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 5:18 am, the temperature outside is 32.5 degrees.
We got 1.48 inches of rain yesterday, twice what was predicted. We also got a dusting of snow overnight. The precipitation has moved on.
Today will be sunny and chilly, with a high in the low 40’s, dipping to the upper 20’s tonight. Tomorrow will be warmer, in the low 50’s. Rain is likely tomorrow night through Saturday night.
US Highway 441 Newfound Gap Road between Gatlinburg and Cherokee is closed in the Park, due to snow and ice.
Little River is flowing at 769 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 3.04 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 213 cfs. The water temperature is 46.9 degrees and falling this morning.
Little Pigeon River is flowing at 2,720 cfs, 4.16 feet, compared to median flow of 360 cfs at the Sevierville gauge.
Oconaluftee River is flowing at 1,030 cfs, 2.64 feet, compared to median flow for this date of 428 cfs. The water temperature is 46.4 degrees and falling.
Tellico River is flowing at 656 cfs, 2.41 feet, compared to median flow for this date of 190 cfs.
Cataloochee Creek is flowing at 205 cfs, 2.98 feet, compared to median flow of 81 cfs. The water temperature is 42.4 degrees and falling.
You might catch some trout today in the Smokies. However, the water temperatures are falling which is not good. Streams are flowing high though they are receding. If you go, be careful wading. The water is swift.
I would use nymphs or streamers and hope to catch a post spawn brown trout. Otherwise, I think fishing will be slow today and probably tomorrow too.
I checked the generation schedules on some of the local tailwaters. I didn’t see any angler friendly flows.
This seems like a good fly tying day to me.
It will probably be a good shopping day too. I checked our online orders that came in last night. We’ll be busy at the shop, at least in the shipping department. I will find plenty to do updating and expanding our online store, all day long, staring at a computer or through a camera lens.
A lot of what I do at work is what most people would consider to be boring. Not me! I love work and I always have. I work a lot more than most people do.
Business is a challenge that I enjoy. The fly shop business is especially challenging. We have been in the fly fishing business almost 25 years. It doesn’t seem that long.
We have learned a thing or two. The business is not as challenging as it used to be. But, you never know what is coming next, so that keeps me on my toes. Success comes by taking good care of customers in every way, from clean restrooms, being friendly and helpful and offering a great selection of merchandise. And there is more, a lot more, that keeps customers coming back.
One thing we have going for us is “No Debt”. Everything is paid for, even our building. We essentially have no rent. That will come in handy during the next downturn. I am 68 years old and I hope to keep working at least for another ten years. If I didn’t have my work, I would be very unhappy.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
December 11, 2019
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com
 |
A bamboo fly rod made by Walter Babb and 10 dozen flies tied by him will be auctioned off on Saturday December 14th at about 5:30 to 6:00 pm. This auction benefits the Needy Family Fund of Sweetwater Tennessee. This organization is made up of 20 area churches and raises money to buy food for families in need for Christmas. The auction will be held at the Sweetwater Primary School located at 500 Highway 322 East in Sweetwater.
You do not have to be present to bid on the rod or the flies. Call Phil Roy beforehand, at 423-337-1212 to register. You will be given several phone numbers to call in your bid during the live auction.
Below is what Walter told me about these auction items:
“The rod I made for the Needy Family Auction this year is a seven foot, 2 Piece, 4-weight Wayne Cattanach taper. Wayne is the author of Handcrafting Bamboo Fly Rods, one of the teaching books for me. This is a flamed single tip rod with a Hormigo Negro wooden spacer. In Spanish it is called an ant tree. Reel seat, spacer and ferrules are made by Baily Wood of Classic Sporting Enterprises. Also, the rod bag and rod tube are made by REC.
The box of flies are 10 dozen of my favorite nymphs. They include, three types of Tellico Nymphs, the Gray Squirrel nymph, George Nymph, Bead Head Peasant Tail, Atherton’s Medium Nymph, Bead Head Prince Nymph and Mr. Rapidan Emerger. This is my core group of nymphs that I use in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cherokee National Forest and in Western North Carolina. I carry a few others for special occasions or hatches.” |
|