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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:41 am, the temperature is 55.0 degrees.

It is going to be sunny and hot today with a high temperature around 90 degrees falling to the middle 60’s tonight. Tomorrow will be mostly sunny and warm with the daytime high reaching the upper 80’s and a slight chance for showers and thunderstorms. Showers and thunderstorms are more likely Sunday and early next week.

Little River is flowing at 119 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.68 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 147 cfs. The water temperature is 64.8 degrees this morning and rose to 68 degrees yesterday.

Most streams in the mountains are flowing below or slightly below normal. Water temperatures will be warm in the lowest elevations today. For the health of the trout you catch and release, move to higher ground to fish where the water is cooler. Fish the middle to high elevations. Look for water temperatures in the low to middle 60’s.

Trout are taking dry flies and nymphs. Small Yellow Sally Stonefly dries are always good to use this time of the year. Other dry flies will work to so try other mayfly and caddis imitations. Small bead head flies and Green Weenies are good choices.

Stealth is paramount to your success. Dress to blend with the forest, stay low and fish the broken water in riffles, runs and plunge pools where the trout are hiding and feeding.

Lowland rivers are flowing low but close to normal in mid-June. Go early or late when the sun is off the water or fish the shaded areas in the deeper pools. I would use poppers or foam floating flies for smallmouth bass and other species found in the low elevation rivers.

If you are planning to fish on a tailwater today, check the predicted flows on the TVA website. I looked at a few just now and what I found is, there will be periods of no generation with pulsing early today, and longer periods of generation later. The flows on your favorite tailwater may be different from what I saw.

Lake fishing is good. Normally I would go early or late today when the sun is off the water. If you find swarms of cicadas, fishing may be good all day in those areas. Use large black poppers or foam floating flies if you are targeting fish that are feeding on the big bugs. Otherwise, poppers, foam floating flies, swimming nymphs and streamers will work.

We are busy at the shop which is typical in June. June is a great fishing month in our region, whether you fish the cold waters for trout, or the warm waters for bass, panfish and other warmwater species. Get out and go if you can. We have a lot of choices right now.

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

Byron Begley
June 18, 2021

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com