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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 6:54 am, the temperature outside is 74 degrees.

Cooler air has moved into the area. Rain is coming too. There is a 60% to 80% chance for thunderstorms today and tomorrow. Scattered thunderstorms are likely this weekend, but the chance is not as great, 30% to 60%, depending on which weather website you believe.

Little River is flowing at 132 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.70 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 131 cfs. The water temperature at the low elevation USGS gauge is 72.5 degrees today, and that number rose to 75 degrees yesterday.

Little Pigeon River is flowing at 218 cfs, 1.61 feet, compared to median flow of 332 cfs.

Other streams in the Park are flowing slightly below, or above median flow for this date.

Flows are normal for July, today. There is a high probability for thunderstorms, which could temporarily raise water levels throughout the balance of the week. “Showers and thunderstorms today will be capable of producing locally heavy rainfall, which may lead to flash flooding in some spots”, according to the National Weather Service.

So, watch for rising water while fishing in the Smokies this week.

Water temperatures are warm in the low elevations. That will ease somewhat over the next few days. Still, you need to fish the mid to high elevations where the water is cooler. Look for water temperatures in the 60’s.

Dry flies and nymphs will work. I would still stick with the black foam beetle and Green Weenie dropper at first. If that doesn’t work, switch to a weighted Green Weenie, or another terrestrial dry pattern. Yellow Sally Stonefly dries are a good choice too.

More important that fly choice is stealth, presentation and getting a good drift.

It is supposed to be mostly cloudy today. That is a beneficial condition.

Lowland river fishing is fair. Go early or late except on cloudy days. I would use poppers for smallmouth bass, rock bass and sunfishes. If the sun is out, cast to shaded areas in the rivers.

Lake fishing is good, early and late. Or, if it is overcast, you can fish all day with flies. Use poppers, streamers and Dragons.

There are a few tailwater fishing opportunities today, especially if you are boating. Check the flow from the links below before you go.
The average high temperature in July is 86 degrees, while the average low is 63 degrees, in Townsend. It has been much warmer than that lately. May and July are the two wettest months, on average. Rainfall since June 1st is up 2 inches above normal, while the year to date total is 12.85 inches above normal, reported at the Knoxville Airport.

The weather certainly impacts our fishing habits. In some ways, this has been a very good fishing year. In other ways and places, it has not.

We are fortunate to have very diverse fly fishing opportunities here, mountain trout streams, lowland rivers, tailwaters and lakes. That gives us more choices. If you love fly fishing, I can’t think of a better place to be, year round.

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

Byron Begley
July 11, 2019    

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com