If you do not see today’s Fishing Report, please refresh your browser to empty your cache.

Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:47 am, the temperature is 65.7 degrees.

It will be sunny and hot today with a high temperature in the upper 80’s to low 90’s. There is a low chance for thunderstorms this afternoon. Rain and thunderstorms are likely tomorrow afternoon through Monday. It will be cooler during the period, with highs in the middle 80’s tomorrow, and in the low 80’s Sunday and Monday.

The record high temperature for this date in Knoxville was 100 degrees in 1980. The average high temperature today is 89 degrees.

Little River is flowing at 91.8 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.56 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 153 cfs. The water temperature is 70.2 degrees this morning at the low elevation USGS site near Townsend. Yesterday, that number  rose to 72.5 degrees.

All streams in the Smokies that have gauge sites are flowing below normal. Normal is low. Water temperatures are very warm in the low elevations and that will be the case again today. For the health of the trout you catch and release, fish the high elevations where the water is cooler. Look for water temperatures in the middle 60’s or cooler during the warmest time of the day.

A dry fly with a nymph dropper is a good combination to use. A terrestrial dry fly with a small bead head nymph or Green Weenie trailing behind will work. Fly choice is not as important to your success as stealth and fly presentation. Don’t let the trout know you are there and you will catch more. Fish the broken water in riffles, runs and plunge pools.

Most lowland rivers are flowing low. I would go early or late when the sun is off the water. If the river you intend to fish has tree canopy, fish the shaded areas, in deep pools and runs. Poppers and foam floating flies should work for you.

There are some wade fishing and boating tailwater fishing opportunities today. In most cases, the dams will be in generation mode later this morning or this afternoon with more wade fishing options early. The schedules vary so check the TVA website to plan for fishing on your favorite tailwater.

Go early or late to fish the lakes with fly gear, when the sun is off the water. Cast to the shaded banks with poppers or foam floating flies. If that is not working for you, switch to streamers or swimming nymphs.

Go early or late to fish farm ponds too. Try poppers or foam floating flies. Fly fishing with swimming nymphs is another option. Dragonfly and damselfly nymphs are good choices. Fish them deep and slow.   
I found an article on the Fly Fisherman Magazine website written on the subject of brown trout world records and it is interesting. You can read it by CLICKING HERE. Last October, a new IGFA all-tackle world record was again set in New Zealand. The brown trout weighed 44 pounds, 5 ounces. This article describes the world records caught on fly tackle as well.

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

Byron Begley
July 16, 2021

WALTER BABB MADE BAMBOO FLY RODS FOR SALE – CLICK HERE

Walter is selling a selection of over 50 bamboo fly rods. All but one was made by him. The other one was custom made for Walter by Walton Powell. Read the description of each rod on the list and contact him if you are interested in buying one or more than one. Even if you are not interested in a purchase, this web page is very interesting to read. Walter has made over 285 bamboo rods over the past 20-years. You will be working directly with Walter on a purchase and you can test cast the rods before you buy one at his home. Or, call him and he will ship a rod to you. His contact information is on the web page he and I created.

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com