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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:44 am, the temperature is 67.3 degrees.

It rained last night. We got .59 inches in Townsend. The TVA rain gauge in Cades Cove reported .48 inches. Thunderstorms are likely again today. Expect a high temperature in the middle 80’s. There is a good chance for rain tomorrow and Wednesday. There is the potential for heavy rain tomorrow, and possibly today.

Little River is flowing at 119 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.68 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 124 cfs. The water temperature is 68.9 degrees this morning at the low elevation gauge site near Townsend.

Most streams in the mountains are flowing a little below normal. One exception is Tellico River. Thunderstorms have been maintaining higher than normal flows there for a few days.

Normal flows in July are low in the Smokies, except when they are affected by scattered thunderstorms. The streams are warm in the low elevations. Fish higher where the water is cooler. Look for water temperatures of 65 degrees or cooler.

Dry flies and nymphs will work. Try a foam beetle with a Green Weenie dropper. Other dry flies and nymphs will work too. The trout are hungry and looking for food. Don’t let the trout see you and you will catch more. Fish the broken water in riffles, runs and plunge pools.

Many lowland rivers exiting the mountains are flowing low which is normal. Smallmouth bass, rock bass and panfish will be searching for food in the deeper pools and runs. It will be mostly sunny today, so I would go early or late or find shaded water to fish. Poppers or foam floating flies are good choices.

It looks like TVA and the Corps plan for low water and pulsing early, then the generators will be active this afternoon according to the schedules I checked. I did not view all of them so visit the TVA website to plan your tailwater fishing day.

I think you should plan an early lake fishing day. It will be mostly sunny and possibly a little breezy at times. I would launch at daybreak and fish the banks with poppers, foam floating flies, streamers or swimming nymphs. As the sun gets higher, seek out shaded banks to fish. Be aware that some thunderstorms this afternoon may contain strong winds.

Pond fishing will be best early or late when the sun is off the water. Try poppers or foam floating flies. If that is not working, tie on a damselfly or dragonfly swimming nymph and retrieve it slowly. Any fish in a pond will eat those. I would also have some damsel fly dries in my box in tan or blue.

Once again we have many fly fishing choices today in the Tennessee River Valley.

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

Byron Begley
July 12, 2021

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com