Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:40 am, the temperature is 66 degrees.

It is going to be very warm today and through Wednesday. Then, it will be cooler and closer to normal.

It is going to be sunny and hot today with a high in the upper 80’s and a low tonight around 70 degrees. Tomorrow should be mostly cloudy with temperatures similar to today. Wednesday will be more of the same.

Little River is flowing at 149 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.83 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 91 cfs. The water temperature is 67.3 degrees this morning at the Townsend gauge site.

Most streams in the mountains are flowing higher than normal or in some cases a little lower than normal. Normal in early September is low. Water temperatures are warm in the low elevations. It would be better for the trout you catch and release if you fish in the middle to high elevations where the water is cooler. The trout will be active where the water temperature is within their preferred range. Look for water temperatures below 65 degrees.

Trout are taking dry flies and nymphs. A dry and dropper rig is a good way to go right now in these lower flows. Try a Green Weenie as your dropper. Any reasonable dry fly will work but most anglers are using Yellow Stimulators, Yellow Sally Stonefly imitations or terrestrials for their dry fly.

Fishing for smallmouth bass, rock bass and panfish is good in the lowland rivers. Fish in the deeper pools or runs with streamers, crayfish imitations, foam floating flies or poppers.

It is going to be sunny, hot and crowded on the lakes today. I would be on the water at daybreak and pulling out to go home by mid-morning. Fish the dimly lit banks and cover with weighted streamers or swimming nymphs. Foam floating flies and poppers may work in the cooler lakes.

There are generation schedules you can work with at many dams today if you hope to fish on a tailwater. Check out the schedules on the TVA website from the links below to see what tailwater fishing opportunities you have.

We will be open at the shop today for you. I will be ordering fly tying materials and assisting fly tying customers upstairs.

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

Byron Begley
September 4, 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