Water conditions remain excellent for fly fishing in the Smoky Mountains. Recent rains are keeping streams at spring time levels. While dry fly fishing has been good in the medium to smaller streams, nymphing has accounted for more fish in the large to medium size streams.
Smallmouth fishing has been a bit erratic lately. Some days have been phenomenal while others have been slower. We’ve been spending quite a bit of time floating the Pigeon River near Newport. Poppers have been consistent in slower runs of water and streamers have produced more in the riffles and pocket water.
The same rainfall that has benefitted Smoky Mountain trout streams have made for some tough conditions on the smallmouth rivers. Many of these streams are relatively quick to get muddy and will take a few days to clear. The Pigeon has had 3 -4′ of visibility at Newport, but the water gets clearer as you move upstream toward Hartford.
We’ve got another busy week of guiding coming up and will keep you posted!
