Fly Fishing the South Holston River

One of the premier tailwaters in the American Southeast, the South Holston holds an extraordinary density of wild brown and rainbow trout (estimated at 8,500 fish per mile) and is most famous for its prolonged, prolific sulphur hatches that bring selective surface-feeders up each evening from mid-April through October, demanding technical presentations on light tippet.

15 shops nearby

See fly shops ↓

When to fish

Year-round

Best months: year-round

Best

Sulphurs / Eastern Pale Evening Duns — mid-April through early November, most evenings: the defining hatch.

Where to fish

Along the South Holston River

Emmett1 shopCrest View1 shop

Ruthton1 shopCarter1 shop

The primary access corridor runs below South Holston Dam via Holston View Dam Road, where TVA Weir Dam pull-offs provide wade access and parking. Additional access at Big Springs Road, Hickory Tree Bridge (Weaver Pike), Big Springs Public Boat Ramp, Riverbend Road pull-offs, and Forrest Thomas Boat Ramp near Bluff City for full-day floats. Check TVA release schedule before each trip as flows fluctuate rapidly.

The water

Tailwater

Key hatches

Blue-Winged Olive
Midge
Caddisfly
Sulphur

Hatch calendar

6-day forecast

Loading forecast

Forecast from the National Weather Service ↗

Hatch calendar

Months each hatch is active on the South Holston River, with hook sizes and local timing notes.
Hatch · hook	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Blue-winged Olive(mayflies)hook #18–22	January	February	March								November	December
Midge(midges)hook #20–24	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December
Caddisfly(caddis)hook #10–16			March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October
Sulphur(mayflies)hook #12–18the defining hatch					May	June	July	August	September	October

Mayflies
Caddis
Midges
This month

Also on this water

Caddis (Green Sedge, Cinnamon, Little Black) — April through October
Terrestrials (ants, beetles, hoppers) — June through September
Streamers / sculpin patterns — fall and winter for trophy browns

Timing from Big Y Fly Co's South Holston River hatch chart ↗. Notes are local timing; dates shift a couple of weeks with weather and water.

Fly shops near the South Holston River

Shops and guides that fish the South Holston River. See all 22 Tennessee shops →

12 fly shops shownSouth Holston River at Emmett

Species on this water

Trout Bass Bonefish Musky Panfish Salmon Steelhead Striper

Nearby towns

Emmett Ruthton Crest View

Rivers nearby

Watauga River Tuckasegee River Nantahala River Smith River

From The Fly Bench

Tie the flies that work on the South Holston River

Step-by-step tying recipes & videos for these patterns.

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Gear up

Gear up on the South Holston River

Everything you need before the next trip — rods, lines, leaders, and fly-tying materials.

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The flies that work on the South Holston River

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