Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:42 am, the temperature is 57 degrees.

It will be cloudy early today before clearing later. It will also be cooler, with a high in the middle 60’s falling to the low 40’s tonight. We have a chance for showers and thunderstorms this morning, with a lower chance for showers late this afternoon. They say it will be breezy today, 10 to 15 miles per hour possibly gusting to 25 miles per hour.

Tomorrow will be mostly sunny and breezy with a high in the low 60’s and a low in the upper 30’s overnight.

Little Rive is flowing at 164 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.94 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 236 cfs. The water temperature is 57.6 degrees this morning.

Most streams in the mountains are flowing below normal but a good fishing levels. Tellico River is flowing slightly above normal. Water temperatures are excellent for trout feeding activity at most elevations.

We do have a 50% chance for rain and possibly a thunderstorm early today. Water levels could rise and become stained in some streams.

Fishing for trout in the mountains is good. Trout are taking dry flies, nymphs and wet flies. Yellow Sally Stonefly and Light Cahill patterns are good dry fly choices.

Fishing is also good for stocked trout in the low elevation rivers. Water levels are good, at least for now and water temperatures are perfect. Nymphs, caddis pupa, midge pupa, wet flies, emergers, squirmy worms and small streamers are good fly choices.

The lowland rivers are warmer. Smallmouth bass fishing is heating up as the rivers do the same thing. You should do well using nymphs or streamers. Don’t rule out trying foam floating flies or poppers.

Wind could be an issue on the lakes today. If you go early it should be overcast which is an awesome condition. I would be casting weighted streamers, a large black Wooly Bugger, to the rocky banks, hoping to catch smallmouth bass. I would also try top water offerings, mostly foam floating flies. That may or may not work.  

I have talked to a lot of customers who are fishing on the tailwaters. TVA and the Corps have been offering us many opportunities lately due to curtailed generation with some short periods of pulsing. Check the TVA website to see what options are available today. There are many, if you are wading or boating.

We will be open today, as usual on Sundays from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm.

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

Byron Begley
April 30, 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