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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 6:18 am, the temperature outside is 60.6 degrees.

Today will be warm again, with a high temperature around 70 degrees. There is a chance for showers today and possible scattered thunderstorms late this afternoon. Tonight’s low will dip only to the mid-50’s. Tomorrow will be warmer, maybe in the mid-70’s. Rain and thunderstorms are expected Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Wednesday will be cooler, with a high in the mid 50’s.

Little River is flowing at 359 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.37 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 357 cfs. The water temperature is 52.7 degrees this morning.

Fishing conditions in the Great Smoky Mountains are excellent. Flows are normal and the water temperature is well within the trout’s preferred range. The fishing outlook for today and tomorrow is good.

If you can go today or tomorrow, you should. It will be partly cloudy to overcast, today and tomorrow. Perfect!

I would hit the stream armed with a variety of sizes of the Parachute Adams dry fly, #12 down to #18. Most anglers are probably using sizes #14 and #16. You may need nymphs. A Bead Head Pheasant Tail is a good nymph choice.

Bugs will be on the water. Hatches are sporadic. There is no telling what you will see, depending on the elevation you are fishing. The weather has been crazy so far this year.

You may still see Quill Gordons and Blue Quills. There is a good chance Blue Wing Olives will be on the water. Hendricksons and Red Quills are likely. March Browns are too. Small Black Caddis are a possibility. You may find Early Brown Stoneflies.

This is Spring fly fishing time, no doubt about it.

Expect warm days and cool days in early April. Expect warm nights and cold nights in early April. Lows at night could fall to near the freezing mark or below Wednesday night. But, for the most part, it will be warm and pleasant this month and fishing will be good. We have seen snow and frost, in early April.

I almost forgot, don’t be surprised if you encounter high water this month. That will happen at times.

The forest looks like Spring has arrived. I know, because I spent all afternoon yesterday, in the forest with chain saws and a Gator. I’m working on making our entire property Firewise. I think I can finish this project in about 5 years, based on the progress I’ve made so far. Ten acres of this property is wooded. It has been neglected for over 20 years. We got into the fly shop business and that required working at the shop, not picking up limbs and chain sawing fallen trees. I enjoy both but chose working at the shop.  

May Apples have popped out of the ground. Ferns sprouted again. Some trees are showing leaves. Redbuds bloomed at our home this weekend.

Wild turkeys are gobbling. Since hunting season opened Saturday, the birds have become wary and scarce. I saw some creeping around in the woods yesterday. Before Saturday, they were out in the open, in large groups.  

We have not heard whip-poor-wills this year. Sometimes they sing in April. Other years, we first hear them in May. 24 years ago, we heard them on April 2nd. I know, because that was the day Paula and I married. We wonder if we will hear them tonight.

Once we first hear whip-poor-wills, their nightly chorus lasts for weeks. If one happens to be perched right next to our house, it is almost impossible to sleep. They say, whip-poor-wills can call over 1,000 times, without a break. I believe it.

We still have not seen a bear this year. They are here. I know they are watching me, working outside. A black bear is hard to see in the forest. They look like a stump or tree. They try to avoid contact with humans. When it happens, both the bear and the human are surprised. Don’t run from a bear. Wait until the bear runs from you. Humans can’t outrun a bear. Make yourself look big and intimidating. I always look for a rock on the ground, to use as a weapon. I’ve seen a lot of black bears, closeup, and never felt threatened. I still look for a rock.

Trout are active but other species of fishes are changing their behavior too. Smallmouth bass in rivers and lakes, are moving into shallower water, depending on the water temperature in that body of water. The warmer the water gets over the next few weeks, the shallower the smallmouth will be.

White bass usually make their Spring run from the lakes to the rivers in mid-April. Lower Little River will be full of white bass soon.

I love April. I’m glad April is here.

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

Byron Begley
April 2, 2018

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com