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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:39 am, the temperature outside is 61.3 degrees.

What happened to the rain? It missed us again!

Maybe we will get it today and tomorrow. The National Weather Service is predicting showers this morning, with thunderstorms likely this afternoon. The high temperature should be around 77 degrees. Showers and thunderstorms are likely tonight. Showers are likely tomorrow and tomorrow night. Through the period we should get about an inch of rain, with higher amounts in thunderstorms.

Weather.com predicts an 80% chance for rain every day through Sunday, with a 90% chance Monday.

I’ll believe it when I see it.

Little River is flowing at 136 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.72 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 207 cfs. The water temperature is 64.4 degrees this morning.

Stream flows are low for now, more typical of late Summer. Fishing is good if you are careful not to spook the trout. Wear muted clothing that blends with the forest.

Dry flies are producing well. I would use Yellow Sally Stoneflly patterns or a Light Cahill. Good Yellow Sally patterns are #16 Yellow Neversink Caddis, Stimulator, Rob’s Hellbender and a Yellow Elk Hair Caddis or Yellow Parachute Adams. Smoky Mountain trout have always liked yellow. They still do, this time of the year.

Nymphs will work too. I would use a Bead Head Pheasant Tail or a Pink or Green Weenie.

The trout are hungry, due to the warmer water we have now. Their metabolism is running in high gear. They are looking for food.

I would certainly use 5X tippet, until the flows increase, due to the predicted rain, if it occurs.

Warmwater fishing is good, on the lakes and lowland rivers. Smallmouth bass are very active. Largemouth bass and bluegill are seeking food. You will do best on cloudy days or early and late when the sun is off the water.

One of my passions is cruising the banks of lakes, fly fishing with a Knucklehead or a popper. This is the time to be doing that. You never know what you are going to catch. Right now, I would be hoping to catch smallmouth bass.

The most important factor for success, when fly fishing from a boat, for most species, on still water, is being quiet. You can bang something on your boat and spoil your fishing in that location. I know, I’ve done it. When I am fishing with someone else, and they make a loud noise in the boat, I quickly move the boat down the bank, where hopefully, the fish were not spooked by the noise.

We were fishing in Florida for two weeks and just returned last Saturday. The best fishing during that time, was catching speckled trout on grass beds, in two to six feet of water. We were fishing from kayaks.

Mouse joined us the second week. He had never fished from his kayak in saltwater. He asked me what to do. I told him, the first rule, is to be quiet. When you get to the area you want to fish, slowly lower your anchor and quietly lock your paddle to the boat. Don’t talk loud to others nearby. Don’t knock your boat with anything. Speckled trout are especially spooky. If they hear an unfamiliar noise, they are gone. Be quiet, and you will catch them.

Tourist season is about to begin. Kids will be out of school soon, if they are not already. Of course, families love to vacation in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Many people will be tubing, swimming and hiking in the mountains. This is a beautiful place to enjoy nature and the natural beauty. Some people will be fishing, and camping.

I don’t fully understand, because I spent much of my life outdoors, and away from civilization. I don’t understand why some people do not realize, this Park is a large wilderness area. There are hazards to your safety here. The rivers can be swift. People drown. People get lost hiking. Search rescues, including water rescues are common during tourist season.

Here, you can fall off a cliff. And here, wildlife can kill you.

I found a story on the WBIR website this morning that is almost unbelievable, though I have seen this kind of dangerous activity before, many times. A photographer in Cades Cove, took photos of people, standing just a few feet from bears. One young girl took a selfie with a bear.

You have to see this. CLICK HERE to read the story and look at the photos this photographer took. Bears frequent our house. It is not uncommon. You and I run into them occasionally in the Park. We know to respect these animals. We know to keep our distance. We understand the fact that “This is not a petting zoo”. If we see bears, the last thing we should do is walk up to them! Some people just don't know.

Tourist season has begun.

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

Byron Begley
May 17, 2018

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com 

We have an Aquatic Entomology Class scheduled. It is going to be held on Saturday June 16. The price is just $100 for this all day class. Space is limited so give us a call to get your name on the roster. 865-448-9459. Learn more by CLICKING HERE.