Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:07 am, the temperature is 63 degrees.

Today will be mostly sunny with a high temperature in the upper 70’s and a low tonight in the low 60’s. There is a slight chance for a rain shower this morning and tonight. Tomorrow will be cooler with a high in the low to middle 70’s dropping to the middle 50’s tomorrow night. The chance for rain is greater tomorrow.

Little River is flowing at 55.3 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1.33 feet on the gauge. Median flow for this date is 149 cfs. The water temperature is 59.2 degrees this morning.

All streams in the mountains that have USGS gauge sites are flowing much lower than normal. Normal flows are higher in November, as we usually get more rain. For instance, exactly one month ago, median flow on that date was 72 cfs in Little River. Today, median flow is 149 cfs. As you can see, we should be seeing twice as much water flowing in Little River under normal conditions compared to October 6th.

Still, anglers who know how to fish in low water conditions are doing well catching trout in the mountains. I talked to several yesterday who are. Water temperatures are excellent, warmer than usual in early November. Trout are actively feeding. Most anglers I have talked to are catching trout on nymphs. Some are catching them on dry flies.

Stealth is paramount to your fly fishing success under these conditions. Dress to blend with the forest and make longer casts than you usually would to avoid being seen by the trout. Use light tippet and smaller flies. Most trout are hiding in broken water or near cover. Brown trout may be seen out in the open pools, preparing to spawn or spawning.

Fishermen are also catching stocked trout in the rivers flowing out of the mountains or in the mountains not within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Trout are not stocked in the Park but they are in some streams in the National Forests. Due to the low water conditions, most stocked trout are holding in deeper pools. Use light tippet and smaller nymphs.

I don’t know for sure but fishing for smallmouth bass in the free flowing rivers should be fair to good due to the warmer than normal water temperatures. The fish will be cruising in the deeper pools. Nymphs and possibly streamers should work.

Lake fishing is fair. It was windy yesterday but the wind will be calm today. Cast to the banks or cover with streamers, fished deep and retrieved slow to keep them deep. It will be warm today, and a nice day to be out on a lake boating and fishing.

TVA and the Corps of Engineers are continuing to lower the impoundments by generating for long periods. That is the case today at many of the dams but not all of them. If you are wade fishing, there are some options. If you are boating, there are more. Check the TVA website to see what tailwater fishing opportunities you have. Links to the specific generation schedules are located below.

One of our favorite historical stores, The Townsend Shopping Center, burned in January. The store sold groceries, gas, Case knives and hardware. Owner Jerry Sullivan has designed and will begin construction on a new store. The site plan has been approved by the City Planning Commission according to an article I read on the Daily Times website. The size of the building will be 6,000 square feet. You may be able to read the article by CLICKING HERE. This website is available for subscribers only, but you may get to read this article if you have not exceeded your free limit.

I am really looking forward to seeing Jerry and Jean again, in their new store. I usually stopped in at least once a week to buy something and talk to them. They are great people. The store should re-open this Spring with most likely a new name.

I posted a photo of a huge bear on this report a couple of days ago. Our neighbor took the photo through a window at the back of the home. As of yesterday, the bear is still there. Evidently, it eats acorns, drinks out of their water feature, and takes naps during the day. Their home is about 500 feet from ours, though we can’t see the home in the forest where we live.

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

Byron Begley
November 6, 2022

FREE FLY TYING DEMONSTRATIONS HELD ON SATURDAYS

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.

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