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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:39 am, the temperature is 46.9 degrees.

This is going to be another beautiful day in the Smoky Mountains. Today’s high temperature will be in the middle 70’s falling to the low 50’s tonight. We have a very slight chance for a shower later today. Showers and possibly a thunderstorm are likely tomorrow, with a high in the low 70’s dipping to the middle 40’s at night. Thursday will be mostly sunny with a high in the low 60’s.

Little River is flowing at 218 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.07 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 293 cfs. The water temperature is 55.6 degrees this morning. Yesterday, the water temperature rose to about 69 degrees.

Other streams in the Smokies are flowing at normal. Water temperatures are very good in the low to middle elevations. Fishing is good. Trout are actively feeding. Aquatic insect activity is high. Nymphs, wet flies and dry flies will work for you. Unless you see a significant hatch, a Parachute Adams with a small bead head Pheasant Tail is a good start.

Lowland river fishing is good where trout are stocked. Nymphs and streamers will work best. Smallmouth bass fishing continues to improve due to the warmer water in these rivers. Nymphs and streamers will work best. I would use a black or olive Wooly Bugger.

TVA and the Corps continue to generate around the clock at several dams with some breaks in the generation at others. It appears they are reducing the flows some, by eliminating sluicing at most dams. That is a remarkable change since yesterday and the days before.

Lake levels have been falling. Soon, they will be intentionally raising the lakes for the Summer boating recreation season. That should equate to less discharge at the dams.  

I am hoping, like many of you are, this is a sign for better tailwater fishing conditions in the near future. That depends on rainfall. I do not see any mention of heavy rain in the long term forecast through April 27th. That could change of course. The greatest chance for rain during the period is tomorrow.

Sunny and warm days and nights are raising the water temperatures in the lakes. The warmer the water becomes, the better the fishing will be. You may find smallmouth bass in shallower water. Streamers are your best bet. Nothing beats a large weighted Wooly Bugger this time of the year, for me. Cast to the rocky banks for smallmouth bass. Fish around other structure for largemouth bass. You may find panfish in the warmer shallows. White bass will be spawning soon, if they have not already is some rivers.

We are enjoying Spring in the Smoky Mountains. May Apples popped out of the ground last weekend at our house. Leaves are emerging in the trees. Green hues are creeping up the mountains. Wildflowers are blooming. Wild turkeys are cautiously walking through the forest, not out in the open like they were before hunting season opened.

Fishing is good and we are busy at the shop. This is the best Spring I can remember in a while.

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

Byron Begley
April 13, 2021  

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com