If you do not see today’s Fishing Report, please refresh your browser to empty your cache.

Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:47 am, the temperature is 67.8 degrees.

It will be overcast today with a high temperature in the low 80’s.  Scattered showers are likely and thunderstorms are possible. Tonight’s low will be in the middle to upper 60’s. The forecast is the same, every day this week, warm and wet. Much of East Tennessee is listed as being abnormally dry on the US Drought Monitor website. We can use the rain. Rainfall totals over the next few days may reach or exceed 2 inches.

Little River is flowing at 129 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.72 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 164 cfs. The water temperature is 65.5 degrees this morning.

Many streams in the Smokies are flowing below normal. That should change soon. Oconaluftee River is rising sharply right now due to rainfall in that watershed. Tellico River is flowing slightly higher than normal.

Until the streams rise from the expected rainfall, stealth is paramount to your success. Dress to blend with the forest. Water temperatures are an issue in the low elevations. Fish the middle to higher elevation streams where the water is cooler.

Dry flies and nymphs are working. Yellow Sally Stonefly, Light Cahill and Caddis dry fly patterns are good choices. Try a #16 Yellow stimulator. Nymph choices include small bead head patterns. Green or Pink Weenies are working well.

Lowland river fishing is good. Overcast days will be beneficial to your success this week. Smallmouth bass and other species are taking poppers and foam floating flies.

Generally, there will be periods of low flows at many dams today though some will be generating this afternoon. Visit the TVA website from the links below to plan your tailwater fishing day.

Lake fishing is good. Game fish and panfish are taking poppers, foam floating flies, swimming nymphs and streamers. Overcast conditions like we will have this week are excellent for fly fishing on the lakes. Watch for scattered thunderstorms. Also, watch for cicadas and be prepared should you be lucky enough to find them on the water.

On October 21, 2020, many of us lost a very good friend. John Thurman of Norris, Tennessee passed away. John was one of the most helpful and truly kind people I have known. He worked tirelessly teaching fly anglers to tie flies, running the TU Trout Camp for children at the Tremont Institute, and sharing his skills and knowledge as a fly fisherman and entomologist with fellow anglers. John bird hunted and fished all over the United States. He was an avid sportsman, a good friend and family man.

A memorial service for John will be held on Sunday June 13th at 2:00 pm, at the Norris Religious Fellowship Church in Norris, Tennessee. The church is located at the corner of East Norris Road and Dogwood Road across from the Norris Middle School. Park in front or behind the Norris Middle School. Handicap parking is located behind the church.

There will be many of John’s friends and family attending. Paula and I will be there. We will honor the life of John Thurman, someone we all admire and miss very much. If you knew John, you will want to be there too.

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

Byron Begley
June 6, 2021

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com