Little Tennessee River Fishing Guides
The upper Little Tennessee above Franklin is a wadable and floatable smallmouth river with trout in the cold tributaries and a strong conservation history.
Guides on the Little Tennessee River
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About the Little Tennessee River
Most anglers know the Little Tennessee for what happens downstream, in the tailwaters and reservoirs of the Tennessee Valley system. The upper river in North Carolina is a different animal and a better-kept secret. Above Franklin the Little Tennessee runs out of the Georgia mountains as a medium-sized valley river with long shoals, boulder gardens and deep bends, bordered by farmland and by an unusual amount of conserved riverfront thanks to decades of work by local land trusts and the greenway along the river through Macon County.
The headline fish is smallmouth bass. The upper Little Tennessee grows them well, and the mix of shoal habitat and deep holding water makes it a genuine float fishery in a part of the state where most rivers are too small to float. Rock bass and redeye bass fill in the shoal water, and largemouth turn up in the slower bends. Trout enter the picture through the cold tributaries, and the river itself holds rainbows and browns in its upper miles and near the mouths of the feeder streams, particularly during the cooler half of the year.
This is also one of the most biologically significant rivers in the southern Appalachians, home to rare darters, mussels and the spotfin chub, which is why so much effort has gone into buffering its banks and restoring its gravel. Anglers should expect a working agricultural valley rather than wilderness, and should treat access with the care that mixed public and private frontage requires. The gauge here reports discharge only, so plan around flow rather than temperature, and be aware that the river browns up quickly after rain in the Georgia headwaters and takes a day or two to clear.
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Access
Rock Hill Road river access south of Franklin - established public put-in on the upper river.
Little Tennessee River Greenway in Franklin - long stretch of public bank access with parking.
Prentiss bridge crossing near the gauge - mid-valley access and a common wading spot.
Tessentee Bottomland Preserve - conserved riverfront access on the upper river.
Lake Emory access below Franklin - the lower end of the free-flowing upper river.
Needmore Tract river access - large conserved corridor with several informal launches downstream.
US 441 crossings north and south of Franklin - convenient bridge access for short wades.
Seasons
Spring: high, colored water early, then a strong smallmouth prespawn as the river drops into shape in May.
Summer: the prime float months, with topwater smallmouth fishing at dawn and dusk on the shoals.
Fall: falling water and feeding smallmouth, plus trout moving in the cooling tributaries.
Winter: cold and often high, mostly a deep, slow presentation game for the few anglers who fish it.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Little Tennessee River?
As of Sep 17, 5:30 am, the USGS gauge LITTLE TENNESSEE RIVER NEAR PRENTISS, NC reads 87 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Little Tennessee River?
Anglers target Brown Trout, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Redeye Bass, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass on the Little Tennessee River in North Carolina.
Where can you access the Little Tennessee River?
Rock Hill Road river access south of Franklin - established public put-in on the upper river. Little Tennessee River Greenway in Franklin - long stretch of public bank access with parking. Prentiss bridge crossing near the gauge - mid-valley access and a common wading spot. Tessentee Bottomland Preserve - conserved riverfront access on the upper river. Lake Emory access below Franklin - the lower end of the free-flowing upper river. Needmore Tract river access - large conserved corridor with several informal launches downstream. US 441 crossings north and south of Franklin - convenient bridge...
When is the best time to fish the Little Tennessee River?
Spring: high, colored water early, then a strong smallmouth prespawn as the river drops into shape in May. Summer: the prime float months, with topwater smallmouth fishing at dawn and dusk on the shoals. Fall: falling water and feeding smallmouth, plus trout moving in the cooling tributaries. Winter: cold and often high, mostly a deep, slow presentation game for the few anglers who fish it.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Little Tennessee River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the North Carolina agency site: https://www.ncwildlife.gov/fishing/regulations