Stream flows in the Smoky Mountains are higher than normal for August. Flows like this are more typically seen in March and April.
August is the month with the least fly fishing opportunities in the Smokies outside of the winter months. Weather is typically hot and dry with many of our streams running low and warm. Only streams in the high elevations fish well. However, this has not been the case this year with an abundance of rainfall and relatively mild weather for late summer.
Water levels this August are closer to what we have in April than late summer. Ironically, 2026 was the driest spring on record and we’ll we had a fair amount of anxiety about what summer might bring. Fortunately water temperatures have remained great with our high flows. In fact, down in Townsend where there river is a smallmouth bass fishery, daily high temperatures have been about 69 degree. You can be sure the trout streams are plenty cool if our bass water is 69 in the late afternoon.
We’re relying on nymphs more than usual this summer because of the higher stream flows
If there’s a down side to these water conditions, you would have to say that it has dampened the dry fly bite. We’re still using dropper rigs, but we’re also using dedicated nymph rigs on the large streams like Little River and the Oconaluftee River. We’re keeping split shot handy too so flies get down in the deepest, swiftest runs of water.
Streamer fishing is also viable this year, especially in the hours after a thunderstorm when streams are rising and taking on color. There aren’t an sure thing streamers, but keep them on the smaller side to ensure most Smokies trout can get them in their mouth. You’ll always do better with streamers on streams that have good populations of brown trout, but even brook trout will attack a small streamer. Keep a #10 – 12 Woolly Bugger handy or some other dark streamer.
Expect good stream flows to persist through the rest of the summer into the fall
Autumn is just around the corner now! Sometimes late summer lingers well into the end of September but sometimes cooler weather arrives shortly Labor Day. This has been a strange season with a dry spring and wet August so we’ll have to wait to see what we get for fall, but the streams are set up quite well right now. We have already booked a fair number of days in October and we’re looking forward to cool, bluebird days we see that time of year.
Fly Selection
Right now stick with a bushy dry fly #14 -16 with a weighted nymph dropper 18″ – 30″ underneath. Our favorite dry flies for the rig are Stimulators because they float so well and support the dropper. Thunderheads, Humpies, Parachutes and Wulffs are all great and don’t hesitate to even go up to #12 with the heavy water we’re having. Expect dry flies to be particularly good in the smaller streams.
Dry flies will still catch fish, just be sure they have enough hair and hackle to stay afloat in heavy water
Basic Beadhead Pheasant Tails are always hard to beat but really most nymph patterns will produce under these conditions. Tellico Nymphs, Copper Johns, Hare’s Ears, and Pat’s Nymph are just a few more to try. Deep nymphing will probably outfish dry flies on days with the heaviest flows, and keep an eye on the weather forecast. Rain and storms are in the forecast everyday well as far out as forecasts are posted.
Small streams will be the best places to fish dry flies
