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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:49 am, the temperature is 64.9 degrees.
Today and tomorrow will be cloudy to partly cloudy with highs in the low 70’s falling to the mid-50’s at night. We have a chance for rain tonight. Rain will return to the area Wednesday, lasting through Thursday night.
Little River is flowing at 107 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.68 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 84 cfs. The water temperature is 61.5 degrees this morning.
Water levels receded yesterday afternoon and overnight. Flows continue to be higher than normal. Normal in October is low. Water temperatures are good at all elevations. Trout are actively feeding as the temperatures are well with their preferred range. Dry flies and nymphs will work. Fishing in the Smokies is good.
Lowland rivers are flowing well above normal but at very good fishable levels. The rivers are warm enough for smallmouth bass and other lowland species to be active. It will be overcast at times today and tomorrow which is beneficial. Streamers and nymphs will work. Poppers, hair bugs and foam floating flies may do well for you too. Give them a try.
Fishing for trout in the lowland rivers where they are stocked is very good.
I clicked on a few of the TVA pages to see if there were tailwater fishing opportunities today and I didn’t see many. There are a few options in east and middle Tennessee, especially if you are boating. Depending on where you live, this might be a good day for a fly fishing road trip.
Lake fishing conditions will be good today and tomorrow. It will be mostly cloudy today and partly cloudy tomorrow. Winds will be light and variable both days. The chance for rain is low. Air temperatures will be very comfortable.
I know for sure, streamers and swimming nymphs will work. Surface water temperatures may be warm enough for topwater fishing. Cloud cover will help too. I have always done better on cloudy days using top water flies.
We are in the projected path of Tropical Storm Zeta after it makes landfall. We will likely see widespread rainfall in the southeast later this week from the storm.
This is tough to write about and I have been thinking about what to say for days. Many of us lost a good friend last week. John Thurman of Norris, Tennessee passed away. John was one of the kindest and most helpful people I know. He was a gifted aquatic biologist, fly fisherman and fly tyer. He shared his knowledge with many. John was one of the leaders who founded Trout Unlimited’s Trout Camp for kids. Every year John demonstrated his fly tying skills at the shop, where you and I could learn from him. He always tied a Fly Tyers Weekend.
John had many friends. I was lucky enough to be one of them.
Joe was his close hunting and fishing buddy. They traveled to hunt upland birds with John’s cherished and well trained dogs.
John and Buzz fished together often and were very good friends. They worked tirelessly, with many others, to build the Clinch River Chapter of Trout Unlimited to an outstanding and envied organization of sharing anglers with much to share.
John was always fun to be with. He was enthusiastic about everything. His enthusiasm was contagious. I was always amazed by his leadership and organization skills.
I miss you John. You are missed by many. Your legacy will live on forever. Thank you for making my life and the lives of many others much better.
Byron Begley
October 26, 2020
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com |
