Current streamflow- 117cfs
Water temps- upper 50s, low 60s
Hatches:
Yellow Sallies
Cahill mayflies
Hendrickson mayflies
Early brown stoneflies
Tan caddis
Midges
Hot flies:
Neversink caddis 16-14
Olive Klinkhammer 16-12
Purple haze 16-12
Blowtorch 16-14
Walt's worm 18-12
Pat's rubber legs 12-10
Batman nymph 16-14
Hot head PT 16
Egg patterns 18-12
Leeches & buggers 8-4
Spring time in the Southern Appalachians brings something new every day. Early season wild flowers are showing off their best colors, with many varieties of trillium, laurel and rhododendron preparing to bloom. Shades of green creep up the mountainside, putting the chill of winter behind for another year. With the new season comes a wide variety of hatches and terrestrial insects which gather the attention of hungry trout. While it has been a dry start to Spring, the lower than normal streamflow has not made trout too skittish or selective. With so much insect activity, they are more than happy to make the most of the opportunity and pounce on just about any well-presented fly. The dry fly action has been incredible on both the wild trout streams and upper reaches of the Tellico River, although nymphs will still find better numbers of fish on the Tellico. Water temps are cool and trout can be found throughout the entire length of the Tellico River.
The bass bite is really starting to pick up in the lower elevations streams. Streamers or popper/droppers slowly drifted through deeper pools and runs will produce smallmouth and rock bass. It won't be long until the evening popper bite picks up. Smallmouth and largemouth both are a great species to target as the days warm up.
It's been a dry start to Spring, but rain is hopefully on the way soon. There's a chance for rain this evening and over the weekend, as well as a better chance late next week.