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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:42 am, the temperature outside is 71.4 degrees.

Today will be sunny and warm with no chance for rain or scattered thunderstorms. Tomorrow will be mostly sunny with a low chance for scattered thunderstorms. High and low predicted temperatures today for the area are listed below.

Little River is flowing at 193 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.93 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 114 cfs. The water temperature is 69.4 degrees.

Scattered thunderstorms moved through the area late yesterday afternoon. The Knoxville Airport reported 1.4” of rain during the past 24 hours. A storm barely missed our house but moved to our north and soaked the Little River watershed in the Park. Little River rose almost 1 foot quickly, at the USGS gauge site. The river rose more than that in the narrower, more constricted areas of the river, upstream.  

A family of five were tubing on Little River in the Park. They became stranded on the bank, on the other side from Little River Road. The children were pre-school or elementary age. They were all rescued by the Townsend Volunteer Fire Department. The department is trained and equipped for swift water rescue, which has been very helpful, especially during the Summer months, when people are tubing in the river. You can read the story on the Daily Times website by CLICKING HERE.

These mountain stream can rise quickly, without warning.

Most streams have receded and are fishable. In fact, many, including Little River, are flowing perfectly for fly fishing, when compared to July in most years.

The water is warm and will continue to be warm in the low elevations. Fish the mid to high elevations where the water is cooler. I would venture into a backcountry stream, to get away from the crowds of swimmers and tubers on the larger rivers running along roads. Also, you will find smaller streams are shaded fairly well. It will be sunny today and tomorrow.

I would use dry flies at first. My choices would be any Yellow Sally Stonefly imitation, a #16 Yellow Stimulator or a foam beetle. Off of these you could drop a Green Weenie or a bead head nymph. You might do well using a Pink or Green Weenie, weighted and fished alone. A strike indicator might be helpful for some anglers. I think fishing will be best early or late, unless you are fishing a shaded stream.

Some lowland rivers will be fishing fairly well for smallmouth bass and warmwater species over the next two days. Some of these streams may be stained temporarily, from yesterday’s rainfall. I kind of doubt if they are.

The tailwaters are fishing well for trout and smallmouth bass.

Lake fishing with flies will be best early and late when the sun is off the water.

I have begun a boat remodel project that might take about 3 or 4 days, so I won’t be on the lakes for a couple of weeks. The remodel includes carpeting, some interior painting and wiring. I will be off today and tomorrow working on that.

The Clinch River Chapter of Trout Unlimited is looking for volunteers to participate in the Big Clinch River Cleanup to be held Saturday. You can learn more about this great event by CLICKING HERE. You can sign up as a volunteer online by CLICKING HERE.

As a volunteer, you can walk the banks, wade, or bring your boat, canoe, raft or kayak.

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

Byron Begley
July 18, 2018