Good late summer hatches are continuing to take place. We are still getting some good reports from Perfect Fly customers. All the streams in the park are low, but low levels are normal for this time of the year. The will likely stay low for the coming few days because there is no chance of rain in the forecast. Get ready for some much cooler weather. The weather is going to be much cooler this coming week. Today’s high temperature should be 75 degrees with clear skies. Tomorrow’s high will be 82 degrees with clear skies. Monday’s high will be 65 degrees with clear skies. Tuesday and Wednesday high’s will be even lower.
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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 85.7 cfs at 1.57 ft
(Good wading up to 239 cfs and with extra caution up to 300 cfs)
West Prong Little Pigeon River (Gatlinburg): Rate 29.5 cfs at 2.83 ft (Good Wading up to 125 cfs with extra caution up to 250 cfs.
Oconaluftee River: Rate 257 cfs at 1.29 ft, (Good wading up to 550 cfs and with extra
caution up to 850 cfs)
Cataloochee Creek: Rate 19.7 cfs at 2.11 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 well below 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: 4
Little Yellow stoneflies; 14/16 nymphs and adults
Green Sedge Caddis, size 16/14, larva, pupa and adults (mostly Abrams Creek)
Cinnamon Sedge Caddis, size 16/18, pupa and adults
Mahogany Duns, size 16/18, nymphs, emergers, duns and spinners
Little Yellow Quills: 16, nymphs, emergers duns and spinners
Needle Stoneflies: 16/18, nymphs and adults
Carpenter Ants: Brown, 16/18
Japanese Beetles: 14/16
Sandwich Hoppers: Brown 4/6/8/
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