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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 6:52 am, the temperature outside is 72 degrees.

Showers are likely this morning. Rain is less likely this afternoon, and no more is predicted through Saturday night. The high temperature today will reach only 74 degrees, dipping to 58 degrees tonight. Tomorrow will be some warmer, with a high of 78 and a low of 58.

Rain, and lots of it is the big story today. We are still under a flash flood watch until 11:00 am. Some areas are experiencing flooding right now, but not here.

The Knoxville Airport reported 3.32 inches yesterday which was a record for the date. This year, rainfall there is 15.24 inches above normal. Since June 1st, rainfall is 4.48 inches above normal. 1.84 inches of rain fell in Townsend during the past 24 hours.

I drove by Little River this morning. It is roaring and it looks like chocolate milk. Flow is currently 2,890 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 5.39 feet on the flow gauge. That is a record for this date. The prior record was set in 1979 at 722 cfs.

The river peaked early this morning at about 6.5 feet. Flood stage is 8 feet. Median flow for this date is 130 cfs.

Little River at the Maryville gauge is flowing at 5,290 cfs, 11.84 feet, which is a record for this date. The prior record was set in 1979 at 1,580 cfs.

Little Pigeon River is flowing at 7,400 cfs, 6.90 feet, and it is still rising. That is yet another record for today’s date. The prior record was set in 1938 at 3,460 cfs. Median flow for this date is 269 cfs.

Oconaluftee River just peaked. Flow is 2,990 cfs, 4.31 feet, and that is a record for this date, last set in 1979 at 1,070 cfs. Median flow is 290 cfs.

Tellico River at the Tellico Plains gauge is flowing at 1,980 cfs, or 5.15 feet. That is a record for this date, last set in 1938 at 652 cfs.

Cataloochee Creek is flowing at 663 cfs, 4.03 feet, which is also a record for this date, last set in 1938 at 435 cfs. Cataloochee Creek has peaked and the water is receding.

Needless to say, the streams in the Park and outside the Park are blown out. Wading is not safe.

Lowland rivers are flowing high and stained. No fishing to be had there.

Lake fishing could be good today. It is overcast right now. I would love to be fly fishing on a lake right now.

Believe it or not, there are some tailwater opportunities available today, unless TVA or the Corps changes their mind. Check the links below to visit the TVA website. You might be able to fish somewhere.

I think this will be an excellent fly tying day, or in my case, another work day. I will be ordering fly tying materials and tools today, to replenish what we sold last week. I got up barely after 4:00 am this morning and tied some flies. I am tying Peasant Tails, some on jig hooks with tungsten beads, and others without weight on Czech nymph hooks.

Tying these trout flies requires heavy magnification for me. I use a mounted magnifier and readers. I was at the dentist office yesterday, and he as wearing what looked like safety glasses with built in, long distance magnifiers. He called them a loupe. The ones he was wearing cost $700 and his other pair, which can be zoomed cost about $1,000.

I was just curious. The price scared me off. What I’m using is just fine.

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

Byron Begley
July 23, 2019

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com