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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:29 am, the temperature is 33.6 degrees.
It will be mostly cloudy and cool today with a high temperature in the upper 40’s, falling to below the freezing mark tonight. It will be sunny tomorrow with a high in the upper 40’s and a low in the middle 20’s. A warm front will move in Thursday and last through early next week and beyond.
Little River is flowing at 205 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.03 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 228 cfs. The water temperature is 44.4 degrees this morning and falling.
Streams in the Smokies are flowing near normal, some higher and others lower. Water temperatures are chilly and they will not warm much until later this week. Fishing will improve when the water warms. If you go today, fish in the lower elevations. Weighted nymph rigs will work best.
The same is true in the lowland rivers flowing out of the mountains and through the valleys. Smallmouth bass will not be very active. Trout fishing, where trout are stocked in these rivers will be better. Nymphs, egg patterns and Squirmy Worms are good fly choices. You might want to try a mop fly.
There are not many breaks in the generation at area dams today but there are some. You will have more tailwater fishing options if you are boating. Check the predicted flows on the South Holston. They looked favorable to me. Visit the TVA website from the links below to see what is going on at your favorite tailwater.
Tennessee Valley Authority will release the average rainfall data after January 1st, for 2021, in the Tennessee Valley. Based on the rainfall data collected at the Knoxville Airport, rainfall this year will be below normal. Since January 1st 2021, rainfall at the Airport has amounted to 45.24 inches. Normal through the period is 50.30 inches. Last year at this point, we had 64.61 inches of rain.
This has been a fairly dry year in east Tennessee, but as we know, the western US is and has been experiencing a drought. The drought is extreme in some areas and exceptional in others and has persisted for several years. See the US Drought Monitor by CLICKING HERE.
You can click on your region, then click on a state you are interested in to see a more detailed view.
I talked to some young people last night who are here for the holidays. One couple lives in Los Angeles, California. I asked them if they are worried about the water situation. They are. Another young man is attending law school in Denver. I asked him if it had snowed there this Winter? He said they only had a little snow recently.
If you know me, I am always looking at and talking about the weather. Weather affects our sport. Weather affects the fly fishing industry and you know I am interested in that. Weather affects everything. I am hoping for rain and heavy snow in the west this Winter, along with millions of other people.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
December 21, 2021
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Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com
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