Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:00 am it is...dark.  It is also only about 33F.  We have had some beautiful weather already this year but this is East Tennessee and she is not ready to fully embrace spring quite yet.

Cold overnight temperatures are going to make fishing tough this week.  This morning the water temperature on Little River is down to 44F.  Temperatures didn't rise much throughout day over the past couple of days.  

Water levels on Little River are at a good spring level for fishing.  2.49 feet or 391 c.f.s. is just about normal for this time of year.  The streams are flowing clear.  

When the clouds finally cleared yesterday afternoon you could look up and see snow on the mountains, or atleast a thick coat of frost.  That is one of the beautifully amazing sights of winter/spring in East Tennessee, flowering trees in bloom in the valley and snow in the mountains.

Spring break has begun around the region.  We are seeing more families and out of towners coming into the Shop.  Fishing in the Smokies still won't be as crowded as summer but probably a few more people than you hardcore winter fishermen have become accustomed to.

The mayflies continue to hatch.  Quill Gordons and Blue Quills have been hatching for several weeks now and should start to taper off.  We will start seeing Red Quills, Dark Hendricksons and March Browns.  I think March Brown patterns are some of the prettiest dry fly patterns in the early spring fly box.  A classic Catskill pattern with the tall mallard flank or wood duck wing.  A clean, tightly dubbed body of tan to light brown. And on a really fancy one maybe even a simple ribbing of a thicker brown thread.  The problem with March Browns is that they hatch at the time of year when just a little bit of rain can make the streams too high to fish.  I don't know how many times we have gotten to the weeks when they begin to hatch and the rains come bringing the streams to the edge of their banks.  By the time the waters have gone away so have the bugs.  Oh well, they look fantastic in my fly box anyway.  

If I was able to go fishing in the Smokies today I would be starting with nymphs.  The drop in water temperature is going to have the trout locked to the bottom.  A heavy fly such as a Pat's Rubberleg, Double Bead Stonefly or one of the many euro nymph style tungsten beaded jig patterns will be good for getting to the bottom.  You can trail a pheasant tail or hares ear behind it.  I would stick to lower elevations.  Crowds are still light so take advantage of easier access, there will be plenty of time for hiking into the wilds later.

Most of the tailwaters are showing generation schedules that are not conducive to fishing today.  

TWRA stocked trout in Little River through Townsend yesterday.  Our source said that they were mostly in the 10-14 inch size range so the typical size that usually gets stocked.  If you are hunting that big pellet-fed trophy picture then Gatlinburg is still your destination.  There is a 15 pound rainbow over there who doesn't seem to be getting any wiser about not eating flies.  It has showed up in photos on Instagram at least 4 times since it was stocked in.  Good to know that anglers are following the wintertime Catch and Release rules.

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

Daniel Drake
March 14, 2023

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Parking Tags are now required to park your vehicle inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park for more than 15 minutes. Tags may be purchased at Visitors Centers, including the center in Townsend. Or, they may be purchased online. You can buy a daily, weekly or annual tag. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

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