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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:31 am, the temperature is 58.1 degrees.

It will be very warm over the next few days, raising water temperatures and improving fishing in the freestone streams and rivers. Today’s high temperature will be in the middle to upper 70’s, falling to the upper 50’s tonight. There is a chance for showers early today.

Tomorrow will be warm, around 70 degrees and again falling only to the upper 50’s overnight. Rain and thunderstorms are likely through the evening. The National Weather Service warns there is a chance for strong to severe thunderstorms with moderate to heavy rainfall Thursday and Thursday night. Strong winds are expected in the mountains through the period. This is one possibility that may put a damper on our fishing this week.

Friday will be partly cloudy to sunny and very warm in the low to middle 70’s, dropping to around 50 degrees at night. The weekend will be slightly cooler during the day, warm Saturday night and cool Sunday night.

Little River is flowing at 442 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.53 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 381 cfs. Flow in Little River is on the high side of good. The water temperature is 52.7 degrees this morning.

All streams in the Smokies that have USGS gauge sites are flowing slightly above normal this morning.

Fishing will be good this week, especially in the lower elevations where the water is warmer. Water temperatures may rise to the trout’s preferred range in the middle elevations later this week. Use your stream thermometer to check the temperatures. Fishing will be best where the water is in the middle 50’s.

Trout are actively feeding. Aquatic insects are active. Nymphs, wet flies will work. Dry fly fishing is possible later each day. Look for quill gordon, blue quill and other bugs on the surface.

Lowland river fishing is good where trout are stocked. Flows are fairly high. Smallmouth bass fishing will improve to fair as the water warms over the next few days. Use nymphs, egg patterns and streamers for trout. Try nymphs or streamers for smallmouth bass.

I saw some breaks in today’s generation schedules at Douglas, South Holston and Chatuge dams. Expect all day generation at most other dams. I did not view each one so check yourself to see what tailwater options you have. If you are boating, you probably have more.

What we do not need this week is heavy rain. If that does not happen, this is going to be a very good fishing week in the mountains and lowland rivers.

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

Byron Begley
March 24, 2021

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com