Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:36 am, the temperature is 54 degrees.

Today and tomorrow will be mostly sunny with a high temperature in the upper 70’s and a low tonight in the upper 50’s. No rain is predicted this weekend.

Big weather changes are coming. Monday will be partly sunny with a chance for rain and a high temperature in the upper 60’s. Rain chances continue through the night with a low in the low 40’s.

Low temperatures Tuesday and Wednesday are predicted to be in the 20’s.

Little River is flowing at 43.9 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.30 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 91 cfs. The water temperature is 57.0 degrees this morning.

Streams in the Smokies are flowing low. They are flowing lower than normal and normal is low in October. Water temperatures will be ideal today and tomorrow at most elevations.

The key to catching trout right now is staying hidden from the trout. Of course, making casts that don’t alert the trout of danger is essential to your success. Let them see your leader and tippet and not your fly line. Getting a good drift is required. Nymphs or dry flies will work. Nymphs might work better.

Most trout will be holding in the broken water in pockets, runs, plunge pools and eddies. I would probably use a Yellow Stimulator or Parachute Adams for my dry fly. Drop a small bead head nymph off the dry fly. Or, fish with a weighted nymph rig. Terrestrial insects might still be working so give them a try.

Fishing for smallmouth bass in the lowland rivers is fair. They bass will be holding or cruising in the deeper pools. The water is low. The rivers are warmer and warming so water temperatures will not be an issue this weekend. Cast streamers or crawfish imitations and give foam floating flies or poppers a try.

Fly fishing in the lakes for bass and panfish will be best early or late when the sun is low. There may be some cloud cover today which is a good condition. Winds will be calm. I would go early, at daybreak and fish through the morning hours using weighted streamers or swimming nymphs. Top water flies might work so give them a try. As the sun rises, find shaded areas to fish.

TVA and the Corps have posted generation schedules you can work with at some dams. In fact, some of these schedules are very interesting. Take a look at the TVA website to see what tailwater fishing options you have today.

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

Byron Begley
October 28, 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