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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:12 am, the temperature outside is 68.2 degrees.

The high temperature yesterday, recorded at the Knoxville Airport was 89 degrees. That tied a record for the date set in 1986. The normal high temperature is 78 degrees, with a normal low of 56 degrees.

Rainfall at the airport was .03 inches, while in Townsend .25 inches of rain fell yesterday morning.

It is going to be hot and muggy today and through the weekend. Expect highs near or at 90 degrees with lows in the upper 60’s. There is a 30% to 40% chance for scattered thunderstorms tomorrow, with a lower chance on Sunday.

The heat will continue through next Thursday. It is expected to be cooler Friday, through October 11th, with a chance for rain some days during the period.

Little River is flowing higher this morning due to the rain we got yesterday. Flow is currently 41.0 cubic feet per second (cfs), 1.22 feet, compared to median flow of 85 cfs.

Little Pigeon River is flowing at 79.2 cfs, 1.10 feet, which compares to median flow of 127 cfs. The record low flow for this date was 41.0 cfs, set in 1954.

Oconaluftee River is flowing at 146 cfs, 1.14 feet, compared to median flow of 199 cfs for this date. The water temperature is 65.5 degrees.

It rained overnight and early this morning in the Tellico River watershed. The river is currently rising. Flow is 61.4 cfs, .68 feet, compared to median flow of 73 cfs.

Cataloochee Creek is flowing at 30.0 cfs, 2.16 feet, which compares to median flow of 41 cfs. The water temperature is 61.9 degrees.

Water temperatures in the low elevations will be warm over the next few days, until later next week. Fish the higher elevations where the water is cooler. Look for temps in the 60’s.

Most streams in the Smokies are flowing very low. Stealth is of the most importance to your success. Use light tippets, dress to blend with the forest and stay low. The trout will be concentrated in the broken water. To avoid being seen, you may need to cast further than normal.

I would choose dry flies that I can see from a longer distance. Try terrestrials, foam floating beetles with a Green Weenie dropper. Other dry flies may work as well or better. Try a Parachute Adams. Most important is not spooking the trout and getting a good drift. The trout are competing for food in tight quarters and they are hungry.

If you plan to fish the lowland rivers or lakes, go early when the sun is off the water. The lowland rivers are flowing very low. Fishing will be fair at best.

I checked a few trout tailwater generation schedules. There are some opportunities today. Visit the TVA website from the links below to plan your day.

The US Drought Monitor was updated yesterday morning. You can see it by CLICKING HERE. Click on your region then your state, for a more detailed view.

Much of Tennessee is now rated as being in a moderate drought, while some areas are still listed as abnormally dry. There are three partial counties listed as being in a severe drought.

Much of the Southeast US is affected by the dry and hot weather we have had during the past few weeks, with areas listed as severe drought, moderate drought or abnormally dry. The eastern portions of the Carolinas and a large part of Florida are listed as normal.

Fly Tyers Weekend is coming together nicely. It appears we will have more fly tying demonstrators than ever before. If you plan to stay in Townsend, make your reservations now, to assure you will get a room. There is another event being held the same weekend. Rooms may be scarce.

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

Byron Begley
September 27, 2019

Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com