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Tyler Legg
Charlotte, NC, United States
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Welcome to THFF.com! Kick your wading boots off and stick around for a while. You'll find content ranging from NC fishing reports, videos, pictures, fly fishing news from around the state/country/world, humor, and even some irrelevant, yet interesting posts.
Have a question, comment, fishing report, or a few suggestions regarding THFF or fly fishing in NC? Feel free to e-mail me at wncflyfishing@gmail.com
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Friday, November 5, 2010
Webcam view atop Purchase Knob in the Smokies. Picture courtesy of the NPS. (it updates, so you'll have a better view during the day.

'Tis the season. Snow is starting to fall in the Smokies as I type. The National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Warning for Swain, Madison, and Haywood counties in western NC and it looks like areas along the NC/TN border (mainly 3,500 ft+) will see generally 2-4" with isolated 6" snowfall accumulations. Peaks such as Mt. Leconte are possibly looking at as much as 7". What does snow have to do with fly fishing you ask? Snow is a welcome sight to see. As long as it isn't a crippling blizzard the mountains occasionally experience, it's a good thing. Unlike rain, snow usually sticks around for a while and then slowly melts, feeding water ever so slowly into the ground. The big story in most places will be the cold this weekend.

Despite cold and snow, the fishing shouldn't be too bad, but it won't be the best. Colder air is spilling into the area. Water temps will drop as the cold air settles in. Dust your waders off! Wet wading season is drawing to a close. So is terrestrial season. Any remaining terrestrials will be killed by the bitter temperatures rolling in from the north. You may see some tiny black ants though. Fishing will probably be a little slow in the morning, given the temps are projected to dive into the mid to low 20s. After the sun warms the water (by about 10 or 11) the fishing will likely pick up. Right now, it's best to fish nymphs in the morning and dries in the afternoon. A Pheasant Tail Nymph in about a #16-22 or a Tellico Nymph in about a #10-14 should produce fish as far as nymphs go. Para BWOs or Adams in #18-24 should work well for dries. Don't forget to chuck a streamer! The browns are aggressive and big. They'll chase down any potential threat (even a little streamer). Throw a Zonker or Woolly Bugger close to the bank and strip it in with short jerks and twitches. A good rhythm would be twitch, twitch, twitch, stop, twitch, twitch, twitch stop. Check the "recommended flies" tab at the top for a list of some more suggestions.

The WNC Fly Fishing Expo begins tomorrow at 9am. Judging by all of the talk I've been hearing, it looks like the show will be a hit. If you can, come on out and enjoy! Fly casting and fly tying demos, programs, vendors, clubs, and great food are just a few of the things that will be present at the expo. I'm leaving town in the morning, bound for the Davidson River. Fishing the D with some friends. I'll have a report probably tomorrow night when I get back to the hotel. We're crossing our fingers for a good day.

Just a note... If you are driving from Tennessee to get to the expo, Newfound Gap Rd. (US441) is closed due to the snow. I'm sure a lot of folks were hoping to take the scenic route via Newfound Gap Rd, but the snow won't allow. I-40 will be your best route. Don't hold back from coming. The snow is confined to the higher elevations. Asheville, Brevard, Hendersonville, Waynesville, etc will be fine. No worries at all. Snow showers are in the forecast but not much in the way of accumulations at elevations below 3,500 ft.

Hope to meet and talk with some of you guys Sunday. Looks to be a great weekend. If you are planning on attending, have fun! Now, back to packing and organizing the fly tying stuff...

3 comments:

Unknown said...

What I see in the coming of snow is now I have to stop wet wading and break out the waders. I havent touched them since April. Have a good time at the expo and a safe drive over the pass.

Bill Trussell said...

Tyler
Snow in the Smokies is always beautiful. I know Clemon Dome is closed now. I hope we get some snow down south this year. Thanks for sharing.

Tyler Legg said...

@Joel- Wet wading right now is crazy! Didn't see a single person wet wading today. Lower 40's and wet wading don't mix very well! The forecast is hinting at a warm up next week. Wet wading, while sketchy, might be possible before the prolonged cold hits.

@Bill- I agree. It's always fun to fish in the snow as well. Clingmans Dome received a pretty healthy amount of snow last night. Hopefully the road will open back up soon.

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