All the streams in the park are still flowing below a normal level. I’m sure the colder weather slowed and/or stopped the hatches. The water went up to 51 degrees yesterday at 4 PM, but the cold night before had it down to the low forties before that. I didn’t see anything hatching yesterday on the Middle Prong Little River. Hopefully, there will still be some good Blue-winged olives, Mahogany duns, Slate Drakes and Great Autumn brown sedge hatches taking place later today and tomorrow. It is cold right now and the same problem may be the case today – cold nights getting the water too cold and taking it too long to warm up. I will be going with my friend Kenny Mimms again who will be fishing the park through the weekend. 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 43.9 cfs at 1.26 ft
(Good wading up to 250 cfs and with extra caution up to 375 cfs)
West Prong Little Pigeon River (Gatlinburg): Rate 14.2 cfs at 2.58 ft (Good wading up
to 75 cfs and with extra caution up to 115 cfs)
Oconaluftee River: Rate 120 cfs at 1.04 ft, (Good wading up to 550 cfs and with extra
caution up to 750 cfs)
Cataloochee Creek: Rate 29.8 cfs at 2.17 ft. (Good wading up to 90 cfs and with extra
caution up to 145 cfs.
Hazel Creek and the other larger NC streams flowing into Fontana Lake:
The streams are all flowing 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 Now:
Streamers:
Brown Sculpin: 6
White Belly Sculpin: 6
Articulated Sculpin and Leeches: 4
Mahogany duns: 18
nymphs
emerging duns
duns
spinners
Blue-winged olives: 16
nymphs
emergers
duns
spinners
Green Sedge caddis: 14/16 (mostly Abrams Creek)
pupa
adults
Slate Drakes: 10/12
nymphs
spinners
Little Yellow Quills, size 16
nymphs
emergers
duns
spinners
Great Autumn Brown Sedge, size 10,
pupa
adults
Needle Stoneflies: 16/18
nymphs
adults
Green/Brown/Orange Sandwich hoppers: 4-12
Japanese beetles: 14/16
Carpenter Ants: 16/18
Inch Worms: 12-16
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