One of the best tailwaters in east Tennessee and not to be confused with the famed South Holston, the Holston below Cherokee Dam is also one of the newer trout fisheries in the area. Most of our tailwaters have been stocked for a long time. However, the Holston has only been stocked by TWRA since the ’90s. Due to very limited access, float fishing is the best way to enjoy this fine river. A Holston River fly fishing guide can put you on the fish and get you safely down the river.
A Day Floating the Holston River
Due to very limited access, we view this strictly as a float only river for guided trips. There are some wadeable access points, but we don’t like to do guided wade trips on rivers with such limitations. For float purposes, there are three main sections on the Holston River as far as trout anglers are concerned. Upper, middle, and lower, also known as dam to Tampico (aka Mud Slide), Tampico to Indian Cave, and Indian Cave to Nances Ferry. While all of our trips feature floating, we prefer the option of stopping off to wade some of the best shoals when clients are up for that. Let your guide know ahead of time if you are okay doing some wading.
Your guide will decide the afternoon or evening before which section to float once the generation schedule posts. Floating the Holston is best from early winter through early and possibly mid summer. By mid to late summer, water temperatures are getting too warm to ethically target trout on this river. We always carry thermometers and quit fishing once temperatures are warm enough to stress our quarry. Due to issues with poor dissolved oxygen, many of our tailwaters offer poor fishing once the water starts getting to the mid 60s. Elevated temperatures are an issue on this tailwater through fall into early winter when things finally cool back down again.
A Day Floating the Holston: The Beginning
You will meet your fly fishing guide at a prearranged access point or other nearby location. Once we get to the river, we get the boat on the water and quickly move out into the flow. In general, our guides like to start each day with a quick lesson on the methods for the day. On the Holston River, that often means nymphing, but this can be an incredible dry fly and streamer river at times.
Once you know how to cast, mend, and fish out of the drift boat, we start working down the river. As soon as we get the boat moving, we’ll probably start pointing out the best spots to cast. I like to teach people what I’m looking for so they can start targeting the correct spots on their own. This is where a Holston River fly fishing guide really helps: knowing exactly where to find the fish.
A Day Floating the Holston: Catching Trout
Finding fish on the Holston usually doesn’t take long. It is a super fishy river! The rainbow trout on this river are shaped like footballs. Holston River trout are turbocharged and take off like a speeding bullet. Always be prepared for a serious fight. Fish over 20″ are not unusual on the Holston.
Once we’ve coached you through fighting a fish or two, you’ll probably have the hang of our routine for the day. From then on, we move down the river, focusing on the best spots and structure. Your Holston River fly fishing guide will most likely always have their eyes peeled for rising fish. This is where the most excitement often starts. Known for prolific caddis hatches as well as sulfurs, the Holston provides some of the best dry fly fishing in east Tennessee.
Another fun thing to do on the Holston is to streamer fish. The Holston has some incredible streamer opportunities in the winter including an excellent shad kill many years. If you enjoy throwing meaty flies for large trout, this might just be the river for you!
A Day Floating the Holston: Lunch and Afternoon Fishing
Our lunches are delicious and filling. Generally, it will be sandwiches, sides including chips and maybe fruit, and cookies are maybe a Snickers for dessert. Sometimes, by special request, I’ll still make my famous Greek pasta salad. Whatever it is, there is usually too much of it! There is often a slowdown in the fishing after lunch, and I’m never sure if it is because people are too full or because we are in the afternoon doldrums. Either way, the fishing usually starts to pick back up as we slide further down the river.
Once people get back in rhythm after lunch, fish start coming to the net with regularity again. At some point, your guide will probably start thinking about motoring out. The sections on this river are long enough and we like to work the best water slowly enough that at some point, we’ll probably utilize a motor to burn up some slack water.
At the end of the day, people are usually so excited about this amazing fishery that they are already inquiring about future open dates to give it another go. Best times for this river include the caddis in spring (typically late March through May and often even later in the summer) and the sulfurs in May into June. The winter streamer bite can be exceptional as well for those willing to hunt.
Choosing a Holston River Fly Fishing Guide
As you look for a Holston fly fishing guide, I recommend getting to know the guide a little first. That’s why we like to talk to clients before scheduling a trip. We want to make sure that we can provide the experience someone is looking for in a way that meets and hopefully exceeds their expectations. Our Holston River guides consider this one of their home rivers and spend lots of time on that water as a result. That means they should know which sections are fishing the best and know what flies are working best at any given point.
We follow all rules set forth by both TWRA and the USCG. Your Holston River fly fishing guide will be certified by the USCG as an OUPV captain. If you have any questions on that, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Smallmouth Bass on the Holston River
One of the state’s best smallmouth bass rivers, the stretch of the Holston that we fish and guide has some incredible opportunities for those who like these neat fish. In general, those who want to smallmouth fish focus on areas from Nances Ferry downstream all the way to Knoxville. The main limiting factor on this section of river is how spread out the access points are. That is a good thing as it keeps the Holston an exceptional smallmouth fishery. Our smallmouth guides enjoy this uncrowded river, but it can be hard to decide where to fish when we are surrounded by so much good smallie water!