Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:42 am, the temperature is 70 degrees.

It is going to be hot today and each day through Saturday, with high temperatures between 90 and 92 degrees. There is a slight chance for rain Saturday. Next week looks much better!

Little River is flowing at 154 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.85 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 112 cfs. The water temperature is 69.3 degrees this morning. Yesterday, the water temperature peaked at 70.9 degrees at 5:15 pm.

Streams in the mountains are flowing near median flow for this date or higher. Median flow in August is low. Water temperatures are exceeding the trout’s preferred range in the low elevations. We should all be fishing in the middle to high elevations where the water is cooler. Check the water temperature where you are fishing. If it is above 65 degrees, drive or hike to a higher location to fish. Trout are actively feeding where the water is cool and they are taking dry flies or nymphs.

Fishing for smallmouth bass and warmwater species is good. Most of the rivers are flowing higher than normal for the month of August. Fish in the deeper pools or runs. Streamers, crayfish patterns, foam floating flies and poppers are good fly choices.

Fishing on the lakes will be best early or late when the sun is low. Personally, I would choose early, launching at daybreak and fishing for a few hours in the morning. Weighted streamers or swimming nymphs will probably work best. Cast to the banks and cover. You might do well with top water flies in the cooler lakes.

There is going to be a lot of generation going on today at our area dams. But, there are some breaks in the generation scheduled at a few dams. Visit the TVA website from the links below to see if there is a tailwater fishing opportunity for you.

The fly fishing business is always slow in August. As far as I know, it has always been that way, at least during the past three decades. August is transition time for many Americans. Children are back in school. Young adults are back in college. It seems we transition from hot to hotter. Traffic is way down in Townsend right now, like it is every year at this time. We are serving customers who are planning trips to the Rockies. We like doing that.

Labor Day weekend is coming soon. Townsend will be busy that weekend. In September, we usually enjoy cooler and more comfortable temperatures. More people venture out. College football is finally starting up again. Home games at the University of Tennessee equates to fans from the visiting teams spending the weekend in Townsend. Things really pick up in Townsend and the Smokies in October. It is cooler. The leaves are turning. The mountains are beautiful. Tourism is in high gear again.

We are just about two weeks away from another transition.

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

Byron Begley
August 23, 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