Current streamflow- 67.5cfs
Water temps- mid to high 50s
Hatches:
Tan caddis
Cream-colored midges
Sulphur (rare)
Hot flies:
Perdigons 18-16
Walt's worms- 18-14
Zebra midges- 20-16
Hickey's bwo emerger- 18
Griffith's gnat- 16-14
Parachute Adams- 16-12
Elk hair caddis- 16-12
It's that time of year again. Delayed Harvest is in full swing, and so the hunt is on for big stocked bows and browns. There are some very nice trout in the river currently, but you'll have to use some skinny water tactics to find success.
As a reminder, the Tellico River is catch and release only, artificial only from the North River confluence upstream to the NC state line until March 1st. There are no day closures for stocking, and the Citico/Daily Permit is not required during this time.
The Tellico is currently just under the median streamflow, and water is low and clear. During high water, you can often get away with large flies such as eggs, Pat's and squirmies, but with the water being so low, the trout have more time to scrutinize your flies and have also quickly keyed in on the available natural insects such as smal baetis and midge nymphs, so smaller flies nymphs and dries are a must. On recent trips, we have had best luck with small perdigons, midge and bwo patterns, and walt's worms.
A small dry such as a Griffith's gnat or small parachute with a midge dropper will help you fool fish in calmer pools where trout are concentrated and can often be seen rising.
We have also been finding some very nice wild bows and the occasional wild brown on the Tellico and tribs. Similar tactics will also produce wild fish on the tribs.
We have a slight chance of rain all this week and into the weekend, but overall, things look pretty dry. We're looking forward to higher water, but good days can still be had if you're willing to adapt to the current conditions.