Today, all the streams in the park are still all near or below normal levels and safe to wade. Regarding hatches be advised that Quill Gordons, Little Black Caddis, Little Brown Stoneflies and Blue Quills to hatch, the water needs to average 50 degrees or higher for a few, say 4 or 5 days in a row. It should be doing that by this weekend in some of the lowest elevation streams in the park but as of today, the hatches mentioned above still have not started inside the park. Also, keep in mind that when these hatches do start, they tend to keep on hatches regardless of the water temperature. Cold weather after they start can produce what is called a cripples or insects having trouble flying off the water due to cold water temperatures. To purchase flies for a trip at a later date you need to call Perfect Fly at 800 594 4726 or email them at sales@perfectflystore.com providing them the dates you plan to fish or you can select a custom selection of one of three different sizes for specific time frames. Today’s high should be 78 with partly cloudy skies. Tomorrow’s high should be around 71 degrees with clear skies. Friday’s high should be 75 degrees with partly cloudy skies. Saturday’s high should be 69 with clear skies. Sunday’s high should be 72 degrees with clear skies.
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 167 cfs at 1.89 ft
(Good wading up to 239 cfs and with extra caution up to 300 cfs)
West Prong Little Pigeon River (Gatlinburg): Rate 46.9 cfs at 3.11 ft (Good Wading up to 125 cfs with extra caution up to 250 cfs.
Oconaluftee River: Rate 377 cfs at 1.63 ft (Good wading up to 700 cfs with extra caution up to 750 cfs.
Cataloochee Creek: Rate 88.8 cfs at 2.23 ft. (Good wading up to 200 cfs with extra caution up to 250 cfs.
Hazel Creek and the other larger NC streams flowing into Fontana Lake:
The streams are flowing below normal levels and clear.
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 or needed very soon;
Streamers:
Brown Sculpin: 6
White Belly Sculpin: 6
Articulated Sculpin: 4
Aquatic Worms, size 12, pink, red, and others
Midges: Cream and Red (Blood) midges sizes 20/22, larva, pupa and adult. Our larva and pupa midge flies, pre-rigged in tandem, are very popular here. You can fish them under a strike indicator keeping the larva fly near the bottom. https://perfectflystore.com/product/pre-rigged-tandem-midge-larva-pupa-tippet
Blue-winged Olives: 18 Nymphs, emergers, duns and spinners
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