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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:47 am, the temperature is 68.2 degrees.

It will be cooler today with a high temperature around 80 degrees, dropping to the low 50’s tonight. It rained at our house early last night. Slightly over 1/3 of an inch fell. More rain and thunderstorms are predicted for today, mostly this afternoon and tonight. Rain could be heavy at times. Severe storms are possible.

There is a chance for rain tomorrow morning and it will be cloudy. The high temperature will be in the 60’s, falling to the upper 40’s tomorrow night. Sunday will be mostly sunny and clear, with a high in the low 70’s and a low in the upper 40’s. Memorial Day will be sunny and warmer with a high in the low 80’s.

Little River is flowing at 132 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.76 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 190 cfs. The water temperature is 65.8 degrees and falling this morning.

Rain fell in some watersheds in the Smokies late yesterday and it missed others. The Little Pigeon River was not affected by rain. Flow in Oconaluftee River spiked up after midnight but is receding now. The flow there is fine for fishing, though there may be stained water. Cataloochee Creek rose to just over normal and is receding.

Fishing conditions could change for the worse today and tonight, depending on how much rain we get and where.

Water temperatures are going to fall this weekend.

Fishing has been good in the Smokies. Trout are taking dry flies and nymphs. Yellow Sally Stonefly dry patterns are working well. Light Cahills, Elk Hair Caddis and small Yellow Stimulators will produce for you. Small Bead Head Pheasant Tail nymphs are good choices. A Green Weenie is another. I would drop on of those off my dry fly.

Lowland River fishing has been good for smallmouth bass. If we get heavy rain, and we may, these rivers will likely rise and staining is possible late today and tomorrow. Smallmouth bass are taking nymphs, streamers, poppers and foam floating flies.

TVA and the Corps are not planning to generate much today, except later at some dams. They will be pulsing fairly often. You have many choices if you plan to wade fish on the tailwaters. If you are boating, you will need to carefully study the generation schedules and plan accordingly. Of course, the same is true if you are wade fishing.

Lake fishing using streamers, swimming nymph, foam floating flies and poppers is good. It will be overcast at times today and all day tomorrow which is good. The problem will be storms and wind. Tomorrow looks good for lake fishing, thanks to the cloud cover. Due to this being a holiday weekend, there will be many recreation boaters on the lakes. Go early or late tomorrow, Sunday and Monday to hopefully avoid the traffic.

We could use the rain that is predicted. The streams are becoming low. Frankly, this anticipated cooler weather will be a welcome break too.

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

Byron Begley
May 28, 2021

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com