Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:44 am, the temperature is 60 degrees.

It rained all night and it is still raining now. The rain was heavy at times. The wind was relentless. We got .94 inches at our home so far. A personal weather station near the shop reported 1.7 inches overnight. The numbers are similar in Gatlinburg and Sevierville.

Heavy rain is predicted until early afternoon. The temperature will fall to around 35 degrees later today. Tonight’s low temperature will be in the low to middle 20’s. Rain will transition to snow in the high elevations later today.

Tomorrow will be sunny with a high in the low 50’s and a low in the low to middle 30’s overnight. Sunday will be mostly sunny and warmer with a high temperature around 60 degrees. There is a low chance for showers Monday with a high in the low 60’s.

Little River is flowing at 1,300 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 3.68 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 359 cfs. The river is rising quickly and is likely stained. The water temperature is 54.5 degrees this morning.

Most streams in the Smokies are rising quickly. They are likely stained. It is still raining now and the rain will continue until early afternoon. Rivers and streams in the mountains will continue to rise through at least early afternoon. It will be breezy today with a chance for snow in the higher elevations. This is not a good day to be fishing in the mountains.

You will find most low elevation rivers where trout are stocked to be flowing high today. They will likely be stained.

Fishing on a tailwater will be a better option today. There are pauses in the generation planned at many dams, some this morning and others this afternoon. Visit the TVA website to see what tailwater fishing options you have. You might be pleasantly surprised. I was.

We have two free fly tying demonstrations planned this weekend. Ken Long will be tying tomorrow from 10:00 am until 2:00 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 Sunday from 1:00 pm until 3:00 pm. Bryan runs the fly fishing program at Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain resorts in Walland, just up the road from Townsend.

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

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

Byron Begley
February 17, 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.  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.

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