The major streams are all still too high to wade safely this Thursday morning. The stream levels are dropping and they should be low enough to wade very soon. You may find some small streams low enough to wade safely with caution. The weather is going to be great for the next two days with clear skies and temperatures in the upper sixties reaching seventy by tomorrow. I am predicting the spring hatches of Quill Gordons, Blue-winged olives, Blue Quills, Little Black caddis, and Little Brown stoneflies will begin within the next week or two at the latest. 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 567 cfs at 2.71ft
(Good wading up to 250 cfs and with extra caution up to 350 cfs)
West Prong Little Pigeon River (Gatlinburg): Rate 146 cfs at 3.56 ft (Good wading up
to 65 cfs and with extra caution up to 95 cfs)
Oconaluftee River: Rate 961 cfs at 2.52 ft, (Good wading up to 550 cfs and with extra
caution up to 700 cfs)
Cataloochee Creek: Rate 245 cfs at 3.11 ft. (Good wading up to 60 cfs and with extra
caution up to 100 cfs.
Hazel Creek and the other larger NC streams flowing into Fontana Lake:
The streams are all at high levels.
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