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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:34 am, the temperature is 66.7 degrees.
It will be partly sunny today with a high temperature around 85 degrees. We have a fair chance for thunderstorms today. It will be warmer tomorrow with a higher chance for thunderstorms.
Little River is flowing at 100 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.60 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 146 cfs. The water temperature is 69.4 degrees at the low elevation gauge site near Townsend. Yesterday, that number exceeded 72 degrees.
Most streams in the mountains are flowing below normal today which is normally low in July. There are some exceptions, specifically Tellico River which is flowing higher than normal. Water temperatures are very warm in the low elevations. Fish higher where the water is cooler for the health of the trout you catch and release. Look for water temps that do not exceed 65 degrees during the warmest part of the day.
Fish the broken water in riffles, deeper runs and plunge pools where the trout are hiding. Dress to blend with the forest. Stay low. The trout will be spooky. I would use a dry fly and nymph dropper rig. Terrestrial flies are a good choice right now. Try a foam floating beetle with a Green Weenie dropper.
Lowland rivers are flowing low for the most part. Go early or late when the sun is off the water. Smallmouth bass, rock bass and panfish will be spending the day in the deeper pools. Try foam floating flies or poppers. If that is not working, go deeper. A crawfish pattern is a good choice.
There are some wade fishing tailwater options today. TVA or the Corps will not be generating much early, though the turbines will be active later today at several dams in the area. Check the TVA website to see what your options are.
Go lake fishing early or late when the sun is low. Fish the shaded banks until you can’t find them. It will be a little breezy at times, which can be a benefit. Fish are more likely to take your top water flies when there is a little chop on the water. I would start with poppers or foam floating flies. If that is not working switch to streamers or swimming nymphs.
Go early or late if you plan to fish on a pond. Poppers, foam floating flies or swimming nymphs are good fly options for bass and bluegill. Water levels in some ponds may be low.
Our area is not in a drought but there are pockets in Tennessee that are considered abnormally dry on the US Drought Monitor. None of the counties bordering the Appalachians in Tennessee are listed as abnormally dry. There are some counties to our west that are. You can visit the US Drought Monitor website by CLICKING HERE.
Conditions are horrible out west as you probably know. Thomas, the owner of Natures Spirit described their situation in Idaho in an email. Their company is located in Kooskia, ID, which is a hot spot for wildfires. One is very close to them. Some of the staff at Natures Spirit is helping by supplying food and water to firefighters and assisting their neighbors. Natures Spirit is one of our fly tying materials suppliers.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
July 13, 2021
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com
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