Deep nymph rigs are working for the most part of the day. The Watauga is fishing good as well. The shop has been busy, the guides have been busy, the fishing has been great! This has been an answered prayer for many wade anglers. The Watuaga has been nymphing good. We didn’t have to big of a crowd down there, at least not like the grates or rockhold. Both are fishing great! Blue winged olives are coming off in the late afternoons on the Watauga. Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc. Hopefully these flows will last. We had low water in the morning, about a 2 hour pulse mid morning, falling water around lunch, and a high water flow of 1700cfs in the afternoon. We are experiencing a lot of high water flows and that does limit the wading opportunities. GUIDE SERVICES. The terrestrial bite is on, on the Watauga! On the Watauga, there has been a good blue wing hatch in Siam. The nymph fishing has been good. There has been a good blue winged olive hatch on the South Holston below the power lines, downstream of the grates. They caught lots of fish, a mix between rainbows and browns with the biggest being a brown trout just over 20″. Fish are still eating beetles as well! Our tailwaters have returned to normal flows. The South Holston river has been on most of the week as well. The South Holston River is ranked one of the top tailwaters in east Tennessee, and is one of the best trout tailwaters in the southeast. If you are heading to South Holston you already know that it is one of the most technical rivers in the country. The fish are moving around a little bit more, but Charlie is out there everyday staying right with them. We have been fishing the Watauga and the South Holston rivers this week. Buffalo River. Give us a call to book your next trip! Size 20 and 22 black zebra midges along with size 18 stripper baetis and pheasant tails have been good on the Watauga river. High water in the afternoon is when we got to throw size 22 bwo cdc comparaduns to rising fish. After the short lived hatch we switched to a light nymph rig and caught fish the rest of the afternoon. The Watauga river is fishing good as well. That’s good news to most wade fisherman. You cannot fish these 2 sections of river from November 1st through January 31st. Take advantage of these low flows, get out and fish. Nymphing has been good as well. Pictures of the river, trout, insects and more! Sulphurs are popping up everywhere now, not just down stream. Charlie has developed flies and techniques to be able to consistently catch these fish. When the fish get picky (and they will) throw emerger patterns like the mole fly sizes 18 and 20 and Morgan’s midge size 20. When we do have sulphurs, size 16 and 18 puff daddies and cdc sparkle duns have been great. BWO CDC comparaduns, bwo CDC sparkle duns, bwo puff daddies are all working well in sizes 18 and 20. Charlie and the boys have been absolutely wearing them out on flies! We also had a huge blue winged olive hatch last Wednesday. Charlie is still hammering away at the hybrids on Boone lake. Cooler weather, high water, and great fishing! It was over cast and rainy…and the guys wanted to throw streamers. A sister river to the South Holston River is the Watauga River located just a few miles apart. The cooler the temps get, the better the fishing will be. As the weather heats up, so does the fishing! South Holston is at 2,300 and has been nymphing good. One day you will hammer fish on a size 10 black elk hair caddis. Everything from egg patterns and squirmy worms, to size 18 stripper baetis and black zebra midges 20s and 22s. The TVA has been all over the place in terms of generation on the Watauga river. It’s starting to feel like fall! Right now it’s not a numbers game for most anglers. We are seeing some sulphurs on both the Watauga and South Holston. Size 16 & 18 puff daddies and cdc sparkle duns have been great. Water depth during non-generating ... hours will remain low enough to wade 85% of the river. If you would like to book a guided trip, please give us a call (423)538-3007. Give us a call if you want to get in on the action!! Or to be nymphing when you know that there are dries on another part of the river. Let our guides take all of the work out of it while you fish. In the mornings before the blue wing hatch nymphs and midges are catching fish, as well as streamers. Mike Adams! They were not disappointed. Size 20 purple zebra midges have been working good on a dry dropper rig. On top: Size 20 and 22 Morgan’s midges. We caught fish on a variety of nymphs. 423-538-3007. The river is certainly worth any avid angler taking the opportunity to fish regardless of where you live. Much of the reservoir is in Tennessee, but the Virginia portion of the reservoir offers anglers more than 1,600 surface acres of water. We did have about a 45 minute window of Blue Winged Olives and rising fish. Sulphurs are hatching in the afternoon and fish are up eating them. South Holston Reservoir Fishing License Available South Holston Lake is a 7,580-acre impoundment operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). He had Dr Campbell and his wife out on Sunday. Smaller flies than we used on the Watauga. We have been absolutely slammed for the last two weeks. Please, please watch your step while you are wading. Jon and I floated the Watauga Thursday and had a great day. Aaron Fleenor with a Boone lake brown trout he caught with Charlie this week. Anyway, thanks for reading our report. If you’re heading to the South Holston, make sure that you have some size 20 olive midges, size 20 black zebra midges, size 16-18 pmd split cases, size 16 scuds, size 16-18 puff daddies, size 16-18 mole fly’s, and size 16-18 cdc sparkle duns. You can expect to have to chase a 16″ fish because he is running you into your backing. The fishing is on fire right now! We have been seeing an afternoon blue winged olive hatch. Jake and Braydon left the tailwaters in search of Braydon’s first brook trout. I’ll leave you with a few photos from last week. They eat, and they run! Time to book a guided fishing trip!! Don’t wade through the redds. South Fork Holston River Fishing Report Information There are three forks to the Holston River, but if you are into fishing for trout, the South Fork is the one you want. Plenty of fish coming to hand on size 20 brown/olive zebra midges, size 20 BWO split case nymphs, and some egg patterns. They ate a size 20 olive cdc sparkle dun really well during the hatch. Here are a few fish that ate a dry fly this week. The short of it is; fishing is good here in northeast Tennessee. Fletcher with a nice Watauga rainbow trout. Most of the rain from hurricane Florence missed us. That’s not so great news if you are a wade angler. Charlie has been on Boone lake nearly everyday for the last two weeks. We are also having a Labor day sale here in the shop. If streamers are your game, the South Holston River is home to BIG Brown trout. Mid South Bass Guide; VFW Lake; Watts Bar Lake. Streamer fishing is usually reserved for float trips during high water. Size 20-24 stripper midges with a copper bead. Don’t forget about nymphs. I did get a small blue wing hatch near Hunter Bridge. Of course we always offer half day and full day guide trips as well. April will bring our annual black caddis hatch on the Watauga river and right behind them we will start to have sulphurs. Lots of wade fishing opportunities. Sulphurs are still coming off on the South Holston. Feel free to buzz me for the most up to date info on the hour at 276.466.8988, or shoot me an email, jimmy@mtnsportsltd.com, High water round the clock. It’s a good time to be fishing here in Northeast TN. We’ve been wading the South Holston river. We have waited all summer for the TVA to release water on the South Holston river. Here are a few fish from our recent guide trips. All Brown Trout are wild fish, and the South Holston is full of them. Underneath: size 18 and 20, cream zebra midges, bwo split case, and olive zebra midges. Give us a call if you would like book a guide trip. If you have never fished for these pelagic fish, they are big, strong, and mean. Charlie is still booking trips. The flows have been good and the fish have been happy. That gives plenty of wading and floating opportunities. So we will be able to start floating high water soon. It has been fishing great as well. A size 18 cdc sparkle dun has been the way to go. Sizes 18 and 20. They seem to have started following the schedule somewhat, but please use caution while wading. It is home of the Virginia State record brown trout of over 15lbs. (423)538-3007, Both rivers are still running high, but the fishing has been great! The first section is from Bottom’s creek which is right below the cul-de-sac to hickory tree bridge. I didn’t see as many dries coming off, but the nymph fishing was phenomenal. The South Holston and the Watauga rivers are both backing down on generation. These fish come up shallow this time of year and you can actually target them on the surface. The best of the day trip is a 5-6 hour trip including a lite lunch for $375 dollars. And, to top it all off..Ben won the South Holston two man fly fishing tournament. Underneath, a size 20 olive zebra midge and size 18 stripper baetis worked well. There will be some smaller caddis all summer, but the clouds of huge black caddis is pretty much over till next year. Rather than focusing on the indicator, think about how your fly is actually being presented to the fish. This is great news for the wade angler. Puff daddies in a size 16 have been working good on top. Guiding on Smokey Mtn. From the lower property of the TVA Riverben access, Hickory Tree Bridge, Weaver Pike Bridge
Size 18 stripper baetis, and size 16 olive hunchback scuds. The TVA is sluicing 1,200 cfs from South Holston dam and spilling 2,800 cfs from Watauga dam. Here are some fish from Jon’s trip on Sunday. Out at Boone lake, Charlie Parker says that the hybrids and stripers are still eating like crazy! When fish aren’t rising. Most nymphs will start at a size 16 and go smaller from there. Fly fishing hatches in order of importance: Recommended fly fishing leader: 9 Foot Leader, Recommended fly fishing tippet: 6X Tippet, Best fly fishing rod: 9' 5 Weight Fly Rod, Best floating fly line: WF Trout Fly Line, Best sinking fly line: Class V Sink Tip Fly Line. The good news is that the fish didn’t seem to mind. Fish ate the normal fair, size 20 black zebra midges, 16 and 18 pheasant tails, size 16 stripper baetis, and attractor patters squirmy worms and egg patterns. Like the South Holston, the Watauga is also regarded as one of the best trout fisheries in the East. I will leave you with a few photo’s of last weeks guide trips. Come see us for all of your fly fishing needs. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us here at the shop (423-538-3007). The water temperature is 45.7 degrees and rising. Now that all of that is out of the way, lets talk about fishing! Size 18 or 20 puff daddies and a variety of zebra midges have been the best. December 13 , 2020. Fly Fishing Guide to the South Holston River: Fly fishing the South Holston river is considered to be technical fishing by many anglers. The water levels have been good and the fish have been happy. Size 16-18 puff daddy’s and size 16-18 cdc comparaduns are getting them on top. There was about an hour long hatch around the cul-de-sac. Both the South Holston and the Watauga rivers are generating nearly everyday. Low water in the mornings, high water in the afternoon. The fishing has been great! We have had some pretty significant rain falls here in northeast TN. We would like to introduce the newest member to the EFO team…Mr. Blue Winged Olives have been pouring off and the fish are looking up! The nymphing on Watauga has been awesome. The river is certainly worth any avid angler taking the opportunity to fish regardless of where you live. Our low water float trips continue to put numbers and quality in the boat! Give us a call and let our guides do the work while you fish. We do have trip availability. First off, Boston Brook is another tributary of the Ipswich River, in Middleton. I can’t even begin to tell you how awesome it is. 1,200cfs sluice from South Holston dam has been fishing great! Give us a call to reserve your spot for guided trips on the South Holston or Watauga rivers. A sulphur comparadun with a dun colored wing was the best. South Holston river fly fishing report. Sorry about that! That’s not what you want to hear if you are a wade fisherman. The dry fly fishing is getting better by the day. If you would like a guide trip, just give us a call at 423-538-3007. Mind the redds, spawning sections are closed starting November 1. Outside of the hatch size 16 splitcase nymphs and size 20 zebra midges are working on nymph rigs. We do guide trips as well. Just as we expected, the fishing is amazing! It does limit the wade access, but the fish really seem to like this flow. The fish were really selective. South Holston River trout information, videos, pictures, maps, hatch charts, and more. They will run water for a couple of hours, then drop it for an hour… Please, please check the generation schedule closely. You had to get a long drag free drift and mend well ahead of your targeted fish. The Watauga River is still operating the summer recreational flow so if you are wanting to wade and fish, the Watauga has been more favorable for that. Its hard being the bearer of bad news, but it is bad out there! Charlie is on the lake daily and everyday when I ask. But, that can change at any time! Sulphurs are still hatching in the afternoon on South Holston with blue winged olives mixed in. Underneath, size 18 stripper baetis, size 20 stripper midges, size 20 olive zebra midges, size 16 tan and olive scuds, and of course egg patterns have been working. Scuds 14s & 16s, blue wing nymphs 18s & 20s, olive zebra midges 20s, and of course egg patterns have been producing well on the South Holston. The TVA is generating most days on both rivers. March has been good to us so far. The stripers are feeding like crazy, have been all week! What more could you ask for? It looks like we are gonna have high water for the next few days on both rivers. Please give us a call, we would love to get you out on the water, The Trophy Section of the Watauga River 1/28/15. The nymph fishing has been great! Boone Lake has been long overlooked as a fly fishery. Be aware of your surroundings. (423)538-3007. The low water fishing has been great. We have had a few fish take Mike’s beetle pattern on top as well. If you need fishing tackle, or are looking for a fishing guide or fishing charter please visit Tackle, Guides, Charters It is pretty small, with some deep pools and a few riffles. Jon and I got the rare opportunity to fish together for a little while Sunday morning before the Super Bowl. The low water flow is extremely low. Boone Lake Striped Bass action is heating up!! The Watauga caddis hatch has been in full swing. The South Holston offers very good access for wading during times of low flow. The TVA have been running South Holston dam. Mostly deep nymph rigs. We’ve had a lot of questions about the closed spawning areas on the South Holston river. The TVA backed the flows down on both the South Holston and Watauga rivers. The bugs where size 18 and 20. We have been seeing periods of low water on the Watauga. Don’t let the high water stop you from going fishing. hours will remain low enough to wade 85% of the river. We update our fishing reports frequently and show you “What’s Up” at EFO. There have been enough midges to get some fish up. Size 18 puff daddy’s and cdc sparkle duns are working great. The good news is, the high water nymph fishing has been great! Switching to sulphurs in the afternoon. Urban fishing on the Lowell canals is, simply put, a jewel hidden in plain sight. If we don’t get a lot of rain this week, we may see some low water next week. Nymph fishing was really good on Sunday. The Watauga river has been fishing great! Clint with a nice Watauga river rainbow trout. You’re probably not gonna catch a ton of fish on the beetle, but good fish are still rising to them. I also was out on the South Holston two days last week as well. He has a couple of openings this week, and no openings for next week! Here is a beautiful Watauga river brown from yesterdays trip. Size 18-22 blue wing olive cdc sparkle duns and olive puff daddies during the hatch. We’ve had a busy week here at EFO! Charlie is still hammering stripers on Boone lake. We’ve had temperatures in the mid 60s. Mike’s MB2 beetle or Ben’s cameltoe beetle are the way to go. If you’re a streamer fisherman your probably excited about the dirty water on the lower ends of the river. Hope to see everyone on the river. On the South Holston river the sulphurs are coming off good on high water. Give us a call before you head out and we will make sure that you have what you need. The Watauga River – Elizabethton, TN. We got tons of trash out of the South Holston and Watauga rivers. Jon said that the trophy section of the Watauga river has been fishing great! Some folks that we are talking too are having extremely slow days and others are wearing fish out. One day it’s sunny and 70 degrees. Outside of unpredictable releases, the fishing has been great. Any way, the good news is that the high water fly fishing has been outstanding. Anyway, I hope that everyone gets a chance to get out and experience this. Just a short drive from the South Holston River is its sister river, the Watauga. Size 16 & 18 puff daddy’s have been irresistible to rising fish. The fish seem to change their diet daily. A size 20 cdc sparkle dun or a size 20 puff daddy have been working great. The streamer fishing is good right now as well. Both days, the nymph fishing was great. Fishing Forecasts & Reports 2020 Walleye Fishing Forecast In March of 2019, fisheries biologists and hatchery production staff collected adult Walleye from the New River , Staunton River , and South Holston Reservoir for the production of fingerling Walleye to stock in selected lakes and rivers in Virginia. Here is 15 year old Braydon with a 22″ brown trout he caught with Huck last week on the Watauga. Although there were midges all over the surface, we did best subsurface with size 20 stripper midges. We’ve had good flows on the rivers. Don’t forget to come by the fly shop for all of your fishing and tying needs. 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