You can expect more much warmer weather this coming week. Stream levels are currently low through the park. Good hatches continue to take place throughout the park. The flies listed below are for the current time. To purchase flies for a trip at a later date you need to call Perfect Fly at 800 594 4726 or email them at sales@perfectflystore.com providing them the dates you plan to fish, or you can select a custom selection of one of three different sizes for specific time frames. Today’s high should be 56 with partly cloudy skies, Tuesday’s high should be 61 with cloudy skies. Wednesday’s high should be 65 with partly cloudy skies and a chance of rain. Thursday’s high should be 68 with cloudy skies.
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 113 cfs at 1.68 ft. (Good Wading up to 125 cfs with extra caution up to 250 cfs.
West Prong Little Pigeon River Gatlinburg): Rate 18.9 cfs at 2.73 ft (Good Wading up to 125 cfs with extra caution up to 250 cfs.
Oconaluftee River: Rate 234 cfs at 1.40 ft (Good wading up to 700 cfs with extra caution up to 750 cfs.
Cataloochee Creek: Rate 78.6 cfs at 2.25 ft. (Good wading up to 200 cfs extra caution up to 225 cfs.
Hazel Creek and the other larger NC streams flowing into Fontana Lake:
The streams are flowing a little below a normal level and clear.
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
Blue-winged Olives: 18 Nymphs, emergers, duns and spinners
Winter stoneflies, size 6/18 Nymphs and 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