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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:12 am, the temperature outside is 60.3 degrees.

It is much cooler this morning than it has been at this time for a while. There is no predicted rain in the forecast today, which is something we have not seen in a while. It appears the rain is over for the time being.

There is no rain predicted each day this week through Thursday. We have a slight chance Friday and Saturday, with a greater chance Sunday. High temperatures over the next three days will be in the low 80’s. Lows will be in the high 50’s during the period through Wednesday. Humidity will be much lower through Thursday.

This is great news!

Little River is flowing at 411 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.48 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 167 cfs. The water temperature is 63.1 degrees this morning.

You will find most streams in the Smoky Mountains flowing above median flow today. You will also find many fishable streams. Currents may be strong so be careful wading. Fishing will be good all week, and probably get better as the week progresses. Fishing could be excellent. Water temperatures will be fine this week.

I know several people who are planning to be here this week to fish in the Smokies. You should have good fishing while you are here.

Trout will be taking dry flies or nymphs. If dries don’t work, go sub-surface. I would use yellow sally stonefly patterns, Stimulators or foam beetle patterns for dry flies. For fishing sub-surface it is hard to beat a Green Weenie. If you are fishing in a brook trout stream, try a Pink Weenie. Bead Head Pheasant Tail and Squirmy Worm flies work well sub-surface, this time of year.

Other reasonable fly patterns will work as well or maybe better.

This rain we have endured for the past few weeks will bode well for June fishing, as long as the rain continues at times. The long term weather forecast indicates it will, beginning next Sunday, through June 18th. Of course, that could change.

The lakes are high but levels have peaked or in some cases they are receding. TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) and Brookfield Energy are still pouring water through the dams, by generating, sluicing and even spilling in some cases. But, all indications are, they are cutting back the flows somewhat over the next few days. TVA looks to bring the lakes back to Summer pool for recreation boating. Don’t get your boat too close to the discharging dams.

A man drowned below Fort Loudoun Dam this weekend, when the boat he was fishing from got too close. Two other men in the boat survived. Witnesses say they were all wearing life jackets when the boat capsized. Evidently, the force of the water tore the life jackets off of all three. They are spilling at Fort Loudoun Dam again today.

Today, all the tailwaters I checked online will be generating, sluicing or spilling so they will be flowing high.

I’m anxious to try the lakes later this week or early next week. I think smallmouth bass fishing will be very good, after the lakes settle down a little. Our boat is ready to go and some am I.

Lowland river fishing should improve greatly this week as the waters recede. Fishing will be best early and late. Poppers and foam top water flies should work well. If not, try streamers or even nymphs.

When the tailwaters become more angler friendly, fly fishing for smallmouth bass and trout will be good to excellent. I hope that happens soon.

There are many fly fishing opportunities in the days ahead.

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

Byron Begley
June 4, 2018

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com