Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:41 am, the temperature is 59 degrees.

It will be mostly sunny today with a chance for showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and a high temperature around 80 degrees. Tomorrow will be more of the same with a high in the low 80’s and a lower chance for afternoon thunderstorms.

Little River is flowing at 93.8 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.65 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 180 cfs. The water temperature is 60.8 degrees this morning.

Streams in the mountains are flowing lower than normal. Some are flowing quite a bit below normal. Water temperatures are good for trout feeding activity at all elevations. Anglers I have talked to in the shop have reported good fishing.

With the low water conditions we have now, stealth is essential to your success. Stay hidden from the trout and you will catch more. Fish the broken water in deeper runs, pockets and plunge pools where the trout are hiding. A dry and dropper rig is a good choice. Mine would be a Yellow Sally Stonefly pattern or a Yellow Stimulator with a small nymph or Green Weenie dropper.

Fishing for stocked trout is probably fair to good in the low elevation rivers. These rivers are flowing low. Sub-surface flies will likely work best. Try weighted nymphs or rigs, emergers or midge pupa. Smaller flies may work best. Use light tippet too.

Fishing for smallmouth bass, rock bass and panfish in the lowland rivers is good. Fish in the deeper pools and runs with streamers, nymphs, crayfish imitations, hellgrammite patterns, foam floating flies or poppers. Fish the shaded areas today or go early or late.

If you go lake fishing today, go early or late when the sun is low. When the sun is high, try to find shaded banks to fish. Winds will be calm. Cast to the banks and cover with streamers, swimming nymphs, foam floating flies or poppers.

TVA and the Corps will be generating this afternoon for long periods at some dams. At others, there will be the normal schedule we have been seeing lately, long pauses with occasional 1-hour pulses. You can work with most of these schedules if you plan well. Visit the TVA website from the links below to plan your tailwater fishing day.

We need rain and the chances for rain are low every day this week. It will also become warmer as the week progresses. It is time to polish up on your low water Summer fly fishing tactics. Use finer tippet and stay hidden.

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

Byron Begley
May 31, 2023

NOTICE: We are holding a Beginner Fly Tying Class all day on Saturday June 17th. As of yesterday we had one opening in the class. The cost for the day is $100, which includes the use of tools, materials and lunch. The class will be taught by Brian Courtney. Brian has been teaching our fly tying classes with Walter Babb for many years. This is a great opportunity for you to begin this incredible hobby. You will learn to tie 5 different trout patterns. This class will get you started. Call the shop at 865-448-9459 to book your spot in this class or find out if an opening is still available.

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