If you do not see today’s Fishing Report, please refresh your browser to empty your cache.
Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:31 am, the temperature outside is 67.6 degrees.
Today and Monday will be warm, feeling more like Summer than October. We have a 30% chance for afternoon thunderstorms both days.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PREDICTED HIGHS AND LOWS TODAY
LOCATION |
HIGH |
LOW |
TOWNSEND |
86 |
67 |
GATLINBURG |
84 |
67 |
ELKMONT |
81 |
66 |
CADES COVE |
83 |
66 |
NEWFOUND GAP |
77 |
61 |
MOUNT LECONTE |
66 |
58 |
CHEROKEE |
83 |
63 |
SMOKEMONT |
79 |
62 |
BRYSON CITY |
84 |
64 |
MAGGIE VALLEY |
78 |
63 |
COSBY |
85 |
66 |
Little River is flowing at 132 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.73 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 71 cfs. The water temperature is 68 degrees this morning.
Little Pigeon River, Oconaluftee River and Cataloochee Creek are all flowing above median flow. These streams have USGS gauges, so the flows can be seen online. Most other streams in the Smokies are probably flowing higher than normal. Normal is very low in October.
Rain and colder air will move into the area at mid-week. After Wednesday, temperatures will fall. Expect highs in the 60’s and low 70’s, with lows in the 40’s and 50’s, through October 21st.
Fishing will be best, and better for the health of the trout you catch and release, if you fish in the mid to high elevations today, through at least Wednesday. The low elevation water temperatures will be warm.
Later next week, water temps in the lower elevation larger streams should be cooler. We will probably get a good shot of rain next week, to keep water flows higher than normal, for a while.
Right now, fly fishing conditions in the Park are good, especially for October.
Dry flies and nymphs will work. Try both. Trout are actively feeding due to warmer than usual water temperatures. I would use a Parachute Adams, Yellow Stimulator, Smoky Mountain Candy or a Yellow Neversink Caddis for my dry fly. Nymph choices would include Prince, Pheasant Tail, Green Weenie or Tellico.
Of course, stealth is important to your success. Don’t let the trout see you. Dress to blend in with the forest.
I have been fishing twice during the last two weeks and saw a bear both times. They are busy gathering and eating nuts. All of the bears I have seen this year looked healthy and well fed. Well fed females have more cubs during the Winter. The chance for twins or triplets are greater when the mothers den after eating heavily during the Fall. I think we’ll see a lot of newborn cubs next Spring.
The mast crop may be spotty though, depending on early frosts in different locations and elevations. I may see a lot of food on the ground at our house, but other areas could be offering less food for animals, or more.
Fly tying material suppliers are sending out their new catalogs to their dealers. We received Hareline Dubbin’s catalog Friday. I’m going to spend today, adding new materials to our order list from them, and make price adjustments. I hope to finish today, and place an order tomorrow. I did the same with Renzetti Friday. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be doing a lot of that kind of work. I am trying to stock the fly tying department, in anticipation for Fly Tyers Weekend at the end of this month.
I am also looking at new fly tying suppliers too. They will have to wait a few weeks until I get caught up. Other companies have given us their new lineups for 2019.
I will spend much of the Fall and Winter, photographing and adding their new merchandise to our online store. Fishpond has to be finished by November 1st, because their new gear will be available for sale then. Fall is my busiest time of the year.
A large part of our parking lot was sealed yesterday with two coats. It will be re-striped today. We have 50 parking spots, and all but 12 were done yesterday. The company I hired will complete the smaller section later this week. Yesterday, we all parked on the street with permission from the Townsend Police Department. Our students parked at the Post Office with their permission. This kept those 12 parking spots open for other customers.
The company I hired is doing a great job. The cost is $3,000. That needs to be done about every 5 years.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
October 7, 2015
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com

|