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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:58 am, the temperature outside is 28.6 degrees.
Today will be sunny and warm. Warm temperatures will continue through the weekend. Expect rain Thursday through Friday.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PREDICTED HIGHS AND LOWS TODAY
LOCATION |
HIGH |
LOW |
TOWNSEND |
54 |
39 |
GATLINBURG |
53 |
37 |
ELKMONT |
51 |
36 |
CADES COVE |
51 |
39 |
NEWFOUND GAP |
47 |
33 |
MOUNT LECONTE |
43 |
34 |
CHEROKEE |
52 |
35 |
SMOKEMONT |
47 |
36 |
BRYSON CITY |
53 |
36 |
MAGGIE VALLEY |
49 |
35 |
COSBY |
53 |
38 |
Little River is flowing at 549 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.76 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 305 cfs. The water temperature is 43.7 degrees and falling.
At the Sevierville gauge, Little Pigeon River is flowing at 961 cfs, 2.78 feet, which compares to median flow of 436 cfs.
Tellico River is flowing at 534 cfs or 2.21 feet on the gauge at Tellico Plains. That compares to median flow of 279 cfs for the date.
Oconaluftee River is flowing at 859 cfs, 2.37 feet on the gauge at Birdtown, which compares to median flow of 514 cfs. The water temperature is 41.4 degrees and falling.
Cataloochee Creek is flowing at 212 cfs, 2.98 feet, compared to median flow of 96 cfs. The water temperature is 39.6 degrees and falling.
As you can see, most streams in the Smokies are flowing quite a bit above normal. But, they are receding slowly. You will find strong flows in many areas. Be careful wading.
Water temperatures are chilly and they will continue to cool further for a few hours. Later this morning or early afternoon, the temperatures will begin rising. Fishing may not be great today, but it will improve as the water warms. It will be warm tonight, so we’ll see even more trout activity tomorrow.
Rain will arrive tomorrow afternoon. But, it will be warm rain, which will improve the fishing further, unless we get significant precipitation. Right now, the rain is expected to be light at least tomorrow.
I would start with heavily weighted nymphs or streamers. I would also fish the lower elevations where the water is warmer. Try a Prince, Tellico, Hare’s Ear or Pheasant Tail nymph, with plenty of split shot attached to your tippet. If you want to use a streamer, try a Muddler Minnow. Post spawn brown trout should be active. All species of trout will become more active as the water warms over the next few days.
Aquatic insect activity may increase too. Watch for a blue wing olive hatch and react accordingly if trout are feeding on them. You may see other insects on the water as it gets warmer this week. Switch to dry flies or emergers if you see trout feeding on top.
If we do not get too much rain over the next couple of days, I think fishing will be fair and maybe good, especially for the last week of the year.
It was strange not writing the fishing report yesterday morning. We write this daily report every day of the year except on four holidays. I do the writing most days, unless Paula and I are on vacation or I’m going fishing early. Daniel takes over when I’m not writing it.
I was hoping to sleep in a little yesterday, but that didn’t happen. Waking early has been one of my habits for decades. Going to bed early is another habit.
Paula and I love Christmas and yesterday was another great one. We enjoyed being with friends and family this week, but it is usually just the two of us on Christmas Day. That’s the way we like it.
I gave her a new smoker for Christmas. It is large, with a glass door and interior lighting. She smokes meat on the second floor deck, that has no access except from inside our house. She does that to hopefully avoid a black bear incident. This smoker weighs 72 pounds. Now, we have to get it out of the shipping container, and move it up stairs to the deck. I’m not looking forward to that.
She bought me a huge tool box, on wheels, with drawers and a work bench top. I bet that thing weighs 100 pounds. It is sitting on the front porch, next to the smoker. We have to move it down stairs to the workshop. I’m dreading that too.
When I built this house, before we married, I was 40 years old. What was I thinking? Three floors? Now, I am 67 years old. What we really need is an elevator.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
December 26, 2018
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Fly Tying Classes January, February and March 2019
Taught by Walter Babb and Brian Courtney
Beginner to Advanced
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Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com
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