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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:15 am, the temperature outside is 62.1 degrees.

This is going to be another beautiful day, warm, partly sunny and no rain in the forecast. Rain returns tomorrow and remains in the forecast every day through next weekend. The long term forecast indicates a good chance for rain every day through August 12th.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PREDICTED HIGHS AND LOWS TODAY

Little River is flowing at 156 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.80 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 132 cfs. The water temperature is 66.9 degrees this morning.

Most streams in the Smoky Mountains are flowing at or slightly above median flow today.

The water will be warm in the low elevations later today. For the better health of the trout you catch and release, and for better fishing conditions, fish the mid to high elevation streams.

I would suggest fishing on the East Prong above Elkmont, or Lynn Camp Prong. Today will be a good backcountry, higher elevation fishing day.

Due to the fact that the streams are flowing low, which is normal this time of the year, stealth is very important to your success. Wear muted clothing and stay low if you can, to avoid being seen by the trout.

Fish the choppy water where the trout are hiding. Fishing shaded areas is a good idea.

Dry flies will work. Try any Yellow Sally Stonefly pattern or a foam beetle for your dry. Good sub-surface patterns are Green and Pink Weenies or a Bead Head Pheasant Tail. Drop those off your dry fly to increase your odds. Or, fish nymphs alone and weighted.

You may want to fish a tailwater today, for trout or smallmouth bass.

Fishing on the lowland rivers for smallmouth and rock bass will be best early or late. Because of the normal low flows we have now, the fish will be in deeper and shaded water. Try poppers or streamers.

Lake fishing will be best early or late today.

I will be at the shop at daybreak or a little after, trimming trees and shrubs. My truck is loaded with a wheelbarrow and tools. Jack and I are going to paint the front of the shop this week, weather permitting.

I have been walking on the road to our house early in the mornings. The mornings have been cool and walking outside beats the treadmill every time. There are two apple trees on the road and this year, they are loaded.

Every day, at almost any time of the day, four wild turkeys, all jakes, are waiting for apples to fall. They peck the apples into pieces and devour them.

Jack is working with Paula, remodeling our master bath and bedroom. He shows up at 6:45 am. He saw a turkey, running away from him, with an apple stuck to it’s beak. I wish I had seen that.

I know, from experience, that bears will find those apples soon. When that happens, I won’t be able to walk on the gravel road. I would never walk toward a bear, on purpose. The bears don’t wait for the apples to fall. They shake them down to the ground and sometimes climb the trees. I saw a cub in one of the trees once. The cub’s mother was waiting below for the apples to fall.

We have not seen many bears around our house this year. When we do, they are just walking by. This has been a wet year. I suspect there have been plenty of berries available for them to eat. They may be doing less wandering, and more eating.

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

Byron Begley
July 29, 2018

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com