The Watauga Dam created the 6,430 acre Watauga Lake. Floating these rivers allows you to cover more productive water, and water that is not accessible to wade fishing. The Watauga River is a tributary of the Holston River The 20 mile tailwater from Wilbur Dam to Boone lake is the most prized trout fishing part of the river. Our professional guides assist you as you wade for trophy trout and wild trout on the Watauga River in North Carolina. With the water “on,” the South Holston is only accessible by boat and wading anglers should take caution to not get caught in the rising water. When the Tennessee Valley Authority operates zero hydroelectric generators at South Holston Dam, much of the river is accessible on foot. The river is not wadeable during a water release and you should plan to float it. Anglers can wade the Watauga with no generators running at Wilbur Dam and can float on low flow, or with one or two generators on.Western North Carolina is home to hundreds of miles of backcountry trout streams, most of which are in secluded parts of National Forest land. After it comes out of Wilbur dam it flows and winds for 22 miles of blue ribbon trout fishing water.Enjoy a private, guided fly fishing trip wading in one of the most beautiful rivers and streams in the backyard of Asheville's mountains.
It is an incredibly diverse river both in setting and bug life. The river is home to enormous fish that inhabit the deep pools, large pods of trout feeding heavily in the riffles and a caddis hatch that brings nearly every fish in the river to gorge on the surface.Also like the South Holston, the Watauga is a tailrace fed with year-round cool water that is perfect for trout fishing at any point in the year. From riffle water to plunge pools and everything in between, wild brown, rainbow and brook trout in these streams are eager to take a well-presented dry fly or nymph throughout most of the year. The Watauga is the river for you if you want to learn many different techniques.Watauga River Float Trip with Curtis Wright OutfittersFly Fishing in Asheville with Curtis Wright Outfitters will ensure the best opportunity for you to enjoy this unique area and catch and release some spectacular fish. I fished for four hours and took home seven rainbow trout between 17 and 22 inches long. It is just an hour drive from Asheville, and we normally float the quality section through Watauga, TN. The solitude and the picturesque backdrop of these streams makes for one of the purest fly fishing experiences around. I can also tell you the best day of trout fishing I have ever had. Three miles further down river, are the much smaller Wilbur Dam and Lake, used during the summer to release water back into the river. After it comes out of Wilbur dam it flows and winds for 22 miles of blue ribbon trout fishing water.The Watauga river is located in east Tennessee near Johnson City and is just a hour north out of Asheville North Carolina. After it comes out of Wilbur dam it flows and winds for 22 miles of blue ribbon trout fishing water.
The Watauga is one of our favorites.
One moment we are nymph fishing a slow section, the next fishing sulphur dry flies below a riffle, next casting beetles and ants under overhanging sycamores, and then nymph fishing deep whitewater runs. Our guides are Fly Fishing in Asheville with Curtis Wright Outfitters will ensure the best opportunity for you to enjoy this unique area and catch and release some spectacular fish. Our guides are Watauga River Float Trip with Asheville Anglers Guide ServiceThe Watauga river is located in east Tennessee near Johnson City and is just a hour north out of Asheville North Carolina.
Casual & Outdoor Wear • Full Service Fly Shop • Guide ServiceThe South Holston River is hailed by many as one of the best trout streams in the eastern United States and is quickly gaining a reputation for being among the nation’s best tailwaters.
Through the fall and early winter, nymphing can produce quality fish. The 20 mile tailwater from Wilbur Dam to Boone lake is the most prized trout fishing part of the river.
The headwaters of the 78.5 mile long Watauga, begin at Peak Mountain in North Carolina on the western slope of the Eastern Continental Divide, and end at its confluence with the South Fork of the Holston River. This upper stretch of the Watauga tailwater runs for a short distance before emptying into Wilbur Lake, a smaller reservoir used for further flood control and hydroelectric generation.
Floating these rivers allows you to cover more productive water, and water that is not accessible to wade fishing. During these trips you may have opportunities to get out of the raft and wade fish “back cuts” and special riffle areas that are known to hold better than average fish. Also, it is important to note that the Watuaga is not for beginner oarsmen and certain sections are very technical and dangerous. Our guides are The Watauga river is located in east Tennessee near Johnson City and is just a hour north out of Asheville North Carolina. The Watauga river starts in Boone NC and flows west into east Tennessee into Watauga lake. It is an incredibly diverse river both in setting and bug life. Tailwater Dam Generation Schedules. That is just the start. The long, slow pools and wary trout make for a technical fishery that demands stealth and poise.With a generator running, the river takes on several thousand more CFS of water and a completely new appearance.
December-February are excellent fishing times on both rivers. Built in 1912 and bought by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in … It, too, is a tailwater river emanating from Wilbur Dam on Watauga Lake. For U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Operated Reservoirs; For Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Operated Reservoirs; TVA Fishing Conditions for Mobile Devices; Flow Conditions at Various Streams and Rivers. This gentle flow and the plentiful access points make the South Holston a favorite among wading anglers. Check Wilbur Dam for projected releases and always be ready to get out quickly if an unplanned release occurs. Both the South Holston River and Watauga River can be fished year-round. On “low water,” as this period of no generation is called, long, fine leaders and small flies will prove most productive.
