Sorry for the several missed reports. I had some more heart surgery done (Mitral Value clip put in my heart), but I’m doing well now. We continue to get reports from customers fishing the park which I keep up with irrespective of whether we report them. Basically, all the streams in the park are in good shape flowing near normal levels. There is rain in the forecast today and rain changing to snow tomorrow. Tomorrows high will only be 34. Tuesday’s high will be 44 and Wednesday high will be 59. 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.
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 54.5 cfs at 1.76 ft (Good wading up to 275 cfs)
West Prong Little Pigeon River (Gatlinburg): Rate 8.02 cfs at 1.57 ft (Good Wading up to 125 cfs with extra caution up to 250 cfs.
Oconaluftee River: Rate 172 cfs at 1.18 ft (Good wading up to 700 cfs with extra caution up to 750 cfs.
Cataloochee Creek: Rate 49.6 cfs at 2.12 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 near a normal level and mostly 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: 14 Nymphs, emergers, duns and spinners
Little Yellow Quills, nymphs, emergers, duns and spinners
Great Autumn Brown Sedge, size 10, pupa and adults
Needle Stonefly, size 16/18, nymphs and adults
Slate Drakes; size 10/12, nymphs and spinners
Carpenter Ants; size 16/18
Japanese Beetles; size 14/16
Brown Sandwich Hoppers, size 8, 10, 12
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