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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 6:40 am the sky is beginning to lighten and usher in another day in the best part of the country. It is currently a pleasant 67 F in Townsend and we are looking at another day in the high 80's.
The weather forecast is calling for a chance of thunderstorms this afternoon and rain over the next several days. Monday is calling for almost an inch of rain which will bring water levels up. The best part is that high temperatures are expected to be in the low 80's and even in the lower 70's some of the days. Overnight lows are going to drop also. All of this should cause water temperatures to drop fairly dramatically.
This morning the Little gauge is reading 1.68 feet or 112 c.f.s. which is just about the normal flow of 104 c.f.s. Overall we have had a good year for water flows. Back in May/June it was looking worrisome as to what summer was going to bring. Water levels got very low but rains came and since then the streams have been flowing well.
Water temperatures are still warm at about 70F in the low elevations. Higher up where you should be going this time of year you will find more suitable temperatures.
We have been hearing generally good reports from anglers fishing in the Smokies. Most are going to higher elevations where temperatures are cooler. If you get out early or late you can do well in the middle elevations.
Remember to fish the fast broken water. So many visiting anglers come into the shop and they have been focusing on big holes. They want to know where the best pools are. I guess the thought is big water and bigger fish. The problem is that warmer water doesn't hold dissolved oxygen as well as cold water. As a result, oxygen levels in big, deep, slow pools is less than in the more aerated riffles. Trout will move up into the shallow broken water in the warm months. It is also much easier to sneak up on them when they are in this water.
In the high elevations where streams have a steep gradient you will still find trout in pools, well those would be more rightly described as pockets. As the water plunges down the mountain from one pool to the next the water stays churned up. Everything is cooler up there also.
Anglers have been fishing a mixed bag of fly patterns. Green weenies and squirmy worms, beetles and ants, yellow sallies and general attractors. It seems like each group of returning fishermen have been using something different. Dennis and Austin were out on Friday and Dennis did best on the Green Weenie. The trout were eating it well enough that Austin finally relented and tied one on with good success.
The Jeep hatch was in full force the last several days. Traffic was backed up on Wears Valley Road while they all tried to make their pilgrimage to Pigeon Forge. The Jeep Invasion officially ended yesterday so hopefully the crowds will be subsiding today.
Next Monday is Labor Day. We will be open regular hours, from 9am till 5pm.
Scattered storms are the forecast for this afternoon. Keep an ear on the sky and an eye on the water. Water levels can rise rapidly in the mountains. If a downpour occurs upstream it can take hours for that water to reach where you are fishing so you can't go off of what the current weather conditions are where you are standing. Just be vigilant and if you notice a change in the clarity of the water and especially if you see an increase of debris in the water make sure that you are on the road/trail side of the stream. You want to be able to get out safely and not be stuck on the wrong side of the river if a flash flood occurs.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Daniel Drake
August 27, 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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