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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:43 am, the temperature is 55.9 degrees.

It will be cloudy early then clearing today with a high temperature in the upper 50’s falling to the low 40’s tonight. Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy with a high in the upper 40’s and a low tomorrow night in the low 30’s.

The Knoxville Airport reported .49 inches of rain yesterday while in Townsend, that number was lower at .29 inches. Rainfall must have been heavier in the mountains as some streams are flowing high this morning.

Little River is flowing at 753 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 3.03 feet on the gauge and receding. Median flow for this date is 310 cfs. The water temperature is 48.9 degrees.

Little Pigeon River is flowing at 1,760 cfs, 3.50 feet, compared to median flow of 549 cfs. The river is receding.

Oconaluftee River is flowing at 1,240 cfs, 2.80 feet, which compares to median flow of 547 cfs. The river is receding. The water temperature is exactly the same as Little River, 48.9 degrees.

Tellico River is flowing at 424 cfs, 1.97 feet, compared to median flow of 295 cfs.

Cataloochee Creek is flowing at 224 cfs, 2.97 feet, which compares to median flow of 131 cfs. The water levels is receding. The water temperature is 48.4 degrees.

Streams in the Smokies are flowing higher than normal. Water temperatures are very good, especially for January. I would stand in safe water and use “high stick” or Euro nymphing techniques. Get your nymphs down. Streamers may work too, especially for post spawn brown trout. There is a chance for surface feeding activity using emergers and possibly dry flies.

Water temperatures are falling so fishing may be best later when the water starts warming again.

Lowland river fishing for stocked trout is probably good from a water temperature perspective but the flows are high. Safe wading may be limited.

There are breaks in the generation at a couple of dams today, South Holston and Center Hill. Otherwise, TVA or the Corps will be generating at most dams. Check the TVA website yourself. I did not view every schedule this morning.

Today and tomorrow will probably be fair to good fishing days in the Smokies due to the warm water temperatures. Flows are high but the streams are receding and there is no rain in the forecast both days. You may not have an opportunity like this until Spring. Be careful wading. The streams are swift.

We will be busy at the shop this weekend. The streams are warmer and this is a holiday weekend. It will be unusually warm today.

Some of us will be working on fly tying material orders we received and organization in that department. Others will be helping customers. We are preparing for Spring which is not far off. There are ten of us working at the shop now. I think at least six of us will be there today.

I am confident there will be a lot of people enjoying the Smokies today and tomorrow. You may encounter heavier than normal traffic, especially at Cades Cove. According to the Park’s Road Twitter page, Newfound Gap is closed due to high winds. The page has not been updated since New Years Eve. Maybe the road has re-opened and not noted on Twitter. Or, it could still be closed.

You can check that page by CLICKING HERE.  

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

Byron Begley
January 2, 2021  

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com