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

It will be mostly sunny today with a high temperature in the low 90’s. Hot days will continue this week, reaching the low 90’s, through Saturday.

Little River is flowing at 176 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.93 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 116 cfs. The water temperature is 67.8 degrees this morning at the low elevation USGS gauge site near Townsend. The water temperature at that location peaked at 69.3 degrees yesterday at 6:45 pm.

Streams in the mountains are flowing near normal or higher than normal. Normal in August is low. Streams are warm in the low elevations. Fish in the middle to higher elevations where the water is cooler. Look for temperatures in the middle 60’s or cooler. Catching and releasing a trout in warm water can be fatal to the fish.

Trout are healthy and happy in the higher elevations, feeding actively and taking dry flies or nymphs.

Fly fishing for smallmouth bass, rock bass and panfish is good in the lowland rivers. Flows are low in most of these rivers, though higher than what we normally see in August. Fish in the deeper pools with streamers, crayfish imitations, foam floating flies or poppers.

You could go fishing on a lake today but it is going to be hot. I would go early, launching at daybreak and fish for a few hours until the sun rises high. Cast weighted streamers or swimming nymphs to the banks and cover. As the sun rises higher, find shaded areas to fish. If you are fishing a cool water lake, try foam floating flies or poppers. I think fishing in the midday hours will be slow.

TVA and the Corps of Engineers will be generating most of the day at many dams. Power demand is high and they are producing all they can. There are some exceptions so check the TVA website to see what tailwater fishing options you have today. There are some generation schedules you can work with whether you are boating or wading.

Good news! The long term weather forecast indicates a “cold front” will move into the area beginning Sunday bringing highs in the low to middle 80’s and maybe the high 70’s on Tuesday. A much greater chance for rain will accompany this front.

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

Byron Begley
August 22, 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