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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:18 am, the temperature outside is 25.7 degrees.
Today will be sunny and cool, with a high in the mid-40’s, dipping to the mid 20’s tonight. Tomorrow will be slightly warmer, with a high around 50 degrees dropping to the low to mid 30’s. There is no rain expected this week until possibly Saturday night and Sunday.
Little River is flowing at 693 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 3.00 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 235 cfs. The water temperature is 43.2 degrees this morning.
Little Pigeon River is flowing at 1,200 cfs, 2.98 feet, compared to median flow of 382 cfs for this date.
Oconaluftee River is flowing at 1,250 cfs, 2.86 feet, which compares to median flow of 420 cfs.
Tellico River is flowing at 614 cfs or 2.32 feet. Median flow for this date there is 186 cfs.
Cataloochee Creek is flowing at 348 cfs, 3.35 feet, compared to median flow of 79 cfs.
The streams are receding but they are all still flowing much higher than normal. Water temperatures are falling. There was a time yesterday when the water temperature in Little River remained stable at about 45 degrees, before falling last night.
I think fishing will be slow today due to high water and falling temperatures. You might find some smaller streams that are fishable and safe to wade but be careful. You don’t want to fall into water with temperatures in the 40’s.
I would use nymphs or streamers with extra weight to get them down. Trout may not be very active in most cases. Post spawn brown trout may be active. I would fish in the lower elevations where the water is warmer.
The long term forecast indicates a warming trend will begin this weekend and extend through Christmas week. Unless we get too much rain Sunday and Monday, fishing will improve in the Smokies.
Though the dams are pretty much generating around the clock, I did see times when the discharge will be cut back slightly at some dams today. Visit the TVA website from the links below to see if you can find a generation schedule that will work for you.
I can’t believe Christmas is less than a week away. This year has flown by. I am spending most of my time keeping the fly tying department stocked and working on the online store. I marked a huge job off of my “to do” list yesterday, updating Fishpond on two of our websites. I have been doing that off and on for several weeks. The last category I finished yesterday was Fishpond Nomad landing nets. I have some editing to do today.
Fishpond Nomad nets are very popular. There are 12 models offered with some available in different color finishes. Many Nomads have long handles and some of those are actually used by wading fishermen. Fishpond invented ways to store long handled nets on their vests and packs, making them more useable when wading. Other nets are designed for boating. Some are made for anglers who fish small streams. More than one is intended for professional guides.
Nomad landing nets are made from fiberglass and carbon fiber for light weight and durability. They float and they are UV resistant. Fishpond adds Kevlar to some of their nets. They call the process River Armor. Kevlar adds extra durability for anglers who subject their gear to extreme use almost every day, such as professional guides.
Nomad nets come in a selection of colors, making them even more desirable. When the net bags finally wear out, you can replace it yourself easily and inexpensively. Nomad nets are a lifetime investment. You can see all the models on our online store by CLICKING HERE.
I received two shipments of fly tying vises from Renzetti this week. I may order more before the week ends. This has been a big year selling their fly tying vises and tools. I have talked to Lily Renzetti several times over the past few weeks. She told me, we are not the only shop having a big Renzetti year. Their company is having a great year too. I am glad to hear that. Lily, Andy and everyone at Renzetti are really nice people and they make everything except their scissors at their plant in Florida.
You can see the Renzetti vises and tool that we stock on our online store by CLICKING HERE. The Traveler C2003 vise is by far the best seller. It sells for $179.95 in either the pedestal base or clamp models.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
December 19, 2019
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com |