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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:45 am, the temperature is 66.4 degrees.

It rained yesterday afternoon and evening with varying totals in the area. The Knoxville Airport reports .40 inches, a personal weather station in Dry Valley reported .76 inches, while in Townsend, 1.15 inches of rain fell.

It will be mostly cloudy today with a high temperature in the low 80’s. We have a chance for thunderstorms today. Rainfall may be heavy at times. Winds will be light. The chance for thunderstorms will increase tonight through Wednesday. Temperatures will fall tomorrow and continue to be cooler through the week. Expect high temperatures in the 70’s with lows in the 50’s Wednesday through Saturday.

Little River rose quickly yesterday but it has receded. Flow is currently 382 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.45 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 71 cfs. The water temperature is 64.0 degrees this morning. A gauge reading under 2.5 feet is considered to be on the high side of good, in Little River.

Little Pigeon River is flowing at 507 cfs or 2.10 feet at the Sevierville gauge, compared to median flow of 130 cfs.

Oconaluftee River is flowing at 347 cfs or 1.62 feet at the Birdtown gauge. Median flow for this date is 199 cfs.

Tellico River is flowing at 269 cfs or 1.57 feet at the Tellico Plains gauge. Median flow for this date is 80 cfs.

Most streams in the mountains are flowing higher than normal but at fishable levels. More rain today may cause high water conditions in some watersheds. Water temperatures are good at all elevations this morning.

Fishing should be good today unless we get the possible heavy rain. Nymphs will work for sure. Dry flies may produce as well.

Several lowland rivers exiting the mountains are flowing higher than normal but at fishable levels. Wading may be limited in some rivers. Further downstream, you may encounter stained water. Try poppers, foam floating flies, nymphs, streamers and crayfish patterns for smallmouth bass, rock bass and panfish.

TVA will be generating and spilling at Apalachia Dam all day and night. Generation schedules at Center Hill, Cherokee, Douglas and Norris Dams vary, but for the most part, full or partial generation will begin later this morning or this afternoon. Check the TVA website from the links below to see what your tailwater fishing options are today.

Fly fishing on the lakes may be good today. It will be overcast. There is a fair chance for thunderstorms all day. Winds will be light except in possible thunderstorms. Cast to the banks with poppers, foam floating flies, streamers or swimming nymphs. Watch for game fish attacking shad on the surface in open water, at any time today. If you see that happening, try to sneak close to the school and cast threadfin shad patterns on the surface or deeper.

This is interesting. Deb and Joe Mathis, who own Firehole Outdoors in Bozeman, Montana are moving to the Flathead Valley near Kalispell. They have a new, 12,000 square foot building under construction there . They supply us with Firehole hooks and beads. They should be operational at the new facility by November 2nd.

What is more interesting is, another company they have founded, Firehole Arms, will launch and occupy the same building. I have not talked to Joe lately so this was a total surprise to me. I had not heard of Firehole Arms. I checked the web and found their website which has very little information to offer right now. They plan to sell ammunition under the Firehole brand that is made in Montana, directly to consumers.

I can’t wait to talk to Joe.

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

Byron Begley
September 19, 2021   

WALTER BABB MADE BAMBOO FLY RODS FOR SALE – CLICK HERE

Walter is selling a selection of over 50 bamboo fly rods. All but one was made by him. The other one was custom made for Walter by Walton Powell. Read the description of each rod on the list and contact him if you are interested in buying one or more than one. Even if you are not interested in a purchase, this web page is very interesting to read. Walter has made over 285 bamboo rods over the past 20-years. You will be working directly with Walter on a purchase and you can test cast the rods before you buy one at his home. Or, call him and he will ship a rod to you. His contact information is on the web page he and I created.

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com