Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains.  Yesterday was a damp day in the Smokies with rain falling most of the day but it didn't cause the streams to rise much.  Quite a bit more rain is in the forecast for today and tomorrow.  This is much more likely to cause water levels to rise to a level which may not be fishable.  

Little River is currently flowing at 2.07 feet or 222 c.f.s.  This is actually lower than the normal flow of 300 c.f.s.  Water temperatures rose to 46F.  

The weather forecast is calling for close to 3 inches of rain to fall over the next several days.  If this occurs, water levels will rise.  One bright spot is that the rain is going to be warm which will increase water temperatures above 50F.  Temps won't sustain long enough to jump start the hatches but it is still early in the month so we have some time.

Fishing reports which have come in from reliable anglers have said that fishing has been slow and difficult these last few days.  Jeff, a long time angler from Kentucky, fished Little River between Metcalf Bottoms and Elkmont and said he finally managed to land a couple.  Austin and some friends braved the rain yesterday going to Abrams Creek.  Between the three of them they caught several fish but all of those were hard fought.

I was talking with Dave Anderson yesterday afternoon and he was saying how that last flood event we had recently has dramatically changed the Little River.  A river is a living, changing being.  The only constant in a river is change.  Floods will reorganize a stream in quick fashion.  Pools can become riffles and riffles can be dug out creating new pools.  Keep all this in mind as you make your way back to those old favorite spots this Spring.  The river flows ever onward.  Changing, growing, overcoming new obstacles and creating new ones for itself.  The water doesn't stop.  It can't.  If it come upon a barrier it will pile up for a while but ultimately it finds a way past it.  Water must flow.

Today's Fly Tying Demo is Jayson Alexander.  He will be tying from 10 to 2.  Jayson is an artist and outdoorsman at his core. Born, and raised, in the foothills of the smokies, he has a reverence and fascination with taking what’s natural and creating a functional, beautiful tool that drives nature and angler together. Jayson is a small business owner, crafting flies, spinners, turkey calls, and outdoor stickers that feed back into our local economy and ignite the adventurer spirit in us all. He will be tying a variety of classic Smoky Mountain flies as well as an assortment of bass flies and poppers.

Our Free Fly Tying Demonstration Sunday (February 11) will feature Jimmy Jones, another Maryville resident. He will be tying between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. Jimmy is an avid Smokies fisherman. Jimmy has some well-designed flies he uses to catch trout there. He has his own “Killer” version of the Neversink Caddis for you to learn to tie. 

You do not need a reservation to attend these free demonstrations. Just show up at the shop.

Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.

Daniel Drake
February 10, 2024

We are holding an all-day Beginner Fly Tying Class on Saturday February 17th. Taking this class will give you a huge jump start into the wonderful hobby of fly tying. The class costs $100, which includes all the materials you will need for the day and the use of our vises and tools. We will also provide lunch for you. Space is limited so call the shop at 865-448-9459 soon to book your spot.

Join us on the weekends during the Winter for our Free Fly Tying Demonstrations.   You don’t need a reservation. Just show up. You can view our schedule by CLICKING HERE.

WALTER BABB BAMBOO RODS FOR SALE - Buy directly from Walter. CLICK HERE for more information.

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com