South Holston RiveR Bristol, TN fly fishing

When you join High Country Angler for a day of South Holston River trout fishing near Johnson City, TN, you’ll enjoy some of the best fly fishing in the United States. Brown trout and rainbow trout are abundant, and with beautiful scenery and crystal clear waters, fly fishing on the river is a great way to spend an afternoon. Throwing sulphur dry flies is always fun in the summertime!

We only do our float trips on the South Holston River when TVA is generating water. We only wade fish the river when water isn’t being generated. Both types of trips depend on the generation schedules. You can reach out to our staff for more information and don’t hesitate to contact us by phone or email. There are some things to do before you embark on a float fishing trip on the South Holston River, so we encourage you to take some time and review our preparation tips.

Fly Fishing on the South Holston River

At 14 miles long, the tailwaters of the South Holston River outside of Bristol, TN is a prime location for trout fly fishing. With headwaters starting at Sugar Grove in Wythe County, Virginia, it flows into North Fork in Kingsport, Tennessee to form the Holston River. Floodwaters are controlled by a 285 foot dam that is followed by a weir dam then step grates on South Holston Lake which provides consistent, cold, oxygenated water that is released into the river. This creates a healthy environment for aquatic insects and trout. Sulphurs, scuds, blue-winged olives, midges and caddis dominate this river.

Whether you’re embarking on an all-day trip or looking for one-on-one fly fishing lessons, our guides are happy to accommodate you. Get in touch with a member of our team to learn more about fly fishing the South Holston River outside of Bristol, TN.

Contact our staff to start planning your South Holston River trout fishing excursion. We serve visitors from throughout the United States from our Johnson City, Tennessee location. Be sure to check out or 5 star google reviews as top fly fishing guides here 🙂