Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:47 am, the temperature is 57 degrees.

It will be mostly sunny today with a high temperature in the low 80’s and a slight chance for late afternoon thunderstorms.

Tomorrow will be cooler, with a high in the middle to upper 70’s. Rain is likely as the chance for precipitation is 90%. We may get between a quarter and a half inch of rain.

Little River is flowing at 242 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.19 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 213 cfs. The water temperature is 59.7 degrees this morning.

Most streams in the mountains are flowing very close to normal for this date. Water temperatures are within the trout’s preferred range and they will be actively feeding. Nymphs, wet flies and dry flies should all produce for you. My pick would be a Yellow Sally Stonefly dry with a nymph or emerger dropper.

Fishing for stocked trout in the low elevation rivers is good due to normal flows and ideal water temperatures. Sub-surface flies will likely work best. Nymphs, squirmy worms, wet flies, midge pupa and streamers are all good choices.

Fishing for smallmouth bass and rock bass is good in the lowland rivers. River conditions are excellent. Bass should be eager to take streamers, nymphs, hellgrammite patterns, crayfish imitations, foam floating flies and poppers.

This will be a good lake fishing day. Winds will be light. I would go early or late when the sun is low or find shaded banks during the day. Smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, panfish and many other species will be active.

My preference is smallmouth bass fishing, so I would cast streamers or foam floating flies to the rocky banks. Try poppers, foam floating flies or swimming nymphs if you are targeting bluegill or shellcrackers. Larger streamers, poppers or foam floating flies are good choices for largemouth bass. Fly anglers targeting carp are also doing well from what I have heard.

TVA and the Corps have scheduled long pauses with intermittent pulsing at many dams today. You can enjoy a day of tailwater fishing whether you are boating or wading. Check the TVA website from the links below to plan your tailwater fishing day.

We are busy at the shop. The store is well stocked. May and June are our best months of the year and so far, this has been a very good year.

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

Byron Begley
May 19, 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