Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:39 am, the temperature is 70 degrees.

Today will be partly sunny with a high temperature in the middle 80’s and a slight chance for showers and thunderstorms this afternoon.

It will be mostly sunny tomorrow with a high in the upper 80’s and a chance for thunderstorms. Showers are likely tomorrow night.

Showers are likely again Sunday with the possibility of a thunderstorm. The high temperature will be in the low 80’s. Showers and thunderstorms are likely overnight.

Little River is flowing at 187 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.97 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 131 cfs. The water temperature is 67.1 degrees this morning. Yesterday, the water temperature peaked at 69.6 degrees at 3:45 pm.

Most streams in the Smokies are flowing very close to normal. Little Pigeon River is currently rising. Tellico River is flowing higher than normal but just peaked and is receding.

Fishing in the Smokies is good. Stream flows are excellent. Fishing will be best in the higher elevations where the water is cooler. Dry flies and nymphs are working. Try a dry fly with a nymph dropper. Good dry fly choices are Yellow Sally Stonefly, small Yellow Stimulator or foam beetle patterns. Good droppers are Green Weenies or other reasonable nymphs.

Fishing for stocked trout is fair to good in some low elevation rivers. Nymphs will likely work best for you.

Most lowland rivers are flowing at normal levels for this time of the year. Some are flowing higher than normal but they will recede today. Fishing for smallmouth bass, rock bass and panfish is good. Streamers, crayfish patterns, foam floating flies and poppers are all good fly choices.

Lake fishing will be good today but I would go early when the sun is low. Cast to the banks or cover with weighted streamers, swimming nymphs, foam floating flies or poppers. As the sun rises higher, and it is not overcast, find shaded areas to fish. You will do best using streamers or swimming nymphs fished deep when the sun is high. If it is overcast, top water flies may continue to work.

There are generation schedules tailwater anglers can work with at many dams today. Refer to the TVA website to see what tailwater options you have.

The US Drought Monitor was updated yesterday. East Tennessee and western North Carolina conditions have improved significantly. You can view the Drought Monitor by CLICKING HERE. Click on your region and your state for a detailed view.

The long term weather forecast indicates we will have near normal temperatures through July 21st. The chance for scattered thunderstorms is predicted most days through the period.

If we continue with this weather pattern, and we should, fishing will remain good through most of the remainder of July.

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

Byron Begley
July 7, 2023  

BIG CLINCH RIVER CLEANUP TO BE HELD SATURDAY JULY 8TH

The Clinch River Chapter of Trout Unlimited is asking for help from the public, to join in and participate in this year’s annual river cleanup. During the past 25 years, volunteers have removed more than 6,000 tires and more than 10 tons of trash from the Clinch River Tailwater at this event. You can read more about the cleanup on the WBIR website by CLICKING HERE.

You can register as a volunteer on the Clinch River Chapter website by CLICKING HERE.

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