Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:58 am, the temperature is 24 degrees.
Today will be sunny and cold with a high temperature around 40 degrees, falling to the low 20’s again tonight. A warm front is moving into the area. We will enjoy much warmer temperatures this week. Highs will be in the middle 50’s to the low 60’s beginning tomorrow and lasting through Thanksgiving day. Low temperatures will be in the 30’s.
Little River is flowing at 121 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.66 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 170 cfs. The water temperature is 38.6 degrees this morning.
Streams in the mountains are flowing slightly below normal. Water temperatures are cold, well below the trout’s preferred range. The water is very clear due to the cold water conditions. We will see the water temperatures rise some over the next few days. Fishing will improve somewhat when that occurs.
If you go fishing in the mountains today, nymphs will probably work best for you. Most trout are sluggish. Post spawn brown trout will be more active. Fish in the low elevations where the water is warmer. Dress to blend with the forest. Use light tippet. Smaller nymphs might be your best choices.
From what I heard yesterday, stocked trout fishing in the lowland rivers is fair and it was good when the water was warmer a few days ago. As water temperatures rise this week, fishing for these trout will improve. Stocked trout are accustomed to being fed on a regular basis. They are crowded and now have very little natural food to eat. Egg patterns, squirmy worms and small nymphs are good fly choices. Streamers might work too. Get your flies down to where the trout are holding.
Fishing for smallmouth bass, rock bass and other warmwater species is slow in the lowland rivers. Water temperatures are much lower than their preferred range.
There are breaks in the generation planned at some dams today offering tailwater anglers some opportunities. It is interesting and it appears to be a trend, that those breaks will occur later in the day. Check the TVA website from the links below to see what is going on at your favorite tailwater. If you are boating, you probably have more options but you might be able to work in some wade fishing below some dams.
We were busy at the shop yesterday. Though it was cold, we had plenty of sun and people were outside enjoying the beautiful day. Guide Mike Bone conducted a free fly tying demonstration. A lot of people showed up to watch Mike and talk to him. Paula came by the shop to see Mike. He guided us on the Holston one day that was memorable for all.
I met Mike over 30 years ago. I will never forget that day. He was working at the Smoky Mountain Angler in Gatlinburg. He showed me a bamboo rod he made. We have been friends ever since. Mike is one of those guys who can do anything very well that he sets his mind to, including making wooden drift boats, tying flies and guiding clients.
Mike told me yesterday, he has been guiding full time or more than full time on the tailwaters for 29 years. Before that, he guided in the Smokies. His daughter, Alex, worked at the shop while she was attending Maryville College. She went on the get her masters degree in chemistry. She will earn her doctorate in June. I guess I will start calling her Dr. Bone and she will be 27 years old. She is very smart!
I spent most of the day yesterday, upstairs helping fly tying customers. Often, I was helping two or three customers at the same time. Fly tying season has begun. Fly tyers are stocking up for their Winter hobby and filling their fly boxes for next Spring. I will be placing orders with all of our fly tying suppliers tomorrow. Most of what I will order will be back in stock by next weekend unless the Thanksgiving holiday slows down the shippers. Some of our suppliers may be closing the day before the holiday, so that may cause delays too. Semperfli announced they will be closing at noon on Wednesday. All of our suppliers will be closed Thursday.
We will be closed Thursday too.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
November 20, 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.
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
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