If you do not see today’s Fishing Report, please refresh your browser to empty your cache.

Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 7:05 am, the temperature outside is 53 degrees.

Today will be mostly sunny and warm, near 80 degrees or above. Tonight, the low will drop to only 58 degrees. Tomorrow will be warm and there is a slight chance for rain. There is a greater chance for rain Thursday night and early Friday morning. Saturday will be beautiful. There is a slight chance for showers Sunday.

Little River is flowing at 531 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.73 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 234 cfs. The water temperature is an incredible 57.6 degrees.

Little Pigeon River, at the Sevierville gauge is flowing at 1,120 cfs, 2.88 feet, which compares to median flow of 530 cfs for this date.

Oconaluftee River at the Birdtown gauge is flowing at 1,220 cfs, 2.83 feet, compared to median flow of 521 cfs. The water temperature is 54.3 degrees.

At the Tellico Plains gauge, Tellico River is flowing at 547 cfs, 2.24 feet, compared to median flow of 287 cfs.

Cataloochee Creek is flowing at 306 cfs, 3.26 feet, compared to median flow of 117 cfs. The water temperature is 52 degrees.

Water temperatures in the Smokies streams are perfect. Trout and aquatic insects will be very active.

Flows are still somewhat high, but they are continuing to recede. You might find wading in some spots to be tough. Be careful and pick your places to wade. You really don’t have to wade much anyway.

Nymphs will work. The stream flows are high enough that trout will not be easily spooked. You should be able to fish close with nymph rigs, in many areas.

Trout will be actively feeding on the surface at times. I think I would choose a Light Cahill, Elk Hair Caddis or a small Yellow Stimulator dry fly.

It may be partly cloudy today. It is right now. That is favorable to good fishing anywhere.

The lowland rivers are still flowing higher than normal for this time of the year. You will need to pick your spots to wade. Smallmouth bass and rock bass will be active. Use streamers or nymphs. In the streams that are stocked with trout, use the same.

Check the TVA website for generation schedules on your favorite tailwater. They look good to me at Cherokee and Norris Dam today. I didn’t look at all of them, but other tailwaters may have generous, angler friendly flows today.

Hopefully, the Corps of Engineers will stop sluicing at Center Hill Dam soon. The lake level is at 629 feet elevation, which is 18.7 feet below full pool. I think that is close to their target of keeping the lake about 20 feet below full pool until the repairs to the dam are finished this Fall. I know a lot of people are anxiously waiting for normal flows again.

I love the Caney Fork River. When I lived in Nashville, I was there almost every weekend for several years. I know a lot of you who read this report live in Middle Tennessee. I share your desire to fish the Caney soon.

In the Bluegrass State, Lake Cumberland has receded to full pool. Normal is returning to the Cumberland River tailwater. Today, they are generating around the clock.

Today might be a good lake fishing day. More clouds would be nice. I would be using big, black and heavily weighted Wooly Buggers for smallmouth bass. I might even try a Knucklehead or popper to see if that might work. I’m always hopeful. I still think the streamer would be the best choice. Go early or late unless it is cloudy.

Bluegill and shellcrackers will be bedding soon if they are not already. I love catching those fish on a fly rod.

Overall, fishing looks very good in the Tennessee Valley. We were very busy in the shop yesterday.

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

Byron Begley
April 24, 2019

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com