Fishing Season: Year Round

Little River - TN

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

70

Orvis Sevierville's Tip of the Week

It's gonna be a pretty hot week ahead of us weather wise with thunderstorms in the forecast, so plan those fishing outings accordingly! Water temps are heating up too! 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 7/16/25

Today - A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 98. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Tonight - A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Thursday - A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 11am. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 93. Heat index values as high as 99. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Thursday Night - A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 5am, then a slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Friday - A chance of showers, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 11am. Partly sunny and hot, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Friday Night - Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Saturday - Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 2pm. Partly sunny and hot, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Saturday Night - Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Sunday - A chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8am and 2pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Partly sunny and hot, with a high near 91. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Sunday Night - Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8pm and 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Monday - Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 93. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Monday Night - Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Tuesday - A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 95.

Techniques & Tips as of 7/16/25

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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Item #0378

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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