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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 7:06 am, the temperature outside is 77 degrees.

That was not a typo.

It is very windy this morning. We are under a wind advisory. Gusts could blow at 60 miles per hour in the higher elevations today. This front may produce strong thunderstorms with damaging winds and large hail. We will get some rain, between a tenth and quarter of an inch, with more possible in thunderstorms.

Showers and thunderstorms will continue through tonight. Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy then becoming sunny with a high temperature in the low 60’s. After today, the weather looks good through Thursday, warm with no rain expected.

Little River is flowing at 368 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.42 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 272 cfs. The water temperature is 59.9 degrees this morning.

Stream flows in the Park are above median flow. Water temperatures are excellent. Fly fishing for trout is very good.

Wind might be a problem for you today, if you go. And, there is a chance you may find yourself in a thunderstorm. Be careful. When this front moves over our area later today, it may get nasty out there. Hopefully it won’t.

The barometric pressure dropped like a rock overnight. That may have a negative affect on your fishing this morning. Or, maybe it will help. I never really figured that out.

If you go, be prepared to fish with nymphs, wet flies or dry flies. The trout are hungry due to the perfect water temperatures. Their metabolism is in high gear. They will feed on anything that resembles food.

I would use a Parachute Adams, Elk Hair Caddis, Light Cahill or possibly a small Yellow Stimulator in my dry fly selection. Nymph choices could include Pheasant Tail, Tellico, Prince, Hare’s Ear or many other reasonable flies.

The lowland rivers are receding closer to normal. That may change today. They are swift so you may not be able to wade exactly where you would prefer, but you can work with that. I would use streamers or nymphs, for trout and smallmouth bass.

White bass have probably staged to spawn or they may be spawning in some rivers. If you get into them, you will have a fun day.

I would call this a bad day to fish on a lake. There is no way I would take our boat to the lake with the wind blowing like it is.

Fishing on the tailwaters for trout has really picked up. I talked to my friend and guide, Tic Smith yesterday. He and his co-guides at Southeastern Anglers have been busy on the tailwaters. You can visit their website by CLICKING HERE.

You may have some fishing opportunities today on the Clinch and Holston Rivers. Check the TVA website to see if their schedule works for you.

This may be a good fishing today, or maybe it won’t.

The wind has let up some right now. Maybe it won’t be as bad as they say it will.

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

Byron Begley
April 15, 2019

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com