Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:42 am, the temperature is 39 degrees.

Showers are likely this afternoon. The high temperature will be in the upper 60’s falling to the low 50’s tonight. It will be sunny and very warm tomorrow with a high in the low 80’s and a low overnight in the low 60’s. Wednesday will be mostly cloudy with a high in the middle 80’s.

Little river is flowing at 246 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.20 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 357 cfs. The water temperature is 50.9 degrees and falling.

Streams in the Smokies are flowing very close to normal. The streams are chilly this morning and the water temperatures are falling. If you plan to fish in the mountains today, choose later when the water is warmer. Fish in the low elevations where the water is warmer.

Weighted nymphs or nymph rigs will likely work best, especially early. Later today, trout may take emergers, wet flies and dry flies.

Fishing for stocked trout in the low elevations will be good today. Fishing will probably be best later today. Try egg patterns, squirmy worms, midge pupa, nymphs, caddis emergers or streamers.

Smallmouth bass in the lowland rivers will be sluggish early. Go later when the water warms. Nymphs or streamers will likely work best for you.

There are pauses in the generation planned today at some dams, offering tailwater anglers several options for wade or boat fishing. Check the TVA website to see where you can find suitable flows on the tailwaters. You won’t see as many as we had Saturday or Sunday.

According to the long term weather forecast, we will enjoy warm temperatures day and night through April 17th. Fishing in the mountains and lowland rivers will improve. Lake fishing will improve. It looks like Spring has arrived.

The old wild turkey gobblers have shown up at our house. We see mostly hens and jakes every day during the Winter months. I don’t know where those gobblers hide, but they do, until now. The birds with long beards are preparing to mate. They are fanned out and strutting around the hens. 

Wild turkey hunting season in Tennessee is opening two weeks later than usual this year. Evidently, the wild turkey population is in decline, especially in the southern states. The extra two weeks will give the birds more time to mate and nest before the hunting season opens.

The decline may be attributed to more nests, eggs and poults being destroyed by predators. We have seen more raccoons around our home lately than I can remember. We have not heard hounds at night chasing raccoons in years. It seems the active raccoon hunters in our valley grew up, moved on to raise families, and did not pass down the love of their sport to others. Most of the hunters who chased their hounds all night were young when we moved here 30 years ago. They were our neighbors.

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

Byron Begley
April 3, 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.

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com