Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains.  There was lightning flashing in the darkness as I prepared to write the fishing report this morning.  Then rain here in Maryville.  The radar showed it headed towards the mountains so fingers crossed that some falls on the creeks before it fades away.

Yesterday the mountains didn't receive anywhere near the amount of rain we were expecting.  Birds are chirping outside this morning.  No lightning today.  No rain expected today either which is a little disappointing as the rivers could really use it.  Rain fell in the mountains yesterday spiking the water levels a tiny bit but they are back down again to where they were.

This morning the gauge on Little River is reading 1.85 feet or 141 c.f.s.  The daily normal is 226 c.f.s.  Streams are flowing clear.  Low water levels make for extra spooky trout.  Try to stay out of the water as much as possible and be extra stealthy.

Water temperatures are warming.  The gauge on Little River is reading 61F early this morning.  Before you get all excited and pack away your waders in preparation for wet wading season remember that they temperature gauge is at the entrance of the National Park and low elevation.  Higher up where you will actually be fishing is going to be significantly more chilly.  

The weather forecast is calling for dry weather for the next couple of days.  More rain is supposed to be coming this weekend and into next week.  It doesn't look like any big amounts so I wouldn't go cancelling plans, just pack the rain jacket.  

Fishing has been good for most anglers.  Where to go really just depends on what type of trout you want to target and how much effort you want to expend to reach that goal.  Fishing in the lower elevations along the roadside is good.  Traffic isn't too bad especially during the week.  The new parking pass doesn't seem to have lessened the amount of people trying to find an available spot though.  If you have brook trout on your mind then lace up the hiking boots and head into the backcountry.  

The trout have been wanting smaller than usual flies this month.  Light colors are the pallet and small is the size.  Sulphurs and other yellow to tan colors in the #16 - #18 are working well if you are going to only fish a dry.  If you are going dry/dropper then you are still going to need a #12 or #14.  Something with high floatation like a Stimulator, a Chubby Chernobyl, or a Dry Humper are good top fly choices. 

Nymphs are always a good fly choice.  Trout do most of their feeding subsurface. With a large range of types and sizes of natural nymphs in the water your choice of fly is almost endless.  Have a variety of patterns in your box so you can change things up to find out what they are eating.  If you are casting a tiny nymph and not getting action, don't change to a different tiny nymph.  Switch to something big and give that a try.  

The tailwaters all look to be running a pulsing schedule with periods of no flow and then a release.  Always check with the website before going so you know what to expect.  I haven't actually heard too many reports coming from the tailwaters recently.  Maybe I'm not in the loop or maybe anglers are taking advantage of good mountain fishing.

If you go fishing today have fun.  Remember to keep vigilant about the weather.  Even though there isn't rain or storms on the forecast it is the mountains and we are in East Tennessee where conditions can change rapidly.

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

Daniel Drake
May 10, 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