Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:41 am, the temperature is 44 degrees.

Today will be mostly cloudy, chilly and hopefully wet. The high temperature is predicted to be 51 degrees. The chance for showers is 50%. Tonight’s low should be around 41 degrees. This looks like a good Fall fishing day to me.

Tomorrow will be mostly sunny and warmer with a high in the low 60’s dropping to the low 40’s overnight.

Little River is flowing at 50.1 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.36 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 88 cfs. The water temperature is 55.4 degrees this morning.

Most streams in the mountains are still flowing low though some are flowing slightly higher, including Tellico River. Water temperatures are good in the low to middle elevations or higher. You might encounter water temperatures in the 40’s in the highest elevations this morning.

I would fish in the lower elevations where the water is warmer. Fish the choppy water in pockets, runs, plunge pools or eddies. You may see pre-spawn or spawning trout out in the open in pools.

Nymphs will probably work best though you might encounter trout feeding on the surface if there is a hatch of aquatic insects. Be ready for anything.

Fishing for smallmouth bass in the lowland rivers is fair. The rivers are flowing low. Water temperatures may be warm enough for bass feeding activity. Streamers or crayfish imitations will likely work best for you.

This is probably going to be a good lake fishing day because it will be cloudy.  Cast to the banks with weighted streamers or swimming nymphs. Retrieve slowly. Threadfin shad patterns are good streamers to be using now.

I don’t see many but there are a few tailwaters you can wade fish today. If you are boating there are more options. Check the TVA website from the links below to see what tailwater fishing options you have.

Get out and enjoy this cool Fall weather but don’t forget your rain jacket.

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

Byron Begley
October 16, 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