SOUTH HOLSTON RIVER
The South Holston River is a tail water that flow from the South Holston Lake. South Holston lake is one of the cleanest, pristine lakes in our nation. The tailwater flows cold twelve months out of the year which provides a perfect habitat for trout. This river has over 8,000 wild brown trout per mile! This river offers one of the very best opportunities to catch great numbers of wild brown trout in one day and at the same time, give you an opportunity to catch that trophy of a lifetime.
Limited outfitter use makes this river a first choice for many of our guest anglers.
- What the South Holston offers:
- Year round consistant water temperatures.
- Sulfer hatches that last all summer long.
- Midge hatches so thick you need a dust mask.
- 8,000 fish per mile!
- Fishable at high and low flows
- A legitmate shot at a 30″ + wild brown trout.
I have fished in trout streams all over the world and in my opinion, the South Holston River is at the very top of the list!
Fed by one of the cleanest lakes in all the United States.
March – Mid April
Our wild browns are fresh off the spawning beds and are becoming very active. While nymphing and slow stripping streamers are the go-to methods, cloudy days bring hatches of blue wings and midges offering some dry fly opportunities.
Mid-April – Late May
This time frame is considered a “Guides’ Favorite” with our crew. Warming trends and typically stable water flows bring increased insect activity to the river. We have a fairly predictable hatch that provides some great afternoon action, and the appetites of our fish seem voracious at times. The infamous “Mother’s Day Caddis” hatch ushers in the seasons best dry fly fishing.
Early June – July
My personal favorite time on the South Holston River. The days are long and so are the drifts. Our famous sulfer hatch keeps us all on our toes practically for the rest of the summer!. Early terrestrial action with ants and beetles can be great in late July!
August
Reduced water flows and true summer temps bring on our late summer mayfly hatches. This is also prime terrestrial month, so plan on throwing hoppers/beetles or dry dropper rigs most of the day. This is a great time for the patient dry fly angler to really “hunt heads” in some of the greasy tailouts and slicks.
September
The big browns start heading to the spawning beds and really put on the feed. Fishing big articulated streamers on high water is the ticket for that trophy of a lifetime.
October
Fall colors will be in their prime by around Halloween, and the brown trout will get pretty serious about spawning shortly thereafter. The pre-spawn timeframe can produce some great streamer action, as well as dry fly fishing on the cloudy days.