Seasonal Changes on the Smith River

Fall fishing is here and we are beginning to see those seasonal changes associated with the altering of seasons on our tailwater system. Not only do our fish undergo seasonal changes that have been outlined in prior articles but our entire waterway undergoes two main seasonal shifts. This variability created by nature of being a tailwater and reaping the effects from the dependent release of water from Philpott Lake. Even throughout these seasonal shifts the almighty Smith prevails and continues to provide great fishing opportunities! 

The first of the seasonal alterations we see on the Smith River is the “Fall Lake Turnover”. This creates a vast change in the coloration of our water. The Smith River turns from its clear blue/green tint, towards a nasty darker olive/brown shade. This change can be quite a repulse from what anglers had become accustomed to over the past majority of the year fishing in clear conditions to now fishing stained water on a daily basis even with no rain pumping sediment into the river. There is not much dodging this factor either, where typically we would chase clean water back to its source by the dam to avoid any feeder streams sediment additions, now the source of the water is the origin of our clarity transformation. From my understanding and the science behind how this phenomena occurs in our river system is all based on seasonal temperature changes. Creating a process called “Thermal Stratification” where varying temperature layers shift in the water column and brings sediment and aquatic matter along with it mixing the two distinct layers. 

Image reference:     Limnology and Water Quality of the St. Regis Chain of Lakes - Scientific Figure on ResearchGate. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-process-of-thermal-stratification-and-turnover-in-a-typical-Adirondack-Lake_fig3_324895847 [accessed 17 Oct 2025]

Outlining the full process based on a calendar year; In the early winter months of the year we receive not only cold air temperatures but the lake water inherently follows suit over time and holds a colder temperature value as well. Due to the properties of water, water has a high resistance to temperature change in the sense that it takes a large amount of heat to raise the temperature units of water each degree. As the air temperature increases throughout the spring it begins to warm the water back up. The trend continues into the summer as the summer heat cooks that reservoir of water and increases the thermal energy it holds, with the warmer water in the top layer of the lake and the cold dense water below. It has been noted in some lake systems, (even up north) where lake temps at the bottom of the lake are the same in the summer as they are in the winter and the top portions of the lake are the areas where temperature changes are occurring most. This materializes until they reach the point they do during the lake turnover where the top layer has been cooled off with the air temperatures getting colder and reach the point where they match temperatures of the lower levels. The cool temperatures will create a more dense layer of water than the layers of warmer water, hence warm water/air will rise. The resulting factor of this has the lower level beginning to reach a temperature compatible with the higher/upper level causing their general locations to mix together. This then mixes the bottom lake sediment containing all the decaying matter from leaves and other aquatic matter, thus staining the water. This process occurs until the temperatures settle and reach equilibrium heading into the winter season. It comes down to the varying densities each water column holds and the changing atmospheric temperatures that raise and lower the lake temperatures throughout the year. Once we hit that point where the bottom layer is approaching the same temperature, if not warmer, than the level above as it is cooling based on cooler air temperatures we will observe the resulting factor of the lake turning over and the coloration change in our outflow river.

The other “seasonal” but not fully season dependent change we notice on the Smith is the low flows we receive in that same yearly time frame. The flows however are not dependent upon temperature nor are they really dependent on the season. It just so happens this time of year is generally when we see the lower flows come back, not due to it being a specific date/month, but corresponding with the management of lake levels above at Philpott Lake. There is a lot that goes into managing lake levels and this is done through an off-site water management engineering team. With this role they look to maintain a certain level of water in our lake, they look to preserve a water level at or above 971.5ft above sea level. Once we fall below that level they begin to reserve and hold off the outflow of water. At this current moment (10/15), we are sitting at the 965 mark, about 6.5 feet below desired level. This process is maintained for many reasons both recreationally above and below the dam with lake and river activities, along with logistics in mind of flood control and the looming hydroelectric component we have been missing over the past 6 years. The ultimate dilemma comes down to a simple equation of balancing the amount of water coming into Philpott Lake and the discharge from the Dam supplying the river. As the season progresses and if there is a prolonged period of minimal rain it creates a lack of correspondence with a lot of water going out leaving the lake and not enough coming in to replenish the dynamic supply. We have two main sources that feed Philpott, both the upper Smith River coming from the Woolwine area and Runnetbag Creek out of neighboring Franklin County. Over time with a period of lack of rain it isn’t sufficient with the 260 cfs flows we see a majority of the year currently on the Smith, and they dial our river supply back to 70 cfs. This change I claim as “seasonal” where we see it occur and hold at this flow during the fall for a longer period of time but going off of past data on the USGS website the Smith received this low flow last year in late September, this year the drop in flows occurred on October 7th. Based on last year's water level management we were placed on these low flows other times throughout the year, granted the fall time frame was much longer in duration than the others. However we did see these low flows again for about 14 days in late January along with another week-long stretch in April. Again all correlating with lake levels and not “seasonal” dependent just most notable and longer lasting this time of year. 

Like mentioned above, fishing remains viable during these seasonal conditions. Another advantage of the Smith River. Adjustments within our approach to these fish within our rigs occur as needed. We will begin shifts from large clunky rigs to smaller stealthier rigs. Looking to hit these fish with distance, slow drifts feeding the fly line downstream away from the boat. 

A lot of great fall fishing opportunities are available throughout the next few months. 

Nov. Availability -  2, 15, 16, 22, 23, 26, 28, 29, 30

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