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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:39 am, the temperature outside is 63.5 degrees.

Today will be warm with no chance for rain. The predicted high temperature in the foothills will be in the low to mid 80’s, while temperatures in the higher elevations will be in the upper 70’s to low 80’s. Friday will be similar to today with a slight chance for afternoon thunderstorms. The weekend should be warm with no rain predicted.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PREDICTED HIGHS AND LOWS TODAY

Little River is flowing at 249 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 2.10 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 137 cfs. The water temperature is 65.5 degrees.

Fishing will be best in the mid to high elevations, where the water is cooler. You may do well in the lower elevations early in the mornings over the next few days.

I would use dry flies with a nymph dropper. My dry fly choices this time of the year are, Yellow Neversink Caddis, any Yellow Sally Stonefly patterns, Yellow Stimulator or a black foam beetle. For subsurface fishing, I would use a Green or Pink Weenie or a Bead Head Pheasant Tail.

The Smokies streams are flowing above normal for the most part but they will be slowly receding we move into the weekend. Stealth is paramount to success. Dress to blend with the forest. Stay low to hopefully avoid being seen by the trout. Fish shaded areas during the day, or fish early or late, when the sun is off the water.

Schools will be back in session soon, and you will see less people in the Park, especially on weekdays. We always notice a remarkable decline in visitors beginning the 1st week in August. We usually see cooler days and nights in August. It will be much cooler next week. The chance for more rain is good. We are expecting normal or higher than normal flows next week, unless the weather pattern changes.

Fishing will remain good in the mountains for several days or longer.

You may do well fly fishing for smallmouth bass and rock bass in the lowland rivers, thanks to above average flows this week. Popper and streamers will work. Fishing will be best early and late. On a sunny day, cast to the shaded banks.

Jack and I carpeted the boat yesterday. I have to wait 7 days before exposing the floors to water, so the glue will cure successfully. He and I plan to fish a lake after next Wednesday. Paula and I will probably go the next week. We will find out how good the lake fishing is then. I expect fishing to be good, especially on cloudy days. Fly fishing shallow is always best on cloudy days, or it has been for me.

The tailwaters are fishing well for trout and smallmouth bass.

Carp fishing with flies has been good.

This has been a great fly fishing Summer and hopefully that trend will continue. Rainfall in July has been above normal. Rainfall this year, so far, is above normal. Hopefully, August will prove to be the same.

Where we live is a fly fishing paradise. That is why I live here. We have more mountain trout streams than you can count. Below the larger mountain streams are lowland rivers. They feed the many TVA impoundments. We have nine lakes nearby. Below the lakes are tailwaters. Some have suitable trout habitat.

There are hundreds of thousands of acres of public land, much of it wilderness, nearby.

Our Summers are fairly cool, and very cool in the high elevations. The winters are fairly warm, except in the high elevations.

This place is hard to beat.

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

Byron Begley
July 26, 2018

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com