Are you thinking about traveling to the South Holston River in Northeast Tennessee to fly fish for a couple of days. Maybe even a week? Maybe you need a break from the oppressive summer heat in Florida, Georgia, or South Carolina. Or perhaps, you’re from up North in Pennsylvania, New York, or even New Hampshire or Vermont. And now, the water has become too low in the middle of the summer for trout fishing. The same even goes, if you live closer, in the Old North State, Virginia, or Maryland. So you want to do a road trip to the South Holston River in Tennessee to fish the summer Sulphur hatch and catch some big brown trout.
The South Holston Tailwater: A National Reputation
What could go wrong? After all, the South Holston, being a tailwater, should always have good flows, even in the middle of the summer. And besides that, there’s countless fishing blogs and websites all assuring you that there’s always great fishing on the South Holston River. The Sulphur hatch is the best in the nation. They say. It goes all summer long, unabated. It’s the greatest! It’s one of the best tailwaters in the Southeast, they say. No, in fact, it’s one of the best trout rivers in the whole darn nation. Some even go so far as to claim that the fly fishing on the South Holston River is, indeed, world class.
But is it? You want the truth? Can you handle the truth? Well, get ready for it. Cause I’m going to give it to you. Straight.
The Truth About Fly Fishing the South Holston River:
Fly fishing the South Holston River in Northeast Tennessee, which is affectionately known as SoHo, can be really tough, sometimes. A real b#@tch. And downright hard at that.
No really. I’m not lying. And I’m definitely not bulls#*tting you or talking smack, here. It’s just the way it goes. So there’s the truth about the South Holston. Bet you weren’t ready for that. Now, were you?
But it only gets worse. Here’s why…
The South Holston trout are educated. Spooky. Very hard to catch and land. Most of the time. The generation schedules can be unpredictable. So it’s downright hard to plan an extended trip to the area. Why? Because you never know if you’ll be able to wade fish on any given day during the summer. And lately, it’s been even harder than ever to predict those wading windows, since we’ve had so much rain over the last two years. LOTS of it.
But let’s just say you’re adamant about visiting, anyway. You don’t believe me that the fly fishing on SoHo is really that tough. You think you can make some sense of the TVA generation schedule. And, by God, you’re such a fantastic fly fisherman that you know you can fool all those dumb stupid Southern trout. No way, they’re as smart as their Northern brethren, anyway. So you’re coming. And that’s that. And there’s nothing that I could ever do or say to change you mind. And that’s just fine with me. But, just so you know what you’re getting yourself into. What you’ve signed yourself up for. I’m going to give you just a little taste about what it’s really like to fly fish the South Holston. So hold on tight!
Fly Fish the South Holston: Arrive on the River at Dawn
So here’s the thing. Sometimes, you need to get up early in the summer. Arrive on the river at dawn!
Hurts now. Don’t it? Hungover? You’ll be sorry, indeed.
Now the river is shrouded in a dense fog.
And you often have to fly fish small flies on light leaders.
5x minimum. 6x is better. 6.5x. Even better than that. 7x. Say goodbye to that trophy trout, after all.
Farewell and adieu to you, fair Spanish ladies…
Still think you got what it takes?

So you’ve arrived at SoHo in the early morning. You’re blinded by the fog. The river is already crowded.
That’s cause there’s so many folks visiting from out-of-state, like your hungover self.
Now, you walk a trail. Get into the river. Stumble around on the moss covered riverbed. Almost fall in. Maybe you even take a plunge. Or maybe even one of the locals glares at you for getting too close to the hole he’s fishing… That would probably be me. Mark. Noah. Rod. John. Or Connelly B.
But now you’re casting. You’ve found your own spot.
But, you can barely see your tiny size 22 fly on top of the water. Nope, you just lost sight of it. Thought you might’ve had a rise.
So you stumble and stagger across the river some more. Spot a boulder. Knowing a large trout might be hiding behind it. You cast to it. You do everything right for once.
Suddenly, your indicator fly sinks.
You Set the Hook.
The rod bends deep. The trout takes off on a river wide run. And your heart pounds to the sound of the thunder in the distance.
Jesus, you think. Gotta, land this gal. Get the trophy shot. My friends back home aren’t going believe it. Why, this fish must be at least 20, no 22 inches!
And then, a brown trout leaps from the water in a glorious arch. Fifty feet away!
By God, you say to yourself. By God, that really is a 22-inch brown trout. Don’t screw it up.
Fighting the 22-inch Brown Trout
So you gotta hold that fly rod sky high. Why? Because that lurker trout is trying to bury its face in the moss and weeds that cover the riverbed. And not only that, but it could also wrap your line around a rock. But your shoulder hurts from the strain of it. This fish is putting you to the test.
Then, it comes straight at you. And you try to pull the slack line in, as fast as you can. Somehow, you manage the trick. And you see the trout up close. Brown and golden. Wild. River bred. Stunning colors. Butter! The early morning rays of sunlight sparkling off its hefty flanks.
God, I must land this fish.
Wearing out the Trophy Trout
By now, the fish is losing its strength and so are you, too. Still, you have the upper hand. Even, as it draws you downstream, slow and patiently. And settles down into a deeper trough. The brown trout is tired now. Almost spent.
And you know all you have to do is put a bit of pressure on it. Slowly raise it up from the depths. Then scoop your net underneath it. Then, at last, you’ll have that trophy trout in your greedy little palms… You know, the one you’ve dreamed about catching all your life.
So you put the pressure on it. And she slowly comes to the surface. Just like you planned.
Awesome. Soon you’ll have her in your hand!
You’re confident the prize is just about to be landed.
Already you can see her. Angry. Defiant. Defeated? Just underneath the surface.
You’re like a matador. A trained assassin. A Jedi Knight, fly fishing master at the top of your game.
In you the force is powerful.
Netting the Trophy Trout:
You reach for your net. She’s yours. You say to yourself. Nothing can stop you now. This day will be remembered for all time.
And then, suddenly, without warning, she makes a last ditch run. Straight toward the surface. The brown trout comes. Exploding out of the water. Arching backwards. Catching your light tippet, as she flips.
Instantly, your line snaps, like a dry twig.
What the .. You swear to yourself in disbelief.
Not possible. A fish isn’t that smart. No way, she’d know to leap from the water, backflipping, to break your line. No way, you say. No way, this could ever happen to you.
But it did happen. NO, really. It did.
The One That Got Away
In fact, it happened to me one day, when I was fly fishing the South Holston in 2018. And the brown trout was certainly 22 inches. A glorious brown trout. One of the finest fishes I ever saw. A trout that I’d stalked and casted to for two days. Finally, hooked her. Then, what’s described above actually happened to me. So that’s your taste of what fly fishing on the South Holston can be like. At its best. But it’s not often like that. Not at all.

Fly Fish the South Holston River: A Good Day of Fishing
In fact, most of the time, I’d consider myself lucky, on the South Holston River, if I landed, say, a 1/2 dozen fish between 10 and 14 inches. No, I wouldn’t complain about such a day. Even if most of those fish were just a bunch of stupid stocked fish. Heck, I’d consider it an enjoyable day, even if I ONLY landed JUST one really nice trout all day. One really fine trout, measuring 15 to 18 inches. Maybe even more. And yes, I’ve had many a day like that on the South Holston River, particularly this summer in 2020.
South Holston River Sulphur Stand-down This Summer 2020
What’s that, you say? You mean, there’s been a few days this summer when I’ve only landed one nice fish all day long.
Absolutely.
But I thought that the South Holston River had the best Sulphur hatch in the nation? And the trout rose to those Sulphurs all summer long, producing 25 and 50 fish days?
Well, that’s probably true. But not this year. Not this summer. Because that famous South Holston Sulphur hatch, which I’ve enjoyed fishing so much in summers past, has been nearly nonexistent for most of the summer this year.
And let’s face it. That’s the one thing that makes the South Holston a top fly fishing destination in the East. It’s that predictable hatch of Sulphurs that takes place every day for most of the summer, spring, fall, and even parts of the winter. But when you take those insects away. Well, your fly fishing day just got a whole lot tougher. So that’s how it’s been on the South Holston River, lately. You just get a few Sulphurs. Not even enough to get those wild trout looking up and rising in their feeding lanes, consistently. And that’s just the harsh reality of fly fishing the South Holston River these days.
So, will those Sulphurs ever come back, like before? Maybe. Perhaps. I definitely think so.
It’s just that we’ve had so much rainfall during the last two seasons that I suspect that all those heavy TVA releases interfered with the Sulphurs doing their normal mating and egg laying thing. And no, I’m not an entomologist, by the way. Just in case you haven’t guessed that already.
That said, I did manage to catch a few decent trout, anyway, despite the Sulphur Stand-down this summer:



Fly Fish the South Holston: Tips for Planning a Trip
Anyway, so what’s a fly fisherman from out-of-state, who’s thinking about planning a trip to the South Holston River to make of all of this?
South Holston Generation Schedule: Know It
First, I wouldn’t personally plan to come to the South Holston River unless you know you’re getting a favorable generation schedule for wading. And how do you know that? Well, you can check the South Holston generation schedule online or on the TVA app for your smartphone. Also, please remember this. The TVA generation schedule is very difficult to predict. But, if you see a favorable generation schedule for wading in the spring, middle of the summer, or fall. And there isn’t much rainfall predicted. Well then, you might just get a chance to wade fish the South Holston for a few days. Maybe even a whole week.
You Can Always Just Hire a Fly Fishing Guide
I should also mention that the easiest way to fish the South Holston River is to just hire a fly fishing guide with a drift boat to take you down the river. And then, you won’t have to worry about the generation schedule, or anything else, because your guide will be more than happy to take care of all your fly fishing needs.
Safety: Know the Generation Schedule. Pay Attention to the Water Levels
But, for anyone, who plans on wading SoHo, it’s crucial that you know the daily generation schedule and pay close attention to the water levels while you’re fly fishing. Otherwise, you might get swept away when the water suddenly rises, off schedule. But, on the bright side, I
doubt that you, or anyone else, could actually drown on the South Holston in this day and age, as I’m sure that a certain sickness would be blamed as the official cause of death in the wake of any drowning. Just saying. So you don’t have to be afraid.
Visit a Local Fly Fishing Shop and Stock up on Local Patterns
Second, as I’ve already stated, the trout on the South Holston are super educated. So you should plan on getting lots of refusals and stopping by a local fly shop to stock up on the local patterns that work the best. No doubt, most of the local shops would steer you right. For example, they might suggest that you buy a +*&& #a##$ pattern. Boy, do those South Holston trout really love those!
Call a Local Fly Shop and Ask About Current Conditions
And finally, you shouldn’t expect the South Holston River to fish like one of the best tailwaters in the nation, unless there is a robust Sulphur hatch occurring all summer long. And how would you know that? Well, you could call one of the more reputable fly shops in the area, like the South Holston River Company or the South Holston Fly Shop. And ask them if the Sulphur hatch is going strong. But if you just show up to fly fish SoHo without knowing this, you might just leave the river in frustration and disappointed, having only fished a few sporadic Sulphurs and an occasional Black Fly hatch. And let’s just say that the Black Fly hatch is downright tough to fish at best.
In sum, I’d say that’s about all I have to say about fly fishing the South Holston River in Northeast Tennessee. So yes. It can be one of the best rivers to fly fish in the United States and, certainly, in the East. But only when there’s a respectable and consistent Sulphur hatch going on. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been happening lately. But maybe. Just maybe. Things will get better someday soon. In so many ways…

Fly Fish the South Holston: Return to Greatness
That said, to me, the South Holston is almost always fun to fish. The river is pretty and tranquil. And you can still catch some awesome trout. You just have to work a lot harder to catch them right now. Still, I definitely wouldn’t mind it if those Sulphurs began showing up again in big numbers. Then, the South Holston trout will start to rise to those flies in earnest and with reckless abandon. And you can bet that when they do, that I’ll be there casting to them, and landing a good deal of them, too. Then, at the end of the day, instead of hearing so many locals complaining about how slow the fly fishing has been lately. They’ll all be swearing, once again, that the South Holston River is one of the finest fly fishing destinations in the whole nation.
Subscribe:
Thank you for reading my blog post about fly fishing the South Holston River in Northeast Tennessee. If you’ve enjoyed reading this, please subscribe so that I can send you notices about my future posts. Subscribing is FREE and I don’t spam or share your email. Also, please share this post with your friends, family members, and co-workers on the usual social networks. This will help support this blog and grow my audience.