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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:50 am, the temperature is 47.5 degrees.

It will be mostly sunny and warmer today with a high temperature around 80 degrees, falling to the middle 50’s tonight. Tomorrow will be similar but slightly warmer.

Little River is flowing at 178 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.94 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 174 cfs. The water temperature is 56.3 degrees.

Most streams in the Smokies are flowing at normal this morning.

Fishing is good. Trout are taking nymphs and dry flies. Will fished at Elkmont yesterday morning. He told me he caught 7 trout and lost about that many. He was using nymphs, a Hare’s Ear. Other nymph patterns will work, including Tellico, Pheasant Tail or a Green Weenie.

Your dry fly selection should include Yellow Sally Stonefly patterns for sure. I would use a #16 Yellow Stimulator but there are many other choices that mimic this insect. Light Cahill and Elk Hair Caddis dry flies are other good choices.

If you enjoy catching river smallmouth bass like I do, this is going to be a pretty good day to go. I would prefer a cloudy day. But, you can go early or late or fish the shaded areas of the river when the sun is high. I would fish with poppers or foam floating flies but nymphs and streamers will work too. The rivers that exit the mountains have receded to normal, except for the Little Pigeon which is flowing a little higher than normal, which is good. I would choose late over early today because the water will be warmer later.

There are many tailwater fishing options today whether you are wading or boating. Generation schedules vary. Some will be generating for longer periods later this afternoon. Most will be pulsing through the day for an hour. Visit the TVA website from the links below to plan your day.

Lake fishing with flies is very good but I would expect a lot of recreation boaters will be on the water today. Smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and panfish are very active, taking poppers and foam floating flies. You should also do well using streamers and swimming nymphs.

Bluegill and shellcrackers love poppers or foam floating flies. You can catch larger fish by using swimming nymphs. The phrase “swimming nymph” includes a dragonfly or damsel fly nymph. They work well fished a few feet below the surface and retrieved slowly. Big bull bluegill can’t resist a dragonfly nymph. There are many patterns that mimic this insect, including Carter’s Rubber Legged Dragon, my favorite. I tie mine in many different colors.

Go to the lakes early or late to avoid the boat traffic and sun. Fish the banks until the shade is gone.

Today we honor and decorate the graves of our fallen military, who gave the ultimate sacrifice and died for Americans. Memorial Day is a time honored tradition of significant importance to me and you. There will be many parades and gatherings that you can be part of today.

We owe thanks, thoughts and prayers to these brave men and women who died, often at a very young age, to defend our freedom and our country.

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

Byron Begley
May 31, 2021   

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com