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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:25 am, the temperature outside is 66.9 degrees.
Today will be warm with a low chance for rain. Expect rain tomorrow and Thursday with clearing Friday. Colder air will move into the area Thursday. Expect highs in the low 70’s Thursday and through the weekend. Lows at night will dip to the 40’s and 50’s. These predictions are for Townsend. It will be colder in the higher elevations.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PREDICTED HIGHS AND LOWS TODAY
LOCATION |
HIGH |
LOW |
TOWNSEND |
84 |
66 |
GATLINBURG |
83 |
65 |
ELKMONT |
78 |
63 |
CADES COVE |
79 |
66 |
NEWFOUND GAP |
70 |
61 |
MOUNT LECONTE |
65 |
56 |
CHEROKEE |
76 |
65 |
SMOKEMONT |
71 |
62 |
BRYSON CITY |
77 |
65 |
MAGGIE VALLEY |
71 |
65 |
COSBY |
83 |
66 |
Little River is flowing at 114 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.66 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 79 cfs. The water temperature is 68.0 degrees this morning at the low elevation site inside the Park, near Townsend.
All streams in the Park that have USGS gauges reporting, are flowing above median flow today.
The stream temperatures are warm in the lowest elevations. Fish the higher elevation streams where the water is cooler. That will change by the weekend. Temperatures should be fine above Metcalf Bottoms, and the upper Middle Prong of Little River. Watch for temperature readings of 65 degrees or cooler.
Yesterday, the water temperature rose to near 70 degrees at the Townsend gauge. Catching and releasing a trout in water that warm, can be lethal to the fish.
These way above normal water temperatures will end soon. We should not have to worry about that until next Summer.
The streams are flowing low, though still above normal for this time of the year. Stealth is extremely important to your success right now. Dress to blend with the forest. Stay as low as you can. Try not to let the trout see you.
Rain is expected this week and stream levels may rise again. Higher water and cooler temperatures may offer us excellent fishing by the weekend. The chance for rain Thursday is 100%, with total rainfall of ½ inch expected.
Dry flies and nymphs will work. I would still use Summer patterns for now. Try a Yellow Stimulator, Yellow Neversink Caddis, foam beetle, Parachute Adams or Smoky Mountain Candy, among other reasonable dry flies. Many different nymph patterns will produce. My favorites are Green Weenie, Prince, Hare’s Ear, Tellico and Pheasant Tail.
Tomorrow may be a good fishing day on the lakes. It will be overcast. Take a rain jacket. Rain is expected all day Thursday. Friday may be good too. It may be partly cloudy.
Surface temperatures on the lakes will be falling this weekend and through the balance of October. Smallmouth bass should move into shallower water at some point. I am definitely looking forward to that. Largemouth bass are shallow on cloudy days, or when fishing early or late. Fly fishing on the lakes will improve over the next few days.
Fishing in October has been good so far. We may see low water conditions later this month. October is historically dry. Brown trout are out in the open, preparing to spawn.
The left side of our parking lot will be sealed today. If you are meeting friends early this morning, park on the right side when facing the building. That side has been sealed and striped. If we find a vehicle on the left side this morning, we will have to tow it to the right side.
It is 7 am, so I’m going to the shop to make sure nobody parks in the area that will be sealed.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
October 9, 2018
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com

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