Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:38 am, the temperature is 54 degrees.

This is going to be another warm and breezy day. It will be partly cloudy. Expect a high temperature in the low 80’s with a low tonight in the upper 40’s. It will be windy tonight, with rain and possibly a thunderstorm. The chance for rain is 80%. We could get between a half and three quarters of an inch of rain.

Rain and thunderstorms will remain through early tomorrow. The high temperature will be in the middle 60’s with a low in the upper 30’s. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half on an inch are possible.

Sunday will be sunny with a high in the low 60’s and a low in the middle 30’s.

Little River is flowing at 151 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.89 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 265 cfs. The water temperature is 58.1 degrees this morning.

Streams are flowing lower than normal for this date. Water temperatures are perfect. Trout are actively feeding. Aquatic insects are active. I heard about a huge hatch near Elkmont that occurred Wednesday evening just before dark. The insects appeared to be Yellow Sally Stoneflies. You can catch trout on dry flies, wet flies, emergers or nymphs.

Fishing for trout in the Smokies is very good. I have not heard reports of slow fishing from anyone.

The streams are fairly low so stealth is essential to your success. Stay hidden from the trout and you will catch more. Good presentation is required for good fishing. Get a good drift. Fish the broken and shaded water.

I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. That depends on how much rain we get and where. Some streams may be stained tomorrow. Streams may be flowing higher.

Fishing for stocked trout is good. Water temperatures are perfect in the low elevation rivers. Trout are active. Nymphs, wet flies, emergers, midge pupa, squirmy worms and possibly small streamers will produce for you. You may want to try a Green Weenie.

Smallmouth bass are active in the lowland rivers. Their activity is driven by warmer water. Nymphs and streamers are good choices. Foam floating flies and poppers may work too.

This may be a good lake fishing day though it will be breezy. I like the prediction of partly cloudy skies today. The lakes are warming. Largemouth and smallmouth bass may be in shallow water, depending on the water temperature on the lake you are fishing. I would cast weighted streamers to the rocky banks and retrieve slow, allowing your fly to sink deep. My favorite Spring streamer is a heavily weighted large black Wooly Bugger.

Tailwater anglers have many choices today. TVA and the Corps are planning long periods of no generation with some intermittent pulsing at most of their dams. Visit the TVA website from the links below to see what is going on at your favorite tailwater today.

The Ford Bronco event held in Townsend this week is larger than ever before. I have never seen so many old Broncos. They are not causing traffic problems. It’s not that big!

There is a Tenkara anglers gathering being held at Elkmont. I have talked to a few attendees at the shop this week.

The Bamboo Bash is going on now in Townsend. Avid bamboo rod owners and collectors have been attending this event for several years.

I was at our estate planning attorney’s office yesterday, and met the wife of the grandson of Everett Garrison. Mr. Garrison was born in 1893 in New York. He was an engineer, and is acclaimed as being a master designer and maker of bamboo fly rods. He was collaborating on a book when he died with Hoagy Carmichael. After Garrison’s death, Carmichael published the book in 1977 which was titled, “A Master’s Guide to Building a Bamboo Fly Rod”.

It is indeed a small world.

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

Byron Begley
April 21, 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