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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 6:24 am, the temperature outside is 67.5 degrees.

Today will be cooler and overcast. There is a 40% chance for showers. Rainfall may be heavy at times. Rain is predicted each day through Friday this week, with the highest chances on Wednesday and Thursday. It will remain fairly cool this week.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PREDICTED HIGHS AND LOWS TODAY

Little River is flowing at 141 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.77 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 80 cfs. The water temperature is 68.2 degrees at the low elevation USGS site near Townsend.

Most streams in the Smoky Mountains are flowing above median flow today.

Fishing in the Smokies is good and should remain good through the week. Heavy rain could raise water levels at times, temporarily. Stained water is a possibility at times this week. Otherwise, conditions will be good for fishing in these streams.

The water temperature is high in the low elevations. Fish the mid to high elevations where the water is cooler. Look for temperatures in the mid 60’s or cooler.

Nymphs might be your best choice if rain is falling. That may also be the case if the streams are slightly stained. Larger rubber legged nymphs are a good choice, under those conditions.

At times with no rain and clear water, dry flies may work well too. Try a Parachute Adams, foam beetle, Smoky Mountain Candy, Yellow Neversink or a Yellow Stimulator. My favorite nymphs under these conditions are; Rob’s Hellbender, Prince, Tellico or Bead Head Pheasant Tail. A Green Weenie is still a good choice for sub-surface fishing.
You might try a trout tailwater if you can work with TVA’s generation schedule. Check the TVA website before you go.

Right now, fishing on the lowland rivers is fair. Being overcast this week will help. Heavy rain could stain the larger rivers, exiting the Park. Try Little River, Abrams Creek, Little Pigeon or others for warmwater fishing for smallmouth bass and rock bass. I would start with a popper or foam fly, probably a Knucklehead.

Hopefully the lakes are fishing well. Jack and I will find out tomorrow. We will probably get wet. We will be on the water at daybreak. Later tomorrow, thunderstorms are possible. Storms will run us off the lake if they occur. It will be overcast all day. Fishing may be fantastic. I always anticipate good fishing, but sometimes we don’t get what we want. Being out there fishing is enough, to get what we need.

Paula and I are hoping to fish on a lake later this week, weather permitting. Thunderstorms will be very active. We both hate being out on a lake in a thunderstorm. We don’t enjoy lightning or strong wind. Nobody does!

After we get through this week, it will be October again. We all love October fly fishing in the Smokies, on the lowland rivers, on the tailwaters and on the lakes. The trees will be turning quickly. The reflection of fall colors on the water is a sight to see.

Fishing is always good in October, unless we are suffering from a drought. I don’t see that happening this year. We have had plenty of rain and there is more predicted. This may be a stellar Fall for angling.

I’m having the parking lot at the shop seal coated and the white lines re-painted sometime during the next three weeks. Half will be done one day, and the other half, the next day. I want this done before Fly Tyers Weekend, which is coming up at the end of October.

Fly Tyers Weekend is always a great event, that is well attended every year. You will learn from and enjoy it, even if you do not tie flies. There will be much discussion about fly fishing, in many areas of the Southeast United States, where these fly tying demonstrators live or travel.   

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

Byron Begley
September 24, 2018

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com