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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:52 am, the temperature is 34.7 degrees.

We have a slight chance for snow flurries early this morning before clearing later. The high temperature today will be in the upper 30’s, falling the lower 20’s tonight. It will be sunny tomorrow with a high in the low 40’s and a low in the middle 20’s. Sunday will be sunny and warmer with a high in the 50’s.

Little River is flowing at 1,290 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 3.70 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 336 cfs. The water temperature is 44.2 degrees this morning.

Little Pigeon River is flowing at 3,520 cfs or 4.74 feet on the gauge, a record high for this date. Median flow is 747 cfs for this date.

Oconaluftee River is flowing at 1,910 cfs, 3.44 feet, compared to median flow of 616 cfs.

Tellico River is flowing at 1,150 cfs, 3.53 feet, which compares to median flow of 406 cfs for this date.

Cataloochee Creek is flowing at 532 cfs or 3.77 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 140 cfs.

I think it is safe to say, all streams in the mountains are flowing high and safe wading is limited. This is not a good day to be fishing in the Smokies. Water temperatures are warmer than I thought they would be this morning. We will not see improvement in the temperatures, and they will chill further tonight.

Lowland rivers exiting the mountains are flowing high. Wading will be very limited. Again, this is not a good day to fish in these rivers.

TVA and the Corps will be generating at most dams all day today. Power demand is high on the grid. You may find a fishable tailwater somewhere in middle or east Tennessee. Check the list below to see what your options are.

Warmer weather conditions are in our near future. The long term forecast I am looking at right now indicates much warmer days and nights next week and beyond. Maybe Winter is just about over here.

I predict Spring fishing will begin the first week of March. I may be wrong but I’m sticking to it and hopeful.

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

Byron Begley
February 19, 2021

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com