Fishing Season: Year Round

Little River - TN

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

47

Orvis Sevierville's Tip of the Week

spring hatches are arriving with blue quills, quill gordons, small black caddis. mid day to afternoon...start with nymph, then softhackle when seeing subsurface flashes, and transition to dry fly when risers start.

Directions open in app

Map of Little River

Water Flow Data

Tidal Conditions

5-Day Outlook as of 3/21/23

TodayMostly sunny, with a high near 63. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph. TonightA 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. South wind around 5 mph. WednesdayShowers likely, mainly between 7am and 2pm. Cloudy, with a high near 60. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Wednesday NightA 30 percent chance of showers before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. South wind around 5 mph. ThursdayMostly sunny, with a high near 79. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Thursday NightMostly clear, with a low around 58. South wind around 10 mph. FridayA 40 percent chance of showers, mainly after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 79. Southwest wind around 10 mph. Friday NightShowers, mainly after 8pm. Low around 58. Chance of precipitation is 90%. SaturdayShowers, mainly before 8am. High near 71. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Saturday NightMostly clear, with a low around 44. SundaySunny, with a high near 74. Sunday NightShowers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Chance of precipitation is 60%. MondayShowers likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 72. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Techniques & Tips as of 3/21/23

watch the water - dry fly season is upon us...uses a parachute adams from 18-12 to pick up surface feeders

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 Black 16-18
Blue Quill Olive 18-22
Quill Gordon grey 18-22
Tunghead Pheasant Tail Jig brown 18-12
Pats Rubber legs Brown 10-14
Tungsten Nemec Stone Nymph Black 10
Adams Parachute Dry Fly N/A 18-12

Elk Wing Caddis

Image Not Found

Item #0378

Buy Now

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 Middle Prong of the Little (known as Tremont) is similar in nature to the East Prong above Elkmont Campground. Both follow old logging railroad beds up their respective mountain valleys, both are medium-sized streams by Smokies standards, and brook trout are present for those anglers who want to invest the time hiking into the backcountry to reach them. The West Prong of the Little is low-gradient, small stream offering tighter casting conditions for feisty, wild rainbows. The West Prong (and its tributary Laurel Creek) flows along the road leading to Cades Cove.

Nearest Airport:

Knoxville, TN (TYS)

Hatches:

Blue quill Quill Gordons BWO Little Black Caddis

Best Time to Fish:

afternoons

Best Stretch:

Metcalf Bottoms to Elkmont Campground

Best Access:

Little River Road