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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:42 am, the temperature is 58.5 degrees.

This is going to be another overcast day with a high temperature in the upper 70’s, falling to the low 60’s tonight. We do have a low chance for showers and thunderstorms today. Showers and thunderstorms are likely tomorrow and tomorrow night with a high in the low 80’s and a low around 60.

Little River is flowing at 146 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.82 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 171 cfs. The water temperature is 61.0 degrees this morning.

Most streams in the Smokies are flowing at or slightly below normal. Water temperature are good at all elevations. This will be a very good fishing day in the mountains but there is a low chance you may have a thunderstorm affect the stream you are fishing.

Dry flies and nymphs will produce for you. Try Yellow Sally Stonefly imitations for your dry fly. A Light Cahill or Elk Hair Caddis are other good options. Drop a Green Weenie off the dry or fish it alone and weighted. Other nymph choices include Tellico, Pheasant Tail or Prince Nymph.  

This will be a good lowland river fishing day. It will be overcast, flows are near normal and water temperatures are within the smallmouth bass’ preferred range. The chances are low, but a thunderstorm upstream could stain the water if the rain is heavy. That is not likely today but it is possible.

I would use poppers or foam floating flies though nymphs and streamers will work too. Due to the overcast skies, you should be able to catch fish all day even in rivers without tree canopy that would normally shade the water.

Generators at many TVA and Corps dams will be somewhat inactive early today, except for pulsing. I noticed longer generating periods at some dams later today. You can work with many of the schedules I saw this morning whether you are wade fishing or boating on the tailwaters.

Lake fishing will be good today. It will be cloudy, which is a huge benefit for shallow water fly fishing anglers. Winds will be light and out of the south.

I would be casting poppers or foam floating flies all day for smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and panfish. If you are not catching larger bluegill or shellcrackers, switch from a floating fly to a swimming nymph and fish deeper. A dragonfly nymph imitation is a great choice. Dragonfly nymphs swim, so cast out, let your fly sink, then retrieve slowly. I have caught many different species in lakes using a dragonfly nymph, including trout, bass and panfish.

This is prime fishing time in East Tennessee. You have many options. Get out and go!

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

Byron Begley
June 2, 2021

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com