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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:19 am, the temperature outside is 71.6 degrees.
Showers and thunderstorms are likely later today and tonight. Some storms may be strong with locally heavy rainfall and damaging wind gusts, including the chance for an isolated tornado.
Showers and thunderstorms are also likely tomorrow, through Thursday. Temperatures will fall beginning tomorrow, with highs in the 60’s to 70’s through Thursday.
Little River is flowing at 187 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.90 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 215 cfs. The water temperature is 62.6 degrees this morning.
All streams in the mountains that have USGS reporting sites are flowing at about normal this morning.
Fishing has been very good. I have talked to many anglers who are reporting excellent fishing. Trout are taking dry flies, nymphs and dry/nymph rigs. Yellow Sally Stonefly and Light Cahill or Sulphur dries are producing well. Most reasonable nymphs are working too.
You may want to go fishing in the Smokies early today, but be aware of weather conditions. You don’t want to be in the mountains during strong to severe storms that are possible.
Lowland rivers are fishing well. Water levels are good. Warm water temperatures are improving fishing for smallmouth bass and other warmwater species. Nymphs and streamers will work. Poppers and foam floating flies are a possibility. I would try them for sure.
Tailwater fishing conditions have improved dramatically. TVA and the Corps are cutting back discharges at many dams including, Center Hill, Cherokee, Douglas, Norris and Wolf Creek. Water levels are at the desired elevations at many impoundments. Check the links below to see today’s expected generation schedules on your favorite tailwater to see if you can work with them.
Lake fishing is improving for fly anglers. Water temperatures are rising. Game fish are active in shallow water. In some lakes, or areas in lakes, you may find bass and other species feeding on the surface. Try poppers and foam floating flies. If they don’t work, switch to streamers. I would not be on the lake later today, as storms are approaching. Some isolated storms are possible early too. This would not be my choice for a lake fishing day.
I read two articles this morning about the surge in hunting and fishing in Tennessee this Spring. Participation was off the charts for the Spring turkey hunting season. The lakes have been packed with boats, and launch ramps have been full of trailers and vehicles. Though the weather has not been ideal until lately, I have been hearing this all Spring. When the Park partially re-opened and the streams receded, we saw many more fly fishing anglers at the shop. That has continued.
Park visitation is very high. Parking in the Smokies has been limited because secondary roads are still closed. If the tailwaters continue to offer angler friendly flows, more fishermen will be taking advantage of that.
I heard yesterday, more facilities and hopefully roads in the Park will re-open this week, though I can’t verify that online this morning. Opening the secondary roads would really help.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
May 18, 2020
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com |