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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:29 am, the temperature outside is 68.9 degrees.

Today will be warm, with a high temperature in the upper 80’s. We have a 40% to 50% chance for afternoon thunderstorms. Tomorrow, through the weekend will be cooler with highs in the upper 70’s and low 80’s through the weekend. We should expect rain and thunderstorms tomorrow. The chance is 80% to 90%. Saturday and Sunday will be nice, with a low chance for thunderstorms on Saturday.

Little River is flowing at 218 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.01 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 124 cfs. The water temperature is 68.5 degrees this morning, at the low elevation USGS gauge site.

Fishing will be best in the mid to high elevations where the water is cooler. Lynn Camp Prong has been fishing well. The East Prong of Little River above Elkmont is another good choice. There are hundreds of miles of mid to high elevation streams in the Park. Hiking into the backcountry streams will give you something similar to solitude.

Fishing closer to roads will be best early and late, when the sun is off the water and people have retreated to their vacation homes, motels and campers. This is tourist season. The main streams will be crowded with people during the day.

For now, the streams have receded to a lower level, though most are still flowing above normal. Stealth is paramount to success. Dress in muted clothing that blends with the forest. Stay hidden as much as possible.

My fly choices for trout remain the same, foam beetles, ants, small yellow stonefly patterns and Green Weenies. Pink Weenies work will in the brook trout streams. The trout are feeding on about anything that looks like food. Shaded areas of streams will be best, or fish early and late when the sun is off the water.

Lowland rivers are fishing fair, thanks to higher water. You will do best fishing early or late. Smallmouth bass and other warmwater fish can be caught, on poppers or streamers.

The lakes are fishing well. You will find largemouth bass near cover on the banks in the warmer lakes, or the warmer areas in lakes. Cast poppers or streamers to the banks that are shaded. Areas of lakes that contain cooler water, in the 70’s, are fishing well for smallmouth bass. They are on the banks too, in the shade.

Shellcrackers and bluegill can be caught on smaller poppers and Rubber Legged Dragons. Those fish are aggressive right now. I’ve seen many beds, with active spawners on the nests.

We should have very good fishing in the Smokies through the weekend. The only negative condition that is possible, is high or stained water tomorrow. That does not seem likely right now, but it could happen. It will be much cooler this weekend. I am really looking forward to that.

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

Byron Begley
July 5, 2018

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com