Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:41 am, the temperature is 45 degrees.

We got some rain yesterday, .26 inches in Townsend.

Today will be partly cloudy with a high temperature in the low 50’s, dropping to the low to middle 20’s tonight. Tomorrow will be sunny with a high in the middle 40’s and a low in the middle 20’s.

Little River is flowing at 48.5 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.33 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 94 cfs. The water temperature is 55.9 degrees this morning.

Streams in the Smokies are still flowing very low though some are flowing slightly higher than they were yesterday. Water temperatures may remain within the trout’s preferred range in the low to middle elevations today.

You may want to wait a while before going fishing in the mountains this morning, allowing the streams to begin warming. Right now, the water temperatures are falling. Most trout will be holding in the broken choppy water. Some trout may be out in the open pools preparing to spawn or spawning. Nymphs and dry flies are both good choices.

Fishing for stocked trout in the low elevation rivers is fair to good. Water temperatures are favorable but water levels are not. Trout will be packed and holding in the deeper pools and runs.

Fishing for smallmouth bass in the lowland rivers is probably fair. The rivers are flowing low so fish in the deeper pools and runs with streamers or crayfish imitations.

Fly fishing on the lakes will be best this morning while it is still cloudy. I would cast weighted streamers and swimming nymphs to the banks and cover. A threadfin shad imitation or a Wooly Bugger would be my streamer choices.

Visit the TVA website to plan fishing on a tailwater today. You are going to find TVA and the Corps will be turning off the generators this afternoon at some dams with less opportunities to fish in the morning. That was the impression I got when I quickly clicked through the schedules. Maybe you will see things differently.

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

Byron Begley
October 31, 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