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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:31 am, the temperature outside is 69.1 degrees.

Today will be cooler, with a high temperature around 80 degrees. We have a 40% to 60% chance for showers and thunderstorms today. Tomorrow will be partly sunny with a high temperature in the low to mid 80’s and only a 30% chance for showers and thunderstorms.

Thunderstorms swept through the area late yesterday, moving from the northwest. I watched the radar during the event. The heaviest rain moved to our west, though rain did fall in the Smoky Mountains.

Knoxville was “hammered”, and the Airport reported 1.8” of rain falling in a fairly short period of time. Here in Townsend, we got 1.07”. Pigeon Forge reported .95” and Gatlinburg got very little rain, from what I can tell, viewing personal weather stations online.

Rivers and streams in the Park rose but have receded some.

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 132 cfs. The water temperature is 66.9 degrees.

Little Pigeon River is flowing at 593 cfs or 2.27 feet, compared to a median flow for the date of 290 cfs.

Oconaluftee is flowing at 488 cfs., compared to median flow of 319 cfs.

Cataloochee Creek is flowing at 95.2 cfs with a median flow for today of 64 cfs.

So, you can see, the rain affected the west side of the Park more than it did the East side.

You may find some stained streams this morning. If it rains today, you may encounter rising water, and stained water again later. The rivers are not blown out. Little River’s flow is what I consider on the high side of good. I have no idea if the river is stained right now.

The Fishing Gauge is still showing “Good” fishing. You may see it differently if you are there on the streams this morning. Or, fishing may be good.

My best advice is to go, and hope for good conditions. You should also be aware that the streams may rise today.

Nymphs and subsurface flies may work best today. Dry flies may work as well. Be willing to adapt to the conditions you find. I would still recommend yellow sally stonefly or foam beetle patterns for your dries, and Green or Pink Weenies for sub-surface fishing.

You will probably do best in the mid to higher elevations where the water is cooler. I would plan on walking into a backcountry area, where the streams are smaller and there are less people. Tourist season is in full swing. There are many visitors in the Park and the gateway towns, including Townsend.

Some lowland rivers may be flowing fairly high this morning and they may be stained. Little River is flowing at 593 cfs at the Maryville Gauge. Median flow there is 227 cfs for this date. The river just now crested. I bet it is muddy. Maybe I’m wrong.

The Little Pigeon in Sevierville may be stained too.

Tellico River at Tellico Plains is flowing at 308 cfs, compared to median flow of 127 cfs.

Some lower tailwaters could be stained today from lowland tributaries. You won’t know until you go.

This rain we have had is a blessing for fly fishermen in the long term. It has been a wet Summer and I love it.

One of my neighbors called me yesterday. She saw a fox in our lower driveway yesterday afternoon. She was pretty sure it was a red fox. I have never seen a red fox in the wild. I’ve seen several gray foxes around our house, and one with four pups once, but never a red fox.

Wild turkey poults are abundant this year. We have a lot of them around our house. They would draw in a red fox, for sure.

We have a very large male black bear roaming our our homes. Paula and I have not seen him. Our neighbors have. We have seen less bears at our house this year, than I can remember. They are out there. You just have to be at the right place, at the right time to see one.

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

Byron Begley
July 7, 2018  

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com