Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:33 am, the temperature is 41 degrees.
It rained most of the day yesterday. Rainfall amounts totaled between one half inch to over an inch in the foothills.
It will be mostly cloudy today with a high temperature in the low 40’s, dropping to the middle 20’s tonight. Sunshine will return tomorrow. We can expect sun each day with no rain through the weekend. It will be cold, especially at night. Highs each day through the weekend will be in the low to middle 40’s with lows at night in the 20’s.
Little River is flowing at 381 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.43 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 138 cfs. The water temperature is 47.1 degrees this morning.
Little Pigeon River is flowing at 953 cfs, 2.72 feet, which compares to median flow of 200 cfs.
Oconaluftee River is flowing at 803 cfs, 2.38 feet, compared to median flow of 247 cfs.
Tellico River is flowing at 234 cfs, 1.32 feet, which compares to median flow of 124 cfs for this date. Cataloochee Creek is flowing at 91.3 cfs, 2.57 feet, compared to median flow of 51 cfs.
Water temperatures have warmed slightly. We probably will not see much warming today. Water temperatures will plunge tonight. The streams will be cold through the weekend after today.
Streams are flowing higher than normal. Be careful wading. This will be a good nymphing day. I would stand in safe water and drift weighted nymph rigs without a strike indicator. Streamers might work too. Fish in the low elevations where the water is warmer.
The same is true for fishing in the stocked streams. Most of these streams are in the lower elevations. Stocked trout can be caught. I would use weighted nymph rigs or streamers.
Fishing for smallmouth bass in the lowland rivers is probably going to be slow today and through the weekend. The bass will be sluggish due to the colder water temperatures. If you go, try nymphs or streamers.
If you plan to fish on a lake today, dress warm. It will be overcast, which is a good lake fishing condition. It may be breezy at times. I would cast to the banks with weighted streamers retrieved slow and with pauses, to keep your flies deep. I have not heard any good reports from fly fishing anglers fishing on the lakes.
I saw a couple of generation schedules on the TVA website that may work for you with careful planning. TVA and the Corps will be generating all day at many dams. If you are boating or drifting with a guide there are more options. Check the TVA website from the links below to see what tailwater options you have today.
Speaking of guides, Mike Bone will be tying flies at the shop Saturday between 10 am and 2 pm. This is a free demonstration. All you have to do is show up. Mike is an excellent tailwater guide. He has been floating clients down the rivers longer than anyone I know. He has probably tied more flies than anyone I know. You will really enjoy watching and talking to Mike.
Appalachian Bear Rescue (ABR), located here in Townsend, received a Land Rover Defender Service Award, the top prize in the animal welfare category. ABR will receive a new Land Rover Defender and $25,000 cash. You can read more on the WBIR website by CLICKING HERE.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
November 16, 2022
FREE FLY TYING DEMONSTRATIONS HELD ON SATURDAYS
For the first time since 2019, we will be holding our Free Fly Tying Demonstrations on Saturdays. The demonstrations will begin at 10 am and last until 2 pm. You do not need a reservation. Just show up and enjoy. These demonstrations will kick off November 5th, and last through mid-December. Then, they will resume in January.
Mike Bone will be tying on Saturday November 19th. Mike has been guiding, mostly on the Clinch River and Holston River trout tailwaters for decades. He is also an accomplished smallmouth bass guide. Everyone likes Mike. You will too. CLICK HERE to visit Mike’s website.
Saturday December 3rd - Jimmy Jones will be demonstrating today. Jimmy lives in Maryville. He is an avid Smokies angler and golfer. He ties some very interesting and unique flies that work very well in the Smokies.
I have learned new techniques, watching Jimmy tie.
Saturday December 10th - Jonathan Yeager - Jonathan is also known as the "Fly Doctor". He is a professor at UT Chatanooga. He ties flies commercially and sells them to his customers. He is an avid fly fisherman who spends his fishing time on wild trout streams in the Appalachians and stocked tailwaters.
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com
|
