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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:40 am, the temperature is 48.2 degrees.

It will be sunny and very warm today with a high temperature near 80 degrees and a low tonight in the upper 50’s. It will be warm again tomorrow with showers likely in the afternoon. A thunderstorm is also possible. Friday will be warm again, with a chance for showers in the afternoon. Showers are likely Saturday with a high in the lower 70’s. Sunday will be mostly sunny and warm.

Little River is flowing at 411 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.47 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 368 cfs. The water temperature is 53.2 degrees this morning and rose to around 56 degrees yesterday.

Streams in the Smokies are flowing slightly above normal this morning. Water temperatures are good in the lower elevations. Nymphs, wet flies and dry flies will work for you. Aquatic insect activity is high. Fishing is good.

Lowland rivers are flowing higher than normal and receding. Fishing is good for trout where they are stocked. Use nymphs, streamers or egg patterns. Fishing for smallmouth bass is improving as the water warms further and they should becoming active, especially later today and through the weekend.

TVA and the Corps will be generating all day at every tributary dam I checked this morning. In most cases, they are either spilling or sluicing as well. I did not see any tailwater fishing opportunities for today.

The lakes are at very high levels for this time of the year. Most are near, at, or above full pool. As the waters warm, fishing will improve for fly anglers. Smallmouth bass will be moving into shallower water. I don’t think that is happening yet but in some lakes it could be. The only way to find out is “go”.

My “go to” lake fly in the early Spring is a large black heavily weighted Wooly Bugger. Most of mine are tied on #2 to 2/0 hooks with the shank wrapped with .20 lead free wire. I would cast to the banks, let the fly drop and keep it moving until it reaches deeper water. Then, let it fall deeper and continue a slow retrieve.

Sometimes, smallmouth bass will follow the fly almost to the boat so, don’t stop too soon and cast again. You may be missing the big surprise if you do that.

I like to fish along riprap in the early Spring. The big rocks hold heat and warm the water. That attracts smallmouth bass. The water temperature needs to be in the 50’s for smallies to be active.

This is going to be a beautiful day so hopefully you can go fishing and enjoy yourself.

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

Byron Begley
April 7, 2021

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com