 1, 2018
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com

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