Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:43 am, the temperature is 69 degrees.

Today will be sunny and hot, with a high temperature in the low 90’s and a slight chance for afternoon thunderstorms. Tomorrow will be hot again with a high in the low 90’s and a greater chance for thunderstorms. Sunday will be cooler with a high in the upper 80’s and a chance for thunderstorms.

Little River is flowing at 156 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.86 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 117 cfs. The water temperature is 69.8 degrees at the low elevation USGS gauge site near Townsend. Yesterday, the water temperature peaked at 71.2 degrees at 6:00 pm.

Streams in the mountains are flowing very close to normal for this date. Normal or median flow is low in late July. Fishing is fine in the higher elevations where the water is cooler. Trout will be hiding in broken choppy water or other cover. Do everything you can to avoid being seen by the trout and you will catch more. That includes dressing in muted colors to blend with the forest.

Try a dry and dropper rig. You dry fly might be a foam beetle or a Yellow Sally Stonefly imitation. A Green Weenie or small bead head nymphs are excellent dropper fly choices.

Fishing for smallmouth bass and warm water species is fair to good in the lowland rivers. Most of these rivers are flowing low but at normal levels. Fish in the deeper pools using streamers, crayfish patterns, foam floating flies or poppers.

This is going to be a hot sunny day with calm winds, which are not ideal lake fishing conditions. If you go, go early when the sun is low and it is cooler. Hit the banks or cover with streamers, swimming nymphs, foam floating flies or poppers. As the sun rises, find shaded areas to fish. You may do best using streamers or swimming nymphs when the sun is bright. Let the flies sink and retrieve slowly to keep them running deep. Drink plenty of water.

Check the TVA website from the links below to see what tailwater fishing opportunities are available for you today. Floating or wading in a cold tailwater sounds good to me when the air temperature is in the 90’s.

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

Byron Begley
July 28, 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