Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:42 am, the temperature is 63 degrees.

It will be mostly cloudy early today, before becoming sunny this afternoon. We do have a slight chance for showers and thunderstorms. The high temperature will be in the low 80’s.

Tomorrow will be partly sunny and warmer with a high in the upper 80’s. There is a chance for showers and thunderstorms tomorrow afternoon.

Little River is flowing at 193 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.99 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 137 cfs. The water temperature is 63.0 degrees this morning.

Streams in the Smokies are slowly receding. You will find some streams at ideal Spring-like flows. Others are flowing higher. All streams are flowing higher than normal for this date. Little River is flowing about perfect right now.

Water temperatures are well within the trout’s preferred range. They will be actively feeding today.

This should be a very good fishing day in the mountains. It is possible but unlikely that scattered thunderstorms may raise the water levels in some streams. If you choose a river to fish that is flowing high, be careful wading.

Trout will be taking dry flies, nymphs, weighted nymph rigs and possibly streamers.

Fishing for stocked trout in some rivers that have been stocked recently will be good. Weighted nymphs will probably work best for you. Some of these rivers may be flowing higher than we have been accustomed to recently.

Some lowland rivers are flowing at very good fishable levels while others are flowing fairly high. Fishing for smallmouth bass, rock bass and panfish will be good in the rivers that are flowing at ideal levels. Safe wading may be limited in some rivers. Streamers and crayfish patterns will be good choices today. Foam floating flies and poppers may work too.

This will be an ideal day to fish on a lake if the water is clear in the lake you choose. It will be overcast part of the day. Winds will be calm and out of the west. Cast to the banks and cover with streamers, swimming nymphs, foam floating flies and poppers. If the sun is bright, which it may be at times, find shaded banks to fish. If you are fishing when the sun is bright, cast streamers and swimming nymphs. Allow your flies to sink deep.

There are some generation schedules you can work with on the tailwaters in our region today. I did notice there will be long periods of generation at some dams later this morning or this afternoon. Check the TVA website from the links below to see what tailwater options you have today.

We have had a very wet June. Rainfall at the Knoxville Airport has amounted to 4.43 inches this month so far. Normal is 3.12 inches during the same period. Last year at this time, June rainfall was 1.31 inches at this point. We should enjoy some very good fishing in the mountains and lowland rivers for a while.

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

Byron Begley
June 24, 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