Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:17 am, the temperature in Townsend is 31 degrees.

According to the Park website this morning, Laurel Creek Road, Cades Cove Loop Road, Cades Cove Campground and Upper Tremont Road are still closed due to downed trees.

Today will be sunny with a high temperature in the upper 60’s, dropping to the middle 40’s tonight.

Tomorrow will be sunny with a high in the middle 70’s and a low in the low 50’s.

Easter Sunday will be sunny with a high in the low 80’s.

Little River is flowing at 319 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.23 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 308 cfs. The water temperature is 47.5 degrees and falling.

Streams in the Smokies are flowing near normal. Water temperatures are chilly at all elevations. The colder than normal water will be a short term issue as it will be much warmer today and through the weekend.

Fishing will be best later today, after the water temperature bottoms out and becomes warmer. Fish in the low elevations where the water is warmer. Nymphs will work for sure but be prepared to switch your rig to dry flies later. There are many different species of aquatic insects on the water right now.

Fishing for stocked trout will be best later today. Try nymphs, egg patterns, squirmy worms, midge pupa or streamers.

There are pauses in the generation planned at many dams today, including Apalachia, Cherokee, Douglas, Norris, Wilbur, Wolf Creek, Dale Hollow, South Holston, Tims Ford and Chatuge. If you are hoping to fish on a tailwater today, you have many options whether you are wading or boating.

Surely the Park Service will open those closed roads and the Cades Cove Campground today, as we are moving into the Easter Weekend holiday. I suppose they could be open and someone forgot to update the website. You could call the Park and listen to the road closure recording.

This is going to be a beautiful weekend to be fly fishing with no rain in sight and warmer temperatures. The streams will warm and fishing will improve soon. I think it is also likely there will be very favorable generation schedules at our area dams, with plenty of tailwater fishing opportunities this weekend.

We will be closed on Easter Sunday and I will not be writing a fishing report.

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

Byron Begley
March 29, 2024

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Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com