The streams are all too high to wade safely and rising as I write this at 6:30 this morning. It rained late last night and changed to snow in Pigeon Forge about 5:00 AM this morning. The snow is wet and sticking to the trees and grass but not the road yet. It will be very cold tonight, as low as 10 degrees but back up to the low fifties by mid afternoon. Some roads in the park are closed. Next week will begin a wanted and needed warming trend. I am still predicting the spring hatches of Quill Gordons, Blue-winged olives, Blue Quills, Little Black caddis, and Little Brown stoneflies will begin very soon, possibly the middle to end of next week. The big weekend cold front we are experiencing will slow it down but not as much as you may expect. By the way, once a hatch starts in a given area of water, it will continue in spite of the water height or temperature. This often provides a lot of what anglers call “cripples”, or mayfly duns struggling to get off of the water. The water temperature needs to get to be around 50 degrees or more for at least three consecutive days for those hatches to begin and that should happen soon in the lower elevations. For fly and gear recommendations for any time you plan on fishing the park, give us a call us at Perfect Fly at 800 594 4726 or Email us at sales@perfectflystore.com. Check out our sister websites: www.flyfishingyellowstonenationalpark.com & www.perfectflystore.com
Smoky Mountain Stream Conditions:
The streams with links that have nearby USGS Station Real-time stream data: Click the links to see updates:
Little River: Rate 919 cfs at 3.18 ft
(Good wading up to 250 cfs and with extra caution up to 375 cfs)
West Prong Little Pigeon River (Gatlinburg): Rate 271 cfs at 3.99 ft (Good wading up
to 65 cfs and with extra caution up to 105 cfs)
Oconaluftee River: Rate 970 cfs at 2.53 ft, (Good wading up to 550 cfs and with extra
caution up to 750 cfs)
Cataloochee Creek: Rate 302 cfs at 3.27 ft. (Good wading up to 60 cfs and with extra
caution up to 110 cfs.
Hazel Creek and the other larger NC streams flowing into Fontana Lake:
The streams are still high and not safe to wade
Weather Forecast: (click the boxes below for more detailed weather information)
https://forecast7.com/en/35d71n83d51/gatlinburg/?unit=us
https://forecast7.com/en/35d48n83d32/cherokee/?unit=us
Trout Flies Currently Needed Now:
Streamers:
Brown Sculpin: 6
White Belly Sculpin: 6
Articulated Sculpin and Leeches: 4
Quill Gordons: 12/14
nymphs
emerging duns
duns
spinners
Blue-winged olives: 16/18
nymphs
emergers
duns
spinners
nymphs
adults
Blue Quills: 18
nymphs
emergers
duns
spinners
pupa
adults
Recommended Fishing Strategy:
Keep in mind, the strategies I am recommending is for the maximum odds of catching numbers of fish. Many prefer or favor a dry fly and by all means there isn’t anything wrong with that. It’s just a fact that if nothing is hatching at the time, it reduces your odds of success. You can still probably hook some trout, just not as many as if you fish subsurface. Of course, this is also based on using good techniques and the right flies. Some guys don’t know how to fish below the surface.
Strategy:
Not all of the insects you see above will be hatching in the same location. It is usually only one or two. It varies with the elevation. Some are just starting in the low elevations and some about finished in the higher elevations. If you fished the day or two before and know where something is hatching, fish the nymph or larva stage of it. If you haven’t fished the day or two before, until I spotted something hatching, I would fish the BWO nymph. If you spot something hatching (coming off the water), change to the appropriate emerger, dun or adult imitations of the insect.
Tips for Beginners:
Don’t let anyone intimidate you by contending that fly fishing is more difficult to learn and master than other types of fishing. It isn’t.
Thank you for visiting our website
James Marsh