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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:40 am, the temperature is 46.6 degrees.

We are under a flash flood watch again. Today’s high temperature will be in the low 70’s. We have chance for showers and thunderstorms today with a lower chance tonight. There is a 100% chance for showers and thunderstorms tomorrow. It will be breezy tonight and tomorrow. Rainfall amounts may reach 2 to 3 inches or more between now and Sunday night.

Streams and rivers are already flowing high with more rain to come. Little River is flowing at 1,210 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 3.59 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 334 cfs. The water temperature is 52.3 degrees this morning.

Little Pigeon River is flowing at 2,450 cfs, 3.98 feet, compared to median flow of 701 cfs.

Oconaluftee River is flowing at 1,860 cfs, 3.39 feet, which compares to median flow of 649 cfs for this date.

Tellico River is flowing at 1,140 cfs, 3.50 feet, compared to median flow of 330 cfs.

Cataloochee Creek is flowing at 498 cfs, 3.71 feet, compared to median flow of 140 cfs for this date.

They are all flowing high, with many being too high to safely wade. You could stand in safe water and use weighted nymph rigs. Be careful. Watch for quickly rising water and thunderstorms.

Lowland rivers are flowing high. I saw Little River through Townsend several times yesterday. The river was “rolling” and stained. Further downstream from town, the water was very high and muddy. I don’t think you can find a lowland river that is fly fishable today.

There are breaks in the generation schedules at several tributary dams today. TVA and the Corps must be holding back water at these dams, to avoid flooding downstream. I saw breaks at Cherokee, Douglas, Norris, Dale Hollow and South Holston dams. There may be others. Check the anticipated generation and flows for your favorite tailwater. You may have some options, especially if you are boating.

Despite the fact that the fishing conditions near us are not ideal, quite far from it, we are busy at the shop. We are filling and shipping online and called in orders every day. Customers are shopping in the store. More of our customers are traveling again.

Will and I work exclusively upstairs in the fly tying department. We are ordering, receiving orders and adding new fly tying items to the online store. Will is writing content and I am photographing the materials and tools.

I exchanged email with Steve a few times yesterday. He founded and owns Dr. Slick in Belgrade, Montana. I am having issues photographing his fly tying scissors. Yesterday, I got access to his photography to use on our online store. I prefer to use our own photography, and we have a well equipped studio. Those stainless scissors with gold handles are giving me “glare” fits.

We have fly tying orders backed up in our offices and we’ll get that caught up today. More will be arriving Monday and later next week. The fly tying business should slow as more people are fishing in America now. Our suppliers seem to be catching up from what has been a very busy year.

I looked at our inventory numbers yesterday and I think we probably have more flies than ever before. Dave A, (there are 3 Daves) has been ordering and receiving for that department and doing a great job. He is ready when you are.

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

Byron Begley
March 27, 2021

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com