Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:42 am, the temperature is 70.7 degrees.
Today will be overcast with a 50% chance for showers and thunderstorms. The high temperature will be in the low to middle 80’s and it will be humid. Expect scattered thunderstorms tomorrow with a high in the low 80’s. Thunderstorms are likely Monday. The chance for rain is 90%. It will be cooler Monday with a high temperature that may only reach the high 70’s. We have a good chance for rain every day next week.
Little River is flowing at 64.3 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.42 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 86 cfs. The water temperature is 70.2 degrees at the low elevation USGS gauge site near Townsend.
Streams in the mountains are flowing low, which is normal in early September. Stream temperatures ae warm in the low elevations. Fish in the higher elevation streams where the water is cooler.
Trout will be hiding in broken water, riffles, pockets, plunge pools, deeper runs and near cover. Trout are taking dry flies and nymphs. Some anglers are reporting fair to good catches. Dress to blend with the forest. If the trout don’t see you, you will catch more.
Flies that mimic terrestrial insects are good choices. However, the trout are hungry and feeding due to the warmer water temperatures. Their metabolism is in high gear and they need food. So, any reasonable fly pattern that resembles food will probably work. Try yellow sally stonefly or beetle dries. Drop an ant or inchworm pattern off your dry fly.
Lowland rivers are flowing low. Fishing for smallmouth bass, rock bass and panfish is fair to good. Fish the deeper pools and runs with poppers, foam floating flies, streamers or crayfish patterns.
Fly fishing on the lakes has been slow from what I have heard. The larger fish are holding in deep water. It should be overcast today which is a good lake fishing condition. Hit the banks and cover with weighted streamers or swimming nymphs. Let your flies sink deep. You may catch smaller bass and panfish on poppers or foam floating flies. Watch for game fish attacking schools of shad. That often occurs on overcast days.
Generation schedules are favorable at many dams today, especially early, offering tailwater anglers opportunities. I noticed the generators are supposed to be shut down later this morning at South Holston Dam. Check the TVA website to see what tailwater fishing options you have today.
This is a holiday weekend and many people are traveling. The lakes would normally be crowded with boaters but maybe that will not be the case this weekend, due to the chance for rain and thunderstorms. I don’t know for sure that will be the case.
There are many visitors to the National Park and towns nearby. We are busy at the shop and will be all weekend.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
September 3, 2022
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com
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