Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:51 am, the temperature is 39 degrees.
Today will be sunny and warmer with a high temperature in the low 70’s and a low tonight in the low to middle 50’s. There is a chance for rain tomorrow with a high in the middle 70’s and a low in the upper 50’s The chance for rain tomorrow night is 80%. Rainfall amounts between a quarter and a half of an inch are possible. More rain is predicted Thursday morning.
Little River is flowing at 45.5 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.27 feet on the gauge. On this date in 2008, a flow of 17.8 cfs was recorded. Median flow for this date is 84 cfs. The water temperature is 52.3 degrees at the low elevation USGS gauge site near Townsend.
All streams in the Smokies are flowing low and lower than normal. Low is normal in early October.
During periods of low water, stealth is paramount to your fly fishing success. Dress to blend with the forest. Use light tippet and small flies. You may need to make longer than usual casts. Fish the broken choppy water where most trout are hiding. Brown trout may be spotted in the pools, out in the open, preparing to spawn. Nymphs are a good choice. Later, when the water warms, trout may take dry flies.
Fishing in the stocked streams outside the Smokies is fair to good. We have not heard if Little River has been stocked but the first fall stocking is scheduled this week. Trout have been stocked in Gatlinburg, Cherokee and Tellico River among others. Streamers, nymphs, egg patterns and squirmy worms are good fly choices when fishing for stocked trout.
Smallmouth bass fishing in the lowland rivers is fair to good. Streamers or crayfish patterns are excellent fly choices. The bass may take top water flies, especially in shaded areas later in the day after the water has warmed.
Fishing in the lakes will be best early or late. Cast weighted streamers or swimming nymphs to the banks or cover. Let your flies sink deep, then retrieve slowly to keep them deep. Winds are predicted to be calm today.
TVA and the Corps of Engineers will be generating for long periods today, beginning early, at many dams. If you are boating or floating with a guide there may be some tailwater fishing opportunities. There is an interesting generation schedule planned at Center Hill Dam in Middle Tennessee, so check that one out. I do not look at the schedules for every dam so there may be some other options available.
Visitors are drawn to the Smokies during the leaf season that has begun. As we progress closer to peak leaf season, there will be more visitors in Townsend and other gateway towns and in the mountains nearby.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
October 11, 2022
Note: We have a very large and well stocked fly tying department located on the second floor of our shop. Our fly tying materials and tools can also be found and bought on our online store with Free Shipping.
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com
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