Conditions are pretty rough at the moment. Water temperatures are still pretty warm and levels are low throughout the park.
Projected Conditions
Rain is in the forecast for at least the next 7 days. Let’s hope we get it every day. When things are this dry, one good rain may bring water levels up temporarily but it will immediately fall right back down. We need consistent rain and good soakers. Fortunately, it looks like it will be a little cooler this week.
Tips
There’s a bit of a Catch 22 right now. The best water temperatures are going to be at higher elevations but those high elevation streams are the first to drop and have very little flow right now. Expect extremely spooky fish and plan on using extreme stealth.
The best flows will be at lower elevations but those water temperatures are too warm. Those fish are just struggling to live right now and don’t need you harassing them.
The best bet is probably to hit the upper mid elevation streams where you have “okay” water temperatures and still have a little flow. In any case you’ll need to be extremely stealthy. More active fish will be found in or near faster currents now.
Suggested Flies
There are not a lot of heavy hatches right now. We’re transitioning into fall so expect bugs that are hatching to be mostly tan or rusty in color. Terrestrials are still plentiful. Given the low water, dry fly fishing will be your best bet.
Terrestrials: Black Beetle #14 -12 Black Ant #16 – 14 Green Weenie #14 – 12
*There are not gauges on most streams, so these readings can
only be used as general estimates for certain areas of the park. In general,
the Little River reading gives an idea of water levels near the Townsend side
of the park, the Pigeon represents streams near the Gatlinburg side, the
Oconaluftee represents streams closer to the Cherokee side and Cataloochee
represents the eastern side.
**There are approximately 800 miles of “fishable” streams
inside the park and it is impossible to provide exact water temperatures for
each of them in a general report. And water temperatures will vary considerably
based on elevation. For example, there may be a 12-degree water temperature
difference between the headwaters of Little River and where the gauge is
located in Townsend. When I report water temperatures, they are general
estimates and I consider low elevation to be sections of streams below 2000’,
mid elevation between 2000’ and 3000’ and high elevation above 3000’.
Water temperatures are great at all elevations. Stream
levels blew out last week with two major rain systems hitting within days of
each other. Water levels are still a little high from those events,
particularly in larger, low elevation streams, but they are very fishable and
still falling.
Projected Conditions
We have a fairly warm week ahead so expect water
temperatures to climb a little. Rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast for
Thursday. All and all, we should see some good fishing in the coming days. Just
keep an eye on gauges with that Thursday rain… it won’t take much to blow out
these already full streams.
Tips
A dry-dropper rig can be a terrific way to fish summer
pocket water. This is also the time of year to begin experimenting with
terrestrials.
Suggested Flies
There are not a lot of heavy hatches right now but nearly
everything hatching is yellow in color.
Terrestrials: Black Beetle #14 -12 Black Ant #16 – 14 Green Weenie #14 – 12
*There are not gauges on most streams, so these readings can
only be used as general estimates for certain areas of the park. In general,
the Little River reading gives an idea of water levels near the Townsend side
of the park, the Pigeon represents streams near the Gatlinburg side, the
Oconaluftee represents streams closer to the Cherokee side and Cataloochee
represents the eastern side.
**There are approximately 800 miles of “fishable” streams
inside the park and it is impossible to provide exact water temperatures for
each of them in a general report. And water temperatures will vary considerably
based on elevation. For example, there may be a 12-degree water temperature
difference between the headwaters of Little River and where the gauge is
located in Townsend. When I report water temperatures, they are general
estimates and I consider low elevation to be sections of streams below 2000’,
mid elevation between 2000’ and 3000’ and high elevation above 3000’.
Water temperatures are nearly perfect in the low and mid
elevations and still a little cold (but reasonable) in the high elevations.
Water levels are starting to get a little low, particularly up high. We could
use some rain.
Projected Conditions
Temperatures look fantastic in the coming week and we have
at least a slight chance of rain nearly every day. Hopefully that will help get
those levels back up a bit. In any case, fishing conditions are looking pretty
good in the coming week.
Tips
Look around. There are a lot of hatches this time of year
and they can vary considerably through the day and from stream to stream.
Having a good generic fly pattern will get you by in most situations but
matching what they’re seeing will be even better, especially on bigger and more
heavily fished streams.
Suggested Flies
We’re in a transition period with fly color right now. You’re
going to begin seeing a lot of yellow flies common with late spring and summer
but there are still a few darker early spring flies hanging around.
*There are not gauges on most streams, so these readings can
only be used as general estimates for certain areas of the park. In general,
the Little River reading gives an idea of water levels near the Townsend side
of the park, the Pigeon represents streams near the Gatlinburg side, the
Oconaluftee represents streams closer to the Cherokee side and Cataloochee represents
the eastern side.
**There are approximately 800 miles of “fishable” streams
inside the park and it is impossible to provide exact water temperatures for
each of them in a general report. And water temperatures will vary considerably
based on elevation. For example, there may be a 12-degree water temperature
difference between the headwaters of Little River and where the gauge is
located in Townsend. When I report water temperatures, they are general
estimates and I consider low elevation to be sections of streams below 2000’,
mid elevation between 2000’ and 3000’ and high elevation above 3000’.
We’ve had a lot of rain in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina this week. Stream levels spiked sharply but are on their way down. The good news is the rain and warmer temperatures brought the water temps up to respectable levels. The bad news is water levels on most streams are still more than a foot above the “high side of good.”
Projected Conditions
A significant cold front is moving in today, which should completely erase any progress we’ve made with water temperatures. Not a whole lot to be excited about the next few days. However, next week looks like it will be dry with a steady warming trend. Conditions should look considerably better this time next week.
Tips
Make sure your gear is in good shape, get to that last bit of fly tying and wrap up loose ends with home projects. We’re probably just a few weeks away from things really starting to turn on.
Suggested Flies
Darker colored patterns do best this time of year. You’ll do best with nymphs while water is still cold and high. As water drops and warms, keep an eye out for surface feeding fish in the afternoon.
*There are not gauges on most streams, so these readings can only be used as general estimates for certain areas of the park. In general, the Little River reading gives an idea of water levels near the Townsend side of the park, the Pigeon represents streams near the Gatlinburg side, the Oconaluftee represents streams closer to the Cherokee side and Cataloochee represents the eastern side.
**There are approximately 800 miles of “fishable” streams inside the park and it is impossible to provide exact water temperatures for each of them in a general report. And water temperatures will vary considerably based on elevation. For example, there may be a 12-degree water temperature difference between the headwaters of Little River and where the gauge is located in Townsend. When I report water temperatures, they are general estimates and I consider low elevation to be sections of streams below 2000’, mid elevation between 2000’ and 3000’ and high elevation above 3000’.
Although we’ve had a few pretty afternoons, cold weather has dominated recently. Overnight lows have not allowed the water temps to get much above 40-degrees.
Projected Conditions
Things are definitely improving and by the end of the week, we’ve got some great conditions for December. Daytime highs expected in the 60’s with, more importantly, overnight lows in the mid 40’s. looks like we’re going to pay for it after the weekend, though!
Tips
While you may find isolated fish rising on warm afternoons, the name of the game is nymphing right now. Get those flies deep and focus on low elevations during the middle of the day for the most activity.
Hatches/Fly Suggestions
If you’re going to see hatches of any significance, they’ll likely be BWO’s, dun caddis or midges. In any case, they’ll be small and dark. A Parachute Adams or Griffith’s Gnat in #20-16 should handle most anything.
Nymphing is going to be the most productive method right now, and fly pattern is not nearly as important as fly depth. Now is the time for tungsten beads and split shot. Most any generic nymph in the #18-12 range shoud be a good bet. I’m particularly fond of stonefly patterns like a Tellico and peacock patterns like Prince Nymphs and Zug Bugs.
I like fishing double nymph rigs with a point fly and an “assist fly.” The point fly is usually a more subtle pattern while the assist fly is something bigger or brighter to get their attention. The idea is that the assist fly gets their attention and leads them to the point fly… and sometimes the assist fly catches a few, too!
Check out my Hatch Guide for specific hatches and patterns.
Featured Fly
The Frenchie
The Frenchie came into fashion during the first EuroNymphing wave, but I’ve been tying patterns similar to it for years. What we didn’t have until recently are these micro jig hooks and slotted tungsten beads. They are great to tie on and help the nymph to ride hook up, reducing bottom snags.
This is a pretty good pattern for me all year but really seems to shine in the winter. At the very least, it’s flashy pink thorax makes it a great assist fly.
Climate Change is arguably the biggest existential threat we face as a human race. There is very little, if anything, that will not be impacted significantly by a warming planet and our trout fisheries are no exception. We’ve already begun to see changes in the Smokies and it’s just the tip of the iceberg.
My friend, Steve Haigh, has put together an excellent podcast episode on the subject where he interviews two scientists from Trout Unlimited. Sure there’s some doom and gloom. It’s a gloomy topic! But there is also some hope offered and information on some very real things you can do to make a difference. Give it a listen!
The last time it happened, George W. Bush was not far into his second term and LeBron James was nearing the end of his rookie season. Netflix wasn’t streaming, Twitter and Instagram didn’t exist and Facebook was only available on the campus of Harvard University. The first iPhone was still three years away and I was still five months away from meeting the woman I would eventually marry.
Brood X cicadas have missed a lot in the 17 years they’ve been underground, but this is the year they come to the surface to see what’s been going on. And there will be a lot of them coming. Tens of billions of Brood X cicadas are expected to emerge across 18 states, including Tennessee. But we see cicadas every year. What’s so special about these?
There are, in fact, 13-year cicadas and even annual cicadas
that can emerge in pretty significant numbers. But the 17-year cicadas emerge
in mind boggling swarms, and the Brood X is supposed to be one of the biggest
yet.
They typically begin to emerge when the ground temperature reaches 64-degrees. In Tennessee, that’s expected to be around Mother’s Day. Once they begin emerging, expect them to hang around for about 4-6 weeks. While they’re here, in addition to catching up on all of the latest tech and social trends, they will damage a few young trees and plants, make a hell of a lot of noise and end up in the bellies of a lot of fish!
Unfortunately, we don’t typically see many of them in the
mountains… but I’m hopeful. And there doesn’t tend to be a lot of them near
tailwaters. Where they are going to be of most significance to fly fishers is
on warmwater lakes and rivers. I hope to get out at least a few times on the
mud flats to cast to rising carp!
I spent part of the winter tying a bunch of these in
preparation. I tied most of them on bass hooks but tied several trout versions,
too… just in case…
Get ready. The cicadas are coming!
Rob’s Cicada (Trout Version)
Hook: TMC 5212 #10
Thread: Black 6/0
Eyes: Red glass beads burnt onto 15lb. red Amnesia
Underbody: Golden brown Ice Dub
Body 1: 2mm black foam, folded over to layer Body 2
It all finally came together. You made a good cast to the right spot and your fly is drifting down the current for mere seconds before a trout intercepts it. You react quickly with a smooth lift of the rod and the fish is hooked. Maintaining steady pressure, you resist against the trout’s evasive maneuvers and inch him closer to you. Now what?
For many, this is when a panic party ensues in an attempt to
wrangle the trout and remove the hook from his mouth. You end up dropping your
rod in the water and filling the reel with sand all while tying yourself up in
a web of fly line and leader. For others, this may be when they begin a long,
slow process of torturing the fish in an attempt for that perfect photo.
Catching a fish should be a fun experience and it should be
quick and painless for you and the fish! Here are a few tips to show you how:
Playing the Fish
The first rule here is you want to make the fight as quick
as possible. Don’t try to keep the fish on longer than necessary in order to
feel it more or hope he jumps. Put solid, steady pressure on the fish with the
rod and get him in as soon as you can. This is a stressful experience for a
fish. Trying to extend the fight only exhausts the fish and can reduce his
chance of survival.
Good use of side pressure
This is especially true with bigger fish. Certainly it will
take longer to bring in a large fish, but it shouldn’t be an all day affair.
Don’t be afraid to use that flexible lever called a fly rod to put pressure on
the fish. You always want to have a bend in that rod and try to do the opposite
of what the fish does. If the fish runs to the left, drop your rod to the right
and put side pressure on him. If he goes to the right, drop your rod to the
left. If he runs straight away, hold the rod straight up.
Try to always have a bend in the rod and never point the rod
tip toward the fish. If he pulls so hard that the rod tip is being pulled
forward, let him take some line while still maintaining that steady pressure.
If you find yourself at a standstill with the fish where he’s not really
running or coming to, try to bring his head to the surface. This will usually
accomplish one of two things. He’ll either submit and slide right to you, or
he’ll make another run and hopefully burn off one last bit of energy so you can
land him. Remember that you want to be the one in control – as much as
possible! All of this will not only help ensure that the fish will stay on the
line, but it will shorten the fight, which benefits you and the fish.
Landing the Fish
I see a lot of people, beginners mostly, bring in line to where the fish is just inches from the tip of the rod. This habit probably comes from fishing with a shorter spin or bait rod. But your average fly rod is 8-9′ long and if you reel or strip your fly line and leader all the way into the rod guides you’re going to encounter three problems.
First, if it’s a large fish that decides to make one last run, the knot connection between the leader and fly line can easily get hung in the guides resulting in a break off. Second, if you pull that much line in, it leaves the fish close to your rod tip and you can’t reach him without sticking your rod in the water or trying to set it on a bank. Not only does that increase risk of damage to your rod and reel, it’s just really awkward. Third, if and when you do get hold of the fish, you don’t have any slack line, which makes it extremely difficult to remove the hook.
A nice example of landing a fish
Always try to leave at least a little bit of fly line past the tip. To land the fish, reach your rod up and behind you and grab the fish or the end of the leader with your other hand. Once you have it, bring your rod back down and forward and you’ll have slack line for easier hook removal. A landing net makes this process easier, where you just scoop the fish in the net rather than grabbing it. I don’t usually fool with a net in the mountains because your average fish isn’t very big and can be easily managed by hand. I always try to have a net in places like tailwaters where I’m more apt to catch bigger average fish.
Handling the Fish
There’s a reason we don’t see fish walking around in our
yard. They can’t live out of water. And the longer we keep them out of water
when landing them, the more harm we are causing them. Try to make this process
as quick as possible.
I will often not remove the fish from the water at all. I land them as described above but rather than grabbing the line or fish, I will simply clamp the fly with my hemostats. With a little twist of the wrist, the hook usually comes right out and the fish swims away happy and unharmed without ever coming out of the water. You can do the same with a fish that has been netted. Just put the hemostats on the fly while the fish is in the net. This works even better (as does any hook removal) with barbless hooks. I almost always crimp the barbs on my hooks and encourage you to do the same.
The only reason I can think of that you would need to remove
the fish from the water is if you’re going to take a picture of it. Actually,
you can get some pretty cool pictures of the fish in the water, but if you want
to be in it too, than the fish will need to come out of the water – or you’ll
need to go in!
Photographing Fish
If you are going to handle trout, it is important to first
wet your hands. They have skin, rather than scales, that contains a “slimy”
protective coating. Dry hands can remove or damage that coating making them
more susceptible to disease. Now back to the obvious statement above, fish
don’t live out of the water, so try to do this as quickly as possible.
Don’t hold the fish in one hand while you fumble around to
pack or vest looking for your camera. And most definitely don’t walk downstream
with the fish so your buddy can take a picture. Preparation is the key here.
For starters, keep your camera in a place that’s easy to get
to, not tucked away in your backpack. Try to keep the fish in the water until
the camera is out, on and ready. Then grab the fish gently (with wet hands),
take your picture and get him right back in the water. Remember you’re not
shooting the cover of Vogue. You don’t need ten different poses from the fish.
Get one or two quick shots then get him back in the water.
I can’t resist a brief rant here. You don’t need a picture of every fish you catch! I definitely understand getting a couple of photographic memories from the day. I certainly do the same. Maybe get a shot of the two or three bigger ones, or maybe that one that was just a little more colorful. But your Instagram followers don’t need to see fifteen pictures of what looks like the exact same fish. I know. It’s the world in which we live.
Tips for Better Photos
Face cropped to protect the innocent
While we’re on the subject of photographing fish, there are a few things to keep in mind that will be better on the fish and will result in a better photo. The first thing is to show the fish to the camera, not your hands. Don’t grip the fish like it’s a baseball bat. The fish won’t love it and you’ll be disappointed in your picture. Instead, gently cup the fish from behind so that you can see as much of it as possible. I recommend one hand for smaller fish and two hands for bigger fish – assuming you have someone else to take the picture.
The guitar pose
Try to avoid putting pressure on his fins and certainly try to keep your fingers away from his gills. Hold him right-side up (yes, a lot of people hold them upside down) and try to extend him away from your body a little, rather than pinning him against your body like a guitar.
While I do recommend handling the fish as little as possible, I do suggest holding the fish for a good photo, even if it’s in the net. Many anglers try to hold the line with the fish suspended. This results in a rotating fish and a “Hail Mary” for the photographer, attempting to snap the shot at just the right time in the rotation.
The million dollar question is what to do with the rod. The trendy thing for a while was for anglers to put the rod in their teeth. More recently, folks have taken to resting the rod behind their head on their shoulders. Y’all are stuck with my opinion here, but my opinion is that both of these things look stupid. If you’re near the bank, you can set the rod down. If you’re not, just stick it under your shoulder. But it’s your picture and if you want to stick your rod in your mouth like a dog with a bone, have at it!
Releasing the Fish
Smaller fish tend to be a bit more resilient. Typically, you just set them back in the water and they dart away. Bigger fish, however, tend to need a little more time. They are often tired from the fight and will sometimes want to float on you if you just toss them back in the water. This doesn’t mean that you need to do some weird version of fish CPR that I’ve seen many anglers attempt.
A nice release
Just find a little slower patch of water out of the main
current and set the fish in it. Before you let him go, simply keep a hand on
him underwater, gently supporting him and keeping him upright. The fish will
soon begin to wiggle his tail and eventually swim away on his own power.
When a trout feeds on or near the surface, it creates a ring
in the water that can appear as a violent splash or a mere dimple. Recognizing
certain characteristics of this rise ring can tell you a lot about where the
fish is positioned, where his feeding lane is, his size and possibly what he’s
feeding on.
Lengthy chapters of vast and detailed information on this topic can be found in a number of well known fly fishing books. I recommend reading them. This article will attempt to condense that information into a useful overview. As always, these are general rules to which there are always exceptions!
Dimple Rise
Common or Simple Rise
A common rise is characterized by a quick view of the trout’s head, dorsal fin, and often “wagging” tail, followed by a boil of water. It indicates that the trout is positioned near the surface and feeding on insects on the surface or near the surface film. The insects are probably medium to large in size. Because of the increased exposure to predators, trout rarely position themselves near the surface unless there is a lot of food available. So, if you see this kind of rise, keep watching. Chances are you will see the same fish repeatedly feeding.
Surface Swirl
The surface swirl is similar to the common rise but without
the appearance of the head, fin or tail. You only see the water boil. In this
case, the fish is probably positioned within a foot or two of the surface and
is feeding on insects at least two inches below the surface. You can spend
hours casting dry flies to these kind of rises without a take, but an
unweighted nymph or wet fly fished just below the surface can be deadly.
Poking or Dimple Rise
As the name implies, this rise form appears as just a dimple on the surface and if you look carefully, you can often see just the nose of the trout penetrate the surface. This rise form also suggests the trout is positioned near the surface but likely feeding on small insects on or just below the surface. This type of rise is most often seen in slower pools and runs, slow edges of currents and eddies.
Splashy Rise
When a rise ring is more of a splash, it can mean a few things. Usually, it just indicates that the trout is positioned deeper in the water. By traveling farther up the column for food, the trout’s momentum often results in more of a splash on the surface. If the trout is positioned deeper, this was likely an opportunistic rise from a fish not necessarily focused on the surface. You may never see him come up again.
Similarly, trout feeding on insects that emerge and get off
the water quickly can display a splashier rise. Caddis flies fit this description,
so many anglers assume (sometimes incorrectly) that a splashy rise means trout
are feeding on caddis. And sometimes a splashy rise can simply be the result of
a smaller, eager trout rising recklessly.
Gulping Rise
A gulping rise is like a greatly exaggerated common rise.
The trout’s mouth is wide open and his entire backside breaks the surface,
followed by an often audible “gulp.” You’re likely to see this type of rise
during very heavy hatches when there are frequently multiple bugs very close
together on the surface. The trout may eat as many as six bugs in one rise. If
you’re seeing this, you’re at the right place at the right time. Try to match
what you see on the water and don’t get your leader in a big tangle!
Jumping Rise
A jumping rise is when the trout completely clears the water, sometimes by a few feet! This could mean the fish is feeding on bugs in the air just above the surface, or possibly something large like a mouse or even baitfish. In any case, a jumping rise suggests a brief moment of opportunity and not a steadily feeding trout. I don’t recall ever standing in a pool and seeing dozens of trout routinely jumping out of the water. Most experienced anglers recognize the jumping rise as fool’s gold, shake their heads and move on.
Where is the trout?
As mentioned above, certain types of rise rings can suggest
how deep the trout may be. However, there are other things to consider when
determining where in the stream that trout is positioned.
Trout Position vs. Rise Location – Illustration by Jason Borger
First and foremost, when a trout rises in a stream, he is
going to drift back during the process, then return to his original position. So
the trout is actually positioned upstream of where you saw him rise. If he is
holding near the surface, his position may only be a few inches upstream of the
rise. If he’s holding in deeper water, his position may be several feet
upstream of the rise.
When a trout rises, you’re also going to see a “push” of
water, like a little wave. That wave usually pushes upstream. But if the wave
pushes to one side or another, it indicates that the trout came over to feed.
So, he may be holding in one lane and feeding in another.
There’s a lot to this, I know. The best advice I can offer
is when you see a trout rise, don’t immediately cast a dry fly to that spot.
Think about what the rise looked like and stop and look for others. Identifying
rise rings may not give you all the answers, but it will give you a great place
to start!
One of the most significant factors that determines how, when, or even IF a trout feeds, is water temperature – at least with wild trout. Stocked trout are raised in hatcheries and fed every day, so they are used to eating every day. Water temperature can impact the way they feed but not nearly to the extent it does a wild trout.
A cold weather stocker
An ideal water temperature for a trout is in the upper 50’s to low 60’s. If you show up at the river, dunk your thermometer in the water, and get a reading of 60-degrees, chances are you’re going to have a pretty good day – assuming you do everything else right. On the other hand, if you do everything exactly right but the water temperature is 38-degrees, you may not even get a strike.
On a broader scale, I think of anything between 50 and 68-degrees to be reasonable. But there are variables. 52-degrees and falling due to a cold front may result in tough fishing. 48-degrees and rising due to a warm front may produce excellent fishing. Fish will probably be sluggish if it’s 68-degrees and rising in a summer drought. But 68-degrees and falling because of a summer rain may really turn them on.
With warmer temperatures, it’s more about the oxygen than anything. Trout need oxygenated water and typically, the warmer the water, the less oxygen. If water temperatures hit 75-degrees for more than a few days in a row, trout can’t survive. They’ll either search out more suitable conditions or die.
A stream thermometer can be a valuable tool when searching for active trout
With excessively cold water, it’s more about metabolism. As a survival mechanism, their metabolism changes when water temperatures get extremely cold and they don’t require as much food. It’s similar to a bear during hibernation. So if you’ve ever tried to get me to take you fishing in the Smokies in January and I talked you out of it, that’s why. I have great gear and am not afraid of getting out in the cold, but the fish just wouldn’t be feeding.
On some extremely fertile rivers, this may not be the case. There may be enough food through the winter to keep the fish feeding. I know I’ve fished some excellent winter hatches in Montana. But the streams of the Smokies are the opposite of fertile. They’re some of the oldest mountains in the world and consequently very acidic and nutrient poor, which means there is just not a lot of food, especially in the winter.
There are a number of things that can influence water temperature, with air temperature being one of the most obvious. In the mountains, air temperature and consequently, water temperature can vary significantly by elevation. For instance, a river at 2000’ elevation may see an air temperature of 85-degrees in July with a water temperature of 68-degrees. But if you go to a stream at 3800’ elevation on that same July day, you may find an air temperature of 75-degrees and a water temperature of 61-degrees. That’s why I typically like to focus on high elevation streams in the middle of the summer.
Of course, the opposite is true early in the season. The high elevation streams may be too cold while the low elevation streams are starting to turn on. I once guided a local gentleman on a high elevation stream in July and we had a very productive day. He called me, frustrated, the following March. He said he’d just been to the same stream I took him to, did everything the same way, but didn’t even get a strike. In July, the water temperature had been 60-degrees on that stream. When he went back in early March, it had been closer to 40-degrees. It matters.
Tree canopy can also have a big impact on water temperature. A bigger, more open river may not be very productive on a late June afternoon. But a smaller, more heavily canopied stream at the exact same elevation might be very productive. It seems pretty obvious when you think about it, but the more direct sunlight that reaches a stream, the warmer the water is going to get.
Time of day is another big factor. A lot of people think you have to be on the water at the crack of dawn to catch fish. This is only sometimes true when you’re talking about stream trout. In the heat of the summer, very early and very late in the day are probably the times when you’ll find the most active fish, because you’re getting slightly cooler water temperatures. However, if you’re fishing in early March or late November, you’ll likely find more active fish in the middle of the day, when water temperatures are slightly warmer. That’s one of the reasons why our peak fishing seasons are in months like May or October. The temperatures are mild pretty much all day, and the fish are active pretty much all day.
This is all very specific to free flowing streams. Tailwaters are totally different animals all together. When a river is dammed to form a lake, they release water from the dam every day to control flooding and to generate electricity. The river that is formed below the dam from these releases is referred to as a tailwater.
Many rivers below large dams maintain nearly constant water temperature all year
The water that they pull from the lake to form the tailwater comes from near the bottom of the lake. Because that water is so deep, it receives no sunlight and is basically insulated by all the water above it. So, the water that comes out of the dam is approximately 50-degrees, regardless of time of day, time of year, or air temperature. That’s why that big, wide-open river can support trout. Spring Creeks are very similar because the water source is deep underground, insulated by earth.
How deep the lake is determines how much cold water “storage” it has. That and the volume and frequency of water releases determine how far down river the water stays cold. Your typical East Tennessee tailwater will maintain these temperatures, and support trout, for about 25 miles. So when it comes to tailwaters, you’re always going to have about the same water temperature, making them year round fisheries. With tailwaters, it’s mostly the timing and duration of the water releases that determine when, or even if you can go and how much success you’ll have.
Back to the mountains, water temperature is one of the things that I pay the most attention to when deciding when and where to fish. I’ve been doing this a long time so I just kind of know based on all of the conditions. Until you “just know,” a stream thermometer can be one the most valuable pieces of gear in your bag.
