Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 4:46 am, the temperature is 40 degrees.
It will be partly sunny today with a high temperature in the middle to upper 70’s, falling to the low 50’s tonight. Rain showers are likely tonight with no heavy rain predicted. Gusty winds are expected over the east Tennessee mountains this afternoon and tonight.
Tomorrow will be partly sunny and cooler with a high in the low 60’s and a low in the middle 40’s.
Little River is flowing at 42.4 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.26 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 87 cfs. The water temperature is 50.9 degrees this morning.
Streams in the mountains are all flowing low. Water temperatures are within the trout’s preferred range in the low to middle elevations this morning and they will rise later today.
Most trout will be hiding in the broken water or near cover. Brown trout may be spotted in the pools, out in the open, preparing to spawn.
Dress to blend with the forest to help you avoid being seen by the trout. You may need to cast longer distances to avoid detection. Use light tippet and smaller flies. A dry fly with a nymph dropper is a good tactic to use. Though the streams are flowing very low, anglers are still catching trout. These are not ideal conditions from a water level perspective but water temperatures are favorable.
Stocked trout in the rivers flowing out of the mountains are packed into deeper pools and runs. Nymphs and other weighted flies fished under a strike indicator or a dry fly used as an indicator may work best. High sticking weighted nymph rigs may work too. My first choice would be small nymphs that are weighted with split shot or beads. You might try midge pupa. Use light tippet and get a good drift. Egg patterns or squirmy worms may produce as well.
Smallmouth bass and rock bass will be holding or cruising in the deeper water in the lowland rivers. Fishing is probably fair. Fish in the deeper pools and runs using nymphs, hellgrammite patterns or crayfish imitations. Streamers mimicking a baitfish might work.
Lake fishing will likely be best early. It may become breezy later today. Cast to the banks and cover using weighted streamers. Allow your flies to sink deep and retrieve slowly to keep them deep.
There are breaks in the generation planned at several dams today. Unfortunately, Norris Dam is not one of them. Check the predicted schedules on the TVA website to see what tailwater options you have today.
A man in a rental cabin in Gatlinburg was injured by a bear that entered the cabin. The bear charged and swatted the man causing injuries. The injured man ran to a bedroom and called 911. TWRA set a trap, caught what they think was the bear, and euthanized the animal. You can read more about this incident on the WBIR website by CLICKING HERE.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) has changed the format of their stream pages. I clicked on the Little River page first thing this morning and saw the new page. It took a few minutes to figure out how to get the information I need every morning. The new pages look good and they are more interactive than before.
Years ago, before USGS transmitted the stream data online, I drove to the Townsend site to get the information for the fishing report. At the gauge site, just inside the Park, I would view the gauge and estimate the flow rate using a conversion chart. Next, I would dip a thermometer in the river to get the water temperature. That’s how I did it about 17 years ago. Live reporting of the data online changed my life and saved me at least a half hour each day.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
October 25, 2022
For the first time since 2019, we will be holding our Free Fly Tying Demonstrations on Saturdays. The demonstrations will begin at 10 am and last until 2 pm. You do not need a reservation. Just show up and enjoy. These demonstrations will kick off November 5th, and last through mid-December. Then, they will resume in January.
Mike Adams will be tying on Saturday November 5th. Mike is a retired fly fishing guide who lives in upper East Tennessee. He is an excellent fly tyer who has come up with some unique trout patterns to share with you. When Mike demonstrates at the shop, we always have a big crowd.
Bill Boyd will be tying on Saturday November 12th, with his granddaughter “Half Hitch”. Bill lives in Dayton Tennessee. He has been a regular, with his dad and wife at many fly tying demonstrations, Troutfest and other fly tying shows. You can learn more about Bill on the Dubbing Teasers website by CLICKING HERE.
Mike Bone will be tying on Saturday November 19th. Mike has been guiding, mostly on the Clinch River and Holston River trout tailwaters for decades. He is also an accomplished smallmouth bass guide. Everyone likes Mike. You will too. CLICK HERE to visit Mike’s website.
Saturday December 3rd - Jimmy Jones will be demonstrating today. Jimmy lives in Maryville. He is an avid Smokies angler and golfer. He ties some very interesting and unique flies that work very well in the Smokies.
I have learned new techniques, watching Jimmy tie.
Saturday December 10th - Walter Babb will be demonstrating his unbelievable fly tying skills. Many of you know Walter. Most people in the southeast have at least heard of him. Walter is a legend. He loves tying Catskills trout patterns. He is also a well known bamboo rod maker. Walter tells good funny stories. This demonstration will be well attended.
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com
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