Over the course of the past two days, the Smoky Mountains region and much of the South has received heavy rains. More than 5 inches has fallen in most areas around the Smoky Mountains. Currently rivers and streams are swollen with larger rivers running stained and muddy. We are seeing river levels dropping already which is a good sign. However there is still a lot of water rolling through here at the moment. Fortunately the water drops quickly in the mountains here, and we should see most creeks and smaller rivers fishable by the end of your weekend.
Tuckasegee River report
The Tuckasegee River in Bryson City hit nearly 15,000cfs at 6:00am this morning. Currently at noon, its already dropped to 10,000cfs. We anticipate levels to keep dropping quickly down to around 3,500 cfs by possibly Sunday or Monday and then a gentle drop from there into mid week. Hopefully the river will be fishable by Sunday on the Dillsboro stretch of the river. That may be a little optimistic, but were calling it here first.
Great Smoky Mountains report
Water levels in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park have dropped quickly as per usual. Deep Creek reached a high overnight at 5.1 feet, and this afternoon its dropped to 4.28. Before the rains began two days ago, it was running low at 2.9ft. We anticipate that Deep Creek and several other park creeks will be fishable on Saturday. Water is already running clear, just a lot of it at the moment. The smaller streams will drop levels first of course with larger creeks such as the Little River near Gatlinburg and the Oconaluftee near Cherokee taking a day or so longer. If you are planning on fishing the national park this weekend, bring your streamer box and strip some steak through the big runs and pools especially along the sides and edges close to logs and ambush points. After a big rain event, this is when we catch the truly big brown trout in the Smoky Mountains. If you’re a streamer junkie, now’s your time to shine!
Cherokee Fishing report
The Cherokee Trophy Section is running very high and dangerous right now. Overnight the Oconaluftee River stream gauge hit 6,700cfs which is a bunch, currently at noon we are seeing 4,000cfs. That’s a significant drop but no where close to fishable yet. Possibly by Sunday the Trophy Section will be fishable, just be careful where you wade and how far out you go. My advice would be to strip big streamers on sink tip lines, and stay close to the banks. As we all know there is some genuine river monsters on the Trophy Section and murky high water is when you will get the best opportunities at them.
Gatlinburg Fishing report
The West Prong of the Little Pigeon, the river running through town in Gatlinburg, is still high and murky. Things will clear up quickly as river levels continue to drop. The river hit a high of 1,620cfs over night. Currently at noon its dropped over half way and is 730cfs. Before the rains started, the water was really low just under 200cfs. Fishing here is another area where you want to bring your streamer box and strip steak through the deepest pools you can find and hunt for big pockets behind the boulders.
Keep it safe out there this weekend and don’t take unnecessary risks. Its just fishing and they aren’t going anywhere.