Most of the roads in the park are closed due to snow and ice. There are a few places you can fish if you can navigate the snow and ice once you are there. The good news is that it is going to warm up big time about a week from now. Condition will improve a lot during the coming two or three days. I’m seeing predicted high temperature in the low sixties a week or so from now. Now is the time to get your gear and flies in order. All the streams in the park are in good shape level wise, flowing at or near a normal level. The high temperature today will be in the low 20’s. Tomorrow will be sunny and a little warmer with a high in the mid thirties.
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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 232 cfs at 2.09 ft
(Good wading up to 239 cfs and with extra caution up to 300 cfs)
West Prong Little Pigeon River (Gatlinburg): Rate 63.5 cfs at 3.19 ft
Oconaluftee River: Rate 392 cfs at 1.76 ft, (Good wading up to 550 cfs and with extra
caution up to 850 cfs)
Cataloochee Creek: Rate 87.2 cfs at 2.58 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 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