Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:48 am, the temperature is 63.0 degrees.
It will be sunny again today, with no rain predicted. The high temperature will be in the middle 80’s. Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy, with a chance for thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. The high temperature will be in the middle 80’s.
Little River is flowing at 91.8 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.57 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 110 cfs. The water temperature is 68.4 degrees this morning at the low elevation gauge site near Townsend.
Some streams in the mountains are flowing at normal while others are flowing below normal. Normal in August is low. Water temperatures are warm in the low elevations. Fish somewhat higher where the water is cooler, peaking in the 60’s in the late afternoon.
Trout are taking dry flies and nymphs. They will be hiding in the riffles, pockets, deep runs and plunge pools where the water is broken. Terrestrial insect patterns are good fly choices, including beetles, ants and inchworms. Try dropping a Green Weenie off of a floating beetle imitation. Choose a beetle you can see as that will also serve as your strike indicator.
Stealth is paramount to your success under these conditions. Stay hidden from the trout and you will catch more.
Lowland rivers are flowing low. Fishing for smallmouth bass and other species is fair to possibly good. Fish in the deeper pools and runs using streamers, nymphs, poppers, foam floating flies or crayfish patterns.
I am not hearing any news from fly anglers who are fishing on the lakes. I suspect lake fishing is fair. Cast to the banks using weighted streamers or swimming nymphs. You may do well with poppers or foam floating flies, especially on cloudy days or if you go early or late. Game fish are feeding on top on cloudy days, chasing threadfin shad. You may also see that happening early or late when the sun is low.
TVA and the Corps will be generating this morning or around noon at many dams. They will be generating all day at Norris Dam. They are generating all day and night at Wolf Creek Dam. There are generation schedules you can work with if you go early on some tailwaters. Check the TVA website from the links below to see what options you have and plan accordingly.
We have been slow at the shop, which is normal in August. So far, August has been better than last year. That could be due to good river flows we had this month until now. Our store is also stocked better than it was last year. Merchandise was hard for us to get in 2021.
The fly tying department is stocked much better than at this time last year too. I order from many of our fly tying material and tool companies every Monday, and their fulfillment rate has definitely improved this Summer. Business in the fly tying department is way up from last year so far this month.
We have also sold a lot more flies this month, compared to 2021.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
August 24, 2022
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com
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