Current streamflow- 133cfs
Water temps- mid to upper 60s at Green Cove
It's been another hot week in East TN. With consistent highs in the 90s and lows in the 70s, lower elevations of the Tellico River, North River, Bald River and Citico Creek have all hit the upper threshold for what is considered safe to catch and release trout without risk of them going belly up. Stream temps have been reaching the upper 60s as high as Green Cove and the Tellico Hatchery, so we highly recommend sticking to higher elevations and limiting your time on the water to morning and evenings and avoiding midday if you plan to catch and release and want to ensure the trout that you release.
It's always a good idea to practice proper handling of trout that you plan to release any time of the year, but it is especially important when water temps are high. Fight fish quickly, keep them in the water as much aa possible, wet your hands if you do need to handle them, and keep air exposure to a minimum, 10 seconds or less. Most importantly, avoid fishing in water temps higher than 68°F. We highly recommend carrying a stream thermometer and taking temps before you begin fishing. If temps are above 68°, move to higher elevations until you find cooler temps.
Provided that you follow the above guidelines, there is still plenty of great fishing to be had on higher elevation streams. The dry fly bite is great right now on wild trout streams as well as brook trout streams, and there are still plenty of good stocked and wild fish to be found on the upper Tellico. Warmwater species such as bass and carp provide a great alternative to target through yhe heat of summer.
We've got another hot week ahead but it looks like things may cool down as we roll into August.