Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:38 am, the temperature is 38 degrees.

It will be partly sunny today with a high temperature in the upper 60’s. It will also be breezy, with winds at 5 to 15 miles per hour with gusts as high as 25 miles per hour. There is a slight chance for showers tonight with a low temperature around 50 degrees.

Little River is flowing at 42.4 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.31 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 82 cfs. The water temperature is 52.7 degrees and falling this morning at the low elevation gauge site near Townsend. Streams in the higher elevations are colder. For instance, the water temperature at Cataloochee Creek is 47.7 degrees and falling this morning.

Streams in the mountains are flowing low. Water temperatures are chilly and below the trout’s preferred range in the high elevations. Water temperatures in the low to middle elevations are within the trout’s preferred range.

If you go fishing in the mountains today, start in the low to middle elevations where the water is warmer. You should be able to do well in the high elevations later today when the water is warmer. Most trout are hiding in the broken choppy water, except for those that are preparing to spawn or are spawning. Nymphs will likely work best today though you might catch trout on dry flies too.

Fishing for smallmouth bass and panfish in the lowland rivers is fair. The rivers are flowing very low and the water temperatures are cool this morning. Streamers or crayfish patterns will probably work best for you.

It may be breezy on the lakes today. If you go, you might find overcast conditions at times, which is great for lake fishing. Cast weighted streamers or swimming nymphs to the banks and cover. Retrieve slowly to keep your flies deep. You might also try foam floating flies or poppers.

There are generation schedules you can work with today if you intend to fish on a tailwater, which might be a good idea. Check the TVA website from the links below to see what tailwater fishing opportunities you have today.

I talked to a customer Saturday from Virginia. He told me, streams in Shenandoah National Park are closed to fishing, due to the drought and warm water conditions. He also said they streams will remain closed through the end of the year.  

I checked the US Drought Monitor and found that parts of Virginia along the Blue Ridge Mountains are indeed in a moderate to severe drought.

Then, I visited the Shenandoah National Park website which you can do by CLICKING HERE. Sure enough, “All streams are closed to fishing due to drought conditions”. They don’t say for how long. They blame low stream flows and high water temperatures.

I also learned that it is illegal to release a brown trout or rainbow trout back into any park stream. The trout must be disposed of in a manner and location as not to be visible from any stream, park road or trail. You can keep the rainbow or brown trout that are 7 inches or longer. I just read this once so there may be some details I don’t understand. Check yourself before you go fishing in Shenandoah National Park.  

I had no idea!

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

Byron Begley
October 9, 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