Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:36 am, the temperature is 58 degrees.

Today is going to be mostly sunny with a high temperature in the upper 70’s and a low tonight around 60 degrees. Tomorrow will be warmer with a high in the low 80’s and a low chance for showers during the day and a higher chance overnight. Wednesday will be cloudy and cooler with a high in the middle 70’s. Showers and thunderstorms are likely.

Little River is flowing at 60.8 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.41 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 80 cfs. The water temperature is 63.0 degrees this morning.

Streams in the Smokies are flowing fairly close to normal, with some flowing lower and others flowing higher. Normal stream flows in September are low. Water temperatures might be warm in the low elevations today and tomorrow, especially later in the day. We should consider fishing a little higher where the water is cooler. Look for water temperatures in the middle 60’s or cooler.

Trout are hiding in the choppy broken water in runs, plunge pools, pockets and eddies. Terrestrial insects are an important food source right now. Using a dry and dropper rig is a very good tactic right now. Try a floating beetle for your dry fly with a Green Weenie dropper.

The water is low so stealth is important to your success. Dress to blend with the forest.

Fishing for smallmouth bass, rock bass and panfish is fair in the lowland rivers. Most of these rivers are flowing low. Try fishing in the deeper pools or runs with streamers, crayfish imitations, foam floating flies or poppers.

This is going to be another sunny day. Lake fishing will be best early or late when the sun is low. Weighted streamers or swimming nymphs fished deep are good fly choices. I have usually done best fishing the heavy cover areas of lakes in the Fall. Fishing banks that are lined with trees with some that have fallen in the lake works for me this time of the year. I am usually targeting smallmouth or largemouth bass. One of my favorite Fall streamers is a small (3”) Puglisi Threadfin Shad. Another is a large 2/0 weighted black Wooly Bugger.

There are some workable generation schedules if you are planning to fish on a tailwater today. As usual, you will need to plan around these schedules. Visit the TVA website from the links below to see what tailwater fishing opportunities you have today.

I read an interesting article this morning written by Harry Murray in 1984 titled Fall Mountain Fishing. Harry makes some very valid and interesting points that we sometimes forget. You can read this article on the Fly Fisherman website by CLICKING HERE.

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

Byron Begley
September 25, 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