Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:37 am, the temperature is 72 degrees.
“Heavy Rain” is predicted today in the form of showers and thunderstorms. The high temperature will be in the middle to upper 70’s. It will be breezy with gusts up to 20 miles per hour. Thunderstorms will remain in the area tonight.
Tomorrow will be warmer with a high in the low 80’s and a chance for thunderstorms.
Little River is flowing at 98.1 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.62 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 116 cfs. The water temperature is 69.8 degrees this morning.
Most streams in the mountains are flowing close to median flow for now. Rain has fallen in the Oconaluftee River watershed and the stream is rising quickly. We should expect rising water today in the Smokies.
If you go, watch for rising water. If you sense the river is rising, get out. Fish in the middle to higher elevations where the water is cooler. Trout are taking dry flies and nymphs. A dry and dropper rig is a good choice.
Most lowland rivers are flowing low, at least for now. Fishing for smallmouth bass and warmwater species is good. Fish in the deeper pools or runs with streamers, crayfish patterns, foam floating flies or poppers. It should be overcast today which is a great condition. You may find stained and rising water in some rivers today.
Fly fishing on the lakes will be good due to the overcast conditions. You will have two issues to deal with, wind and thunderstorms. You may also get wet. I would not go today but if you do, hit the banks and cover with weighted streamers, swimming nymphs, foam floating flies and poppers.
You might want to fish on a tailwater today. Check the TVA website from the links below to view the generation schedules and plan your day.
According to an article I read this morning on the Daily Times Website, the Corps of Engineers is leaning toward leaving the Townsend Dam intact. The Corps has been evaluating the idea of removing or altering the dam and two others on Little River.
“Their tentative plan involves the removal of approximately 187 feet of the Rockford Dam and 237 feet of Peery’s Mill Dam in Walland”.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
August 3, 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
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