Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:43 am, the temperature is 49 degrees.

It is chilly this morning but we will enjoy warmer temperatures later with a high around 80 degrees. Today will be sunny with no rain predicted except for a slight chance for thunderstorms tonight.

Tomorrow will be sunny and a little cooler with a high in the middle to upper 70’s, dropping to the low 50’s overnight. There is a chance for thunderstorms in the afternoon.

The weekend will be cooler, with highs in the upper 60’s and a chance for showers.

Little River is flowing at 129 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.80 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 190 cfs. The water temperature is 59.7 degrees this morning.

Streams in the mountains are flowing lower than normal for this date. Some are flowing quite a bit below normal. Water temperatures are good for trout feeding activity at all elevations.

Trout are taking dry flies, wet flies and nymphs. Due to the lower water conditions, stealth is paramount to your success. Dress to blend with the forest. Fish the broken water in runs, plunge pools and riffles. A dry and dropper rig is a good choice. I would use a Yellow Sally Stonefly imitation for my dry fly. Drop a nymph or Green Weenie off your dry fly.

Fishing for stocked trout in the low elevation rivers remains good. Nymphs, squirmy worms, midge pupa and caddis pupa are good fly choices. Streamers might work too.

Fishing for smallmouth bass, rock bass and panfish is good in the lowland rivers. It will be sunny today so fishing will likely be best early or late, or fish the shaded areas if they are available. Nymphs, streamers, crayfish imitations, hellgrammite patterns, foam floating flies and poppers are all good fly choices.

This will be a good lake fishing day but fishing will be best early or late when the sun is low. When the sun is high, seek out shaded banks and coves. Cast streamers, swimming nymphs, foam floating flies or poppers to the banks and cover.

Pauses in the generation are scheduled at most dams today with brief 1-hour pulsing occasionally, offering tailwater anglers many options. Visit the TVA website from the links below to carefully plan your tailwater fishing day.

We have many fly fishing options in the Tennessee River Valley and the Southern Appalachians. I can’t think of a better place to live or visit, especially if you love fishing. May and June are ideal fishing months. We are in the middle of the best right now.

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

Byron Begley
May 25, 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