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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:39 am, the temperature outside is a very cold 18.7 degrees.

It will be sunny and warmer today, with a high in the low 50’s, dipping to the low 30’s tonight. Tomorrow’s high temp will be about the same as today, but rain will move into our area during the afternoon and continuing through the night.

Warmer temperatures will be enjoyed next week with rain at times. Highs will be in the 50’s to low 60’s. Lows at night will be in the 40’s most days.

Little River is flowing at 112 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.70 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 267 cfs. The water temperature is a very cold 35.4 degrees this morning.

Fishing will be slow today due to the cold water temperatures. If you go, your best option is fishing nymphs, tickling the stream bottom, where the trout are lethargic and resting. The fish’s metabolism is running slow. They don’t need food. They are not burning calories. If your nymph drifts close to a fish, it might eat or it might not.

You may find some hungry brown trout. Those that have spawned could be feeding.

Fishing will improve over the next few days as the water warms. If we see the water temps rise to the mid-40’s, fishing will pick up. I can’t predict if that will happen. Hopefully it will.

In yesterday’s report, I linked to a very important article on the subject of nymph fishing. You can read it by CLICKING HERE. I received several comments via e-mail on this article. It will help you be a better nymph fisherman. I noted some changes I plan to make in the nymph rigs I use in the future.

The article touched on the “drop shot” rig, though it was not referred to that in the article. I found an illustration on the Galloup Slide Inn site. See the illustration by CLICKING HERE.

One interesting concept in this illustration, I have never seen, depicts a way to attach your flies to the rig. The top nymph is attached to a piece of tippet held to the rig using a perfection loop. I never thought of that.

The split shot is attached to the bottom of the rig, with a knot in the tippet material, to keep it from sliding off. Having the weight at the bottom of the rig, allows you to feel strikes better, when high sticking without a strike indicator.

I am still sold on using tippet rings, to attach your flies to the nymph rig.

I recently bought a Smith Creek Rig Keeper though I have not used it. This clever accessory allows you to pre-make your nymph rigs, then store them on your vest. You can change out your rigs, while storing those you used, and those you have not, on the Rig Keeper. See this accessory by CLICKING HERE. They sell for $24.95, which includes ground shipping.

Watch the video on that page.

Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.

Byron Begley
December 16, 2017

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com