It’s been pretty hot and relatively dry here in East Tennessee, but things have been much more varied in the Smokies. While the Tennessee side of the mountains was extremely dry in July, the North Carolina side was wetter with more moisture from thunderstorms. Water conditions improved all over at the end of the month but have slowly started to fall out once again. Most of the rain from Tropical Storm Debbie stayed well east of the Smokies with only a few passing showers.
Black bear seen digging up a yellowjacket nest along a streamside trail in the Smokies.
Bears have been particularly active in the Smokies and surrounding areas. We’ve had plenty around our house this summer. You’re very likely to see one or more if you keep your eyes open in the mountains. Many of their foods are now in abundance and they are on the prowl. Be vigilant for yellowjacket nests that have been dug up by bears. The bears eat the many larva in the nest but leave an angry swarm behind. This is a prime cause of most stings from August through early October.
Black cherries are among the most favored foods for black bears. Many will be seen high up in trees eating fruit for the next couple of weeks.
Bears will also be way high up in trees for the next little bit as black cherries are ripe. It’s fascinating to watch such large animals so high up on small limbs. They are as nimble as squirrels up in the tree tops and will often leap limb from limb.
Bushy attractor flies are fooling plenty of trout right now.
Dry fly fishing has been great, but that’s nothing new for the Smoky Mountains. Nymph droppers have been valuable when the water has come up after rain. Terrestrial flies are also valuable this time of year. There are far more beetles, ants, yellowjackets, and inchworms around than many aquatic insects.
However, Golden Stoneflies will start to appear more regularly. A #10 Tellico Nymph can be an exceptionally good fly to use after a thunderstorm or when the water is a little bit higher. You’ll do well to stick with dry flies and smaller nymphs, #16 and smaller, when water conditions are on the low side.
Hang in there, because fall is just around the corner! In fact, it looks like we have a “false fall” in the forecast with wake up temperatures in the low 60’s in Knoxville. That means mid 40’s along the crest of the mountains and much cooler water in the Smokies.
A colorful wild and native Smoky Mountain brook trout caught high up in the backcountry