Fishing Season: Year Round

Little River - TN

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

66

Orvis Sevierville's Tip of the Week

It's gonna be a pretty rainy week ahead of us so plan those fishing trips accordingly! Hatches have been out on the water so keep an eye out for top water action! Nymphs are the way to go this week. Stone flies and CDC collard flies have been working well along with some bugger patterns. For top water, caddis, yellow sally's and terrestrials have been working well.

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Map of Little River

Water Flow Data

5-Day Outlook as of 9/24/25

Today - A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Tonight - Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 10pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after midnight. Patchy fog between 10pm and midnight. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 68. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Thursday - Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Patchy fog between 10am and 1pm. High near 80. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible. Thursday Night - A 50 percent chance of showers, mainly before 2am. Patchy fog after 5am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 65. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Friday - A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly after 2pm. Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the afternoon. Friday Night - A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. Calm wind. Saturday - A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Saturday Night - A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Sunday - A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Sunday Night - A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, then a slight chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Monday - A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. Monday Night - A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 62. Tuesday - A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.

Techniques & Tips as of 9/24/25

Some caddis and sulfurs have been spotted on the water! We've been having a good amount of luck on larger stoneflies such as Patt's rubber legs. Alternative flies are - egg patterns, CDC collared nymphs and midges. If your able to swing some buggers or some single hook streamers in those deep pools, it's not a bad route to take either.

Local Species Available Year Round

  • Fish Icon

    Trout

Orvis Sevierville's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Elk Wing Caddis Tan 12-18
Adams Grey 12-16
Quill Gordon grey 12-16
Tunghead Pheasant Tail Jig brown 10-18
Pats Rubber legs Brown 8-12
Hares Ear Grey 12-16
Yellow Sally Light Yellow 14-18
Adams Parachute Dry Fly Grey 12-18
Stimulator Olive 8-14
Sulphurs Light yellow 14-20

Elk Wing Caddis

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Orvis Sevierville's Recommended Gear

Description: About Little River

The Little River system is among the largest and most varied watersheds in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Within its bounds one can find everything from roadside fishing for some of the Park’s largest brown trout, to tiny backcountry streams choked with rhododendrons and native brookies. Wild rainbow trout are also abundant throughout. The Little River system can be broken down into its component branches or “Prongs”. Little River Rd. (Hwy 73) follows the East Prong from where it flows out of the Elkmont Campground to where it meets the Middle Prong (Tremont) and West Prong at the “Y” just inside the Townsend entrance to the Park. The roadside section of the East Prong offers smallmouth bass in its lower reaches. The best trout fishing begins near the series of giant plunge pools known as “The Sinks”, with the largest rainbows and browns frequently found between the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic area and Elkmont Campground. Above the campground the stream narrows and is more rugged in character. The

Nearest Airport:

Knoxville, TN (TYS)

Hatches:

Pheasant tails Midges Hares ear Woolly Buggers Duracells

Best Time to Fish:

Afternoons

Best Stretch:

Metcalf Bottoms to Elkmont Campground and above

Best Access:

Little River Road