Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:38 am, the temperature is 32 degrees.

Rainfall yesterday amounted to .89 inches in Townsend.

It will be sunny today with a high temperature in the upper 50’s, dropping to the middle 30’s tonight. Tomorrow will be partly cloudy with a high in the middle 60’s and a low in the upper 40’s. Rain will return Wednesday with much warmer temperatures through Thursday.

Some roads in the Smokies are still closed due to snow and ice. Little River Road reopened yesterday morning from Sugarlands to the Townsend “Y”. When I wrote the fishing report yesterday morning, the road was closed.  

Little River is flowing at 264 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.20 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 293 cfs. The water temperature is 43.3 degrees this morning.

Many streams in the Smokies have receded and are now close to normal. Little Pigeon River is flowing quite a bit higher than normal this morning. Water temperatures are falling. We will see some warming over the next few days but right now, the water temperature is colder than the trout’s preferred range.

If you go fishing in the mountains today, fish in the lower elevations where the water is warmer. Weighted nymphs and tandem nymph rigs will likely work best for you. You might try streamers to catch larger trout. They will be lethargic. Fishing will be slow until the water warms like it did last week.

Fishing for stocked trout in the low elevation rivers may be slow. Go later hoping the water will be warmer. You might catch trout on weighted nymphs or nymph rigs. Try smaller flies.

TVA and the Corps will be generating all day at several dams. There are pauses planned at a few. Check Cherokee, Dale Hollow, South Holston and Chatuge dams on the TVA website from the links below. Maybe you can squeeze in some tailwater fishing time today.

So far, we have had a very busy year at the shop, when compared to last year and years dating back to 2019. I didn’t look back any further than 2019. One reason is, we have much more inventory than usual during the Winter. That was intentional and the bet has paid off so far. The store is stocked well.  

We have two free fly tying demonstrations planned next weekend. Ken Long will be tying Saturday from 1 pm until 2 pm. Ken has been a good friend of ours for many years. He is a fly fishing guide and instructor with a history of managing large retail outdoor stores.

Bryan Begbie will be demonstrating next Sunday. Bryan runs the fly fishing program at Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain resorts in Walland, just up the road from Townsend.

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

Byron Begley
February 13, 2023

Private Instruction Fly Fishing Classes will be offered by us again this year.  If you know someone that has been thinking about getting started and you don't want to be the one untangling their lines while they learn have them give the Shop a call.  Classes are small, limited to two people per instructor.  Our Beginner day consists of half day instruction at the Shop where they will learn casting, knot tying, theory....then in the afternoon the class moves to the stream for practical application of skills learned.  The investment is just $300 for one angler or $400 for two.  We have all the equipment needed.  All the student needs is a fishing license and to dress for the weather.  It is the perfect way to get started.  Call for more info! 865-448-9459.

We also have some more advanced learning options too.  Classes can focus on general nymphing tactics or even a more specific Euro style nymphing class.  Casting instruction for learning new skills like Double Haul or improving distance can also be done.

We are holding a Beginner Fly Tying Class Saturday February 18th starting at 9:00 am. Tools and materials will be furnished for you. The class is limited to 4 students. It will be taught by Brian Courtney, who has been teaching this class for many years. The cost of the class is $100. It will last all day. We will provide lunch for you. You will learn to tie 5 different flies and acquire the skills to tie many more similar patterns. Call the shop at 865-448-9459 to reserve your spot. THIS CLASS HAS BEEN FILLED BUT YOU MAY WANT TO CALL TO BE PLACED ON A WAITING LIST IF THERE IS A CANCELLATION.


FREE FLY TYING DEMONSTRATIONS EACH WEEKEND THROUGH EARLY MARCH

We will be holding many free fly tying demonstrations on the weekends over the next two months, some on Saturdays and others on Sunday afternoons. CLICK HERE to see the list of fly tyers who will be demonstrating, including the dates and times. These demonstrations are free. No reservation is necessary. All you have to do is show up at the shop. This schedule could change due to unforeseeable circumstances, including weather conditions, sickness or other causes. Check this fishing report where any cancellations or changes will be posted.

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com