Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:38 am, the temperature is 63 degrees.

Thunderstorms are likely today. Rainfall amounts between a quarter and a half of an inch are possible. There is also the potential for locally heavy rainfall in isolated thunderstorms. Flash flooding is possible. The high temperature will be in the low 80’s falling to the low 60’s tonight.

Showers are likely tomorrow with thunderstorms overnight. The high will be around 80 degrees with a low in the upper 50’s.

Cooler temperatures will move into the area Wednesday.

Little River is flowing at 193 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.04 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 222 cfs. The water temperature is 63.5 degrees this morning.

Scattered thunderstorms blew through the mountains late yesterday. Some streams are flowing higher than normal this morning while others are not. The streams are receding and most are fishable. Some streams may rise today due to the elevated chance for thunderstorms.

Water temperatures are within the trout’s preferred range at most elevations.

If you go fishing in the Smokies today, fishing will likely be good with trout taking dry flies, nymphs and emergers. Be on the lookout for rising water. Isolated heavy rain could fall in the watershed where you are fishing. The water could rise quickly and unexpectedly.

Fishing for stocked trout in the low elevation rivers is good. Of course that depends on how much rain we get today and how it affects the water levels in some rivers.

Fishing for smallmouth bass in the lowland rivers will be good today due to the warmer water conditions. Again, there is a chance for stained and rising water. Smallies will be eagerly feeding if the conditions remain good. Nymphs, streamers, crayfish patterns, foam floating flies and poppers are all good fly choices.

Tailwater anglers have many choices today. There will be long periods of generation pauses with some pulsing mixed in at every dam I checked this morning. Visit the TVA website from the links below to plan your tailwater fishing day.

Paula and I spent a week with another couple at St. Joseph Bay in Florida and returned Saturday. We trailered our kayaks to the home we normally rent on the bay. The weather was perfect, the tides were awesome and fishing was great. We caught mostly speckled trout in the grass beds. We took our beach cart and surf fishing gear in case we were blown off the water by wind, which didn’t happen.

It is always good to be home and I’m looking forward to going back to work at the shop.

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

Byron Begley
May 15, 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