Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:57 am, the temperature is 40 degrees.

Colder air will move into the Smokies, with rain falling through the day. Up to one inch of rain is possible. The high temperature will be in the middle 40’s dropping to the upper 29’s tonight. Tomorrow will be sunny and warmer with a high in the upper 50’s and a low in the low 30’s.

The high elevations in the mountains are under a Winter Storm Warning. Precipitation will begin as rain then transition to sleet and snow. New snow and sleet accumulation of 1 to 3 inches is possible.

Some roads in Great Smoky Mountains National Park are closed due to snow and ice. The closed roads include Cherokee Orchard Road, Little River Road from Sugarlands to the Townsend “Y” and Newfound Gap Road from Gatlinburg to Cherokee.

This is probably not a good day to be fishing in the Smokies. Water temperatures are falling. Access is limited to many streams due to closed roads.

Fishing for stocked trout in the low elevation rivers may be slow today due to falling water temperatures. If you go, small weighted nymphs will likely work best.

There are pauses in the generation planned at several dams, mostly during the afternoon. Check the schedules at Center Hill, Wilbur, Wolf Creek, Dale Hollow, South Holston and Chatuge dams. Tailwater anglers may be able to work with some of these generation schedules.

Bob Stephan will conducting a Free Fly Tying Demonstration at the shop today from 1:00 pm until 3:00 pm. Bob is an excellent fly tyer, who loves to fish on the area tailwaters. He has been heavily involved in fly tying classes for years, held by the Clinch River Chapter of Trout Unlimited and Project Healing Waters.

You do not need a reservation to attend our free fly tying demonstrations. Just show up at the shop.

We had a good crowd at the shop yesterday, as Cody Fischer held a free fly tying demonstration. Cody owns Tellico Outfitters, a fly shop and guide service in Tellico Plains.

We have two free fly tying demonstrations planned next weekend. Ken Long will be tying Saturday from 1 pm until 2 pm. Ken has been a good friend of ours for many years. He is a fly fishing guide and instructor with a history of managing large retail outdoor stores.

Bryan Begbie will be demonstrating next Sunday. Bryan runs the fly fishing program at Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain resorts in Walland, just up the road from Townsend.

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

Byron Begley
February 12, 2023

Private Instruction Fly Fishing Classes will be offered by us again this year.  If you know someone that has been thinking about getting started and you don't want to be the one untangling their lines while they learn have them give the Shop a call.  Classes are small, limited to two people per instructor.  Our Beginner day consists of half day instruction at the Shop where they will learn casting, knot tying, theory....then in the afternoon the class moves to the stream for practical application of skills learned.  The investment is just $300 for one angler or $400 for two.  We have all the equipment needed.  All the student needs is a fishing license and to dress for the weather.  It is the perfect way to get started.  Call for more info! 865-448-9459.

We also have some more advanced learning options too.  Classes can focus on general nymphing tactics or even a more specific Euro style nymphing class.  Casting instruction for learning new skills like Double Haul or improving distance can also be done.

We are holding a Beginner Fly Tying Class Saturday February 18th starting at 9:00 am. Tools and materials will be furnished for you. The class is limited to 4 students. It will be taught by Brian Courtney, who has been teaching this class for many years. The cost of the class is $100. It will last all day. We will provide lunch for you. You will learn to tie 5 different flies and acquire the skills to tie many more similar patterns. Call the shop at 865-448-9459 to reserve your spot. THIS CLASS HAS BEEN FILLED BUT YOU MAY WANT TO CALL TO BE PLACED ON A WAITING LIST IF THERE IS A CANCELLATION.


FREE FLY TYING DEMONSTRATIONS EACH WEEKEND THROUGH EARLY MARCH

We will be holding many free fly tying demonstrations on the weekends over the next two months, some on Saturdays and others on Sunday afternoons. CLICK HERE to see the list of fly tyers who will be demonstrating, including the dates and times. These demonstrations are free. No reservation is necessary. All you have to do is show up at the shop. This schedule could change due to unforeseeable circumstances, including weather conditions, sickness or other causes. Check this fishing report where any cancellations or changes will be posted.

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com