The streams are all flowing near a normal level with clear water. We received three good reports from Perfect Fly customers fishing this past week. It is getting very close to the time major hatches will begin to take place such as Blue Quills, Quill Gordons, little Black Caddis and other insects. In general, the hatches start when the water temperature reaches about seventy degrees for three or four days in a row. That usually happens close to the first of March. Now is the time for you to stock up on Perfect Flies to cover the coming hatches. There is a good chance of rain today with a high of only 48 degrees. It will be clear tomorrow with a high of 62 degrees. Monday will be clear with a high of 72 degrees.
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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 362 cfs at 2.41 ft
(Good wading up to 239 cfs and with extra caution up to 300 cfs)
West Prong Little Pigeon River (Gatlinburg): Rate 125 cfs at 3.58 ft
Oconaluftee River: Rate 594 cfs at 2.09 ft, (Good wading up to 550 cfs and with extra
caution up to 850 cfs)
Cataloochee Creek: Rate 104 cfs at 2.66 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 all flowing near a normal level.
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 and Leeches: 4
Blue-winged olives: 18
nymphs
emergers
duns
spinners
nymphs
adults
Light Green Midges: 20/22
larva
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