There’s no way to say which state offers the best trout fishing in the Eastern United States. But there’s a good chance that Tennessee is the most underrated.
Tennessee offers an incredible range of truly world-class trout fishing opportunities, allowing anglers to target brook, brown and rainbow trout using a wide range of techniques. Whether you’re a seasoned fly angler or content to toss spinners and spoons, you’ll find a lot to love about Tennessee trout streams.
You can also target both wild and stocked fish, often in the same stream. Tennessee has several truly excellent tailwater fisheries where abundant rainbow trout and wild trophy brown trout cohabitate.
Native brook trout are also not to be overlooked, especially in the tiny streams they call home in the Great Smoky Mountains. The restoration of Southern Appalachian brook trout has been a great comeback story in recent decades.
South Holston River
The South Holston River begins in Virginia, where it is known as one of the best trout rivers in that state. Dammed to form South Holston Lake as it crosses the state line, the river ultimately continues until the North and Middle Holston Rivers join it to form the main stem.
The section that draws the most angler attention in Tennessee is the tailwater below the South Holston Dam, and rightfully so. The 18 miles of the South Holston River between the dam and the upper end of Boone Lake is among the best tailwater fisheries in the East.
Surveys by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) reveal one of the highest-density trout populations in the state, roughly 8,500 fish per mile.
Many of these fish are stocked rainbow trout, which are fully capable of holding over to reach impressive sizes thanks to consistently cold discharges from the base of the South Holston Dam.
But the river holds a surprise: wild brown trout.
A self-sustaining brown trout population resides in the South Holston River Tailwater, with fish averaging 12 to 20 inches but often getting much bigger. Anglers have caught browns weighing 20 pounds here.
Fish of that stature are no easy catch.
Rainbows, when freshly stocked, will fall for just about anything. But once they get used to the river’s natural food sources, they become more picky. Monster browns that were born and grew up here are even more discerning.
That makes it a technical but rewarding fly-fishing stream. Dry fly fishing here is better than in most tailwaters, thanks to abundant insect hatches. Blue Winged Olive and Sulphur mayflies are the most prolific, and the latter can emerge on any given day from April to November.
Scuds and midges are also important, along with black flies and their larvae, during the winter months.
Access is plentiful, with riverside trails below the dam, and wading is usually possible unless the Tennessee Valley Authority is discharging lots of water. Check the schedule on the TVA website.
More: Complete Guide to Fishing the South Holston River
Watauga River
Often considered a sister river to the nearby South Holston, the Watauga River offers similar opportunities to catch wild brown trout and stocked rainbows.
The trout population density is a little lower here, though still impressive at around 6,000 fish per mile.
The Watauga is a tailwater fishery that extends about 17 miles from Wilbur Dam to Boone Lake.
It’s an excellent fly fishing stream that regularly produces brown trout over 20 inches. Rainbows are easier to catch and commonly measure 12 to 14 inches.
It’s also a pleasant river to fly-fish. Deep pools, long runs, some large boulders, and grassy banks provide ample trout habitat.
The amount and quality of access varies along the river, with quite a bit flowing through private property.
There’s a landing and access site right below the dam, which provides modest bank fishing and wading access but is mostly used as a put-in for float trips. The best way to get the most out of the Watauga River is to use a drift boat.
But there are some good bank spots farther downriver. The Siam Bridge access is a popular spot, and Riverside Park in Elizabethtown offers a long stretch of bank with trails alongside the river.
Farther downriver, there’s a popular Special Regulations section from Smalling’s Bridge downstream to the CSX railroad bridges, which has a 14-inch minimum length limit, two trout creel limit, and only artificial lures may be used.
Throughout the Watauga River, excellent fly fishing opportunities are available depending on the season.
There are phenomenal Sulphur hatches (along with Eastern Pale Evening Duns, also called Sulphurs here). You’ll also encounter Blue Winged Olives and several caddis species, including Little Black and Cinnamon Caddis.
Terrestrials are excellent in summer, especially during the early part of the season when Japanese beetles tumble out of the overhanging trees.
As with any tailwater, flows vary, so check the TVA release schedule for safety.
More: Complete Guide to Fishing the Watauga River
Little River
For anyone in Tennessee who wants to catch wild trout in a wild setting, the Little River is easily one of the best options. The first (and best) 18 miles of the river flow through the ruggedly beautiful landscape of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
By the time it reaches Townsend, a little ways outside the park’s boundary, the river is too warm for trout to live year-round. But within the park, wild rainbow and brown trout abound, with native brook trout more common near the headwaters.
It’s important to understand that the Little River is actually three rivers within the National Park, with each of its branches—referred to as “prongs”—offering distinct opportunities.
The East Prong of the Little River, usually known simply as the Little River among locals, is the largest and most popular. Little River Gorge Road parallels the East Prong for its lower 2 miles within the park, and hiking trails follow it for several more miles above Elkmont Campground.
There are many excellent stretches of water throughout the East Prong of the Little River. Large brown trout are available in the low-gradient area around Metcalf Bottoms, and the faster water up around Long Arm Bridge is often excellent.
The section that flows through the Little River Gorge is difficult to access. Above the gorge up to the Elkmont Campground, you’ll find a lot of classic riffle-pool-run configurations with great fly fishing.
Above the campground, the river is much smaller. Access is only by foot, and the number of other anglers will be fewer. This stretch, along with smaller tributaries like the Fish Camp Prong, is where you’re most likely to find native brook trout.
Hatches on the Little River are varied and abundant. Little Winter Stoneflies and Little Brown Stoneflies are some of the earliest, and the Little Black Caddis hatch in mid-February is massive.
Numerous other stoneflies, caddis and mayfly species hatch off and on throughout the year. Trout (and therefore anglers) key on stoneflies whenever they are available.
As in many Smoky Mountain streaks, Blue Winged Olives are the most widespread of the mayfly hatches.
The Middle Prong of the Little River also has some excellent fishing opportunities, especially in its upper reaches and in small tributaries like the Lynn Camp Prong, where native Southern Appalachian brook trout have been largely restored.
Hiwassee River
Tennessee’s first State Scenic River, the Hiwassee River begins in the Appalachian Mountains of Northeastern Georgia. It cuts through North Carolina and is impounded by the Apalachia Dam just before crossing the state line, making Tennessee’s portion a tailwater fishery.
And it’s a great one.
The TWRA stocks browns, rainbows and brook trout here, and cool water discharges from the Apalachia Powerhouse allow plenty of holdovers. Water is piped from the reservoir to the Powerhouse, about 10 miles downriver, which is where the best fishing begins.
Starting at the Powerhouse, the Hiwassee River widens significantly and tumbles through a series of deep pools and shelf-like shoals. The river here is broad and excellent for both wading and drift boats.
There’s also a ton of great access. The tailwater section of the Hiwassee River flows through Cherokee National Forest, which includes numerous places to get on the water.
The Powerhouse Boat Ramp is the first good spot, and there’s plenty of roadside access along Powerhouse Road down to the Big Bend parking area. From Big Bend, trails follow the river downstream to the Childers Creek parking area.
A huge variety of insect hatches happen here.
Blue Winged Olives can hatch virtually any time, along with sporadic Hendricksons in spring and Little Slate Drakes in summer. Golden and Little Yellow Stoneflies appear in May and June, and various caddis flies hatch from April to August.
Midges are also available year-round, making them a safe bet any time there isn’t an active hatch. Streamers that mimic native sculpins can sometimes tempt larger brown trout.
A seven-fish creel limit, only two of which may be brown trout, is in place from the Apalachia Powerhouse down to the L&N railroad bridge. This section also has a catch-and-release-only Delayed Harvest season from October 1 to the end of February.
The Apalachia Powerhouse area also can offer some of the better striper fishing action in Tennessee.
Clinch River
Often considered one of the best trout rivers in the Eastern United States, the Clinch River flows from Virginia into Tennessee through the Great Appalachian Valley. The quality of its fishing and proximity to Knoxville make it a very popular fly fishing destination.
That being said, it isn’t necessarily easy. Much of the best trout water is smooth, clear and cold, necessitating a stealth approach. Small flies and long, light leaders and tippets are the keys to success.
Though there is also good fishing for smallmouth bass farther upriver in Virginia, the best section of the Clinch River for trout is the tailwater below Norris Dam in Tennessee.
Rainbow trout are stocked in abundance, and brook trout are planted more sparsely.
But the river is really known for its monster brown trout. An angler caught the state record brown trout weighing 28 pounds, 12 ounces here in 1988, and few rivers are more likely to produce another contender.
That fish was caught in the brief section below Norris Lake to the Miller’s Island Boat Ramp. This stretch, along with the next 13 miles down to the Highway 61 bridge in Clinton, represent the best trout water.
The Miller’s Island area, in particular, is popular because it has more riffles, runs, and shallow rock ledges, which break up the water’s otherwise smooth flow and provide better opportunities for wading.
Drift boats provide access to more good areas, though it’s easy to run aground when the water is low. There is also a Weir Pond about a mile below the dam, where multitudes of trout are often easily visible but near-impossible to catch.
In general, dry fly fishing is tough on the Clinch River. Imitating the midges that make up the bulk of the local trout diet is a better bet, and streamers can also be effective.
Where hatches are concerned, Sulphur mayflies and Cinnamon Caddis are occasionally available.
Abrams Creek
There are many excellent trout streams in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Abrams Creek is one of the best, even if its reputation may rest more on past glories than on its current state.
Abrams Creek was once one of the better trophy brown trout streams in the park, but brown trout populations have declined. Even so, the creek is perhaps better than ever for rainbow trout, and it remains one of the most popular streams in the region.
Part of that has to do with ample access. The easiest place to get to the water is at Cades Cove, where you’ll also find a campground, picnic areas, plenty of parking, and access to various hiking trails.
Cades Cove is, for all intents and purposes, the headwaters of Abrams Creek. Above this area, the creek’s primary tributary is the tiny Anthony Creek, which disappears into the sponge-like limestone topography and reemerges as Abrams Creek.
Doing so also raises the pH of the water, helping the insects trout feed on to thrive. That’s a big part of why Abrams Creek is so good, and why rainbow trout up to 18 inches are common.
The upper end of Abrams Creek is very much like a limestone spring creek. Farther down, it loses that characteristic and transitions into a typical freestone stream. Farther still, down around Abrams Campground, it warms up and becomes more of a smallmouth stream.
From Abrams Falls down through the Little Bottoms area, a network of trails follows the creek. The best stretch, known as “The Horseshoe,” is where the creek loops away from the trail for a mile-long section, allowing intrepid anglers to wade away from the crowds.
An incredible variety of insect hatches happen on Abrams Creek. Common spring hatches include Blue Winged Olives, Blue Quills, Quill Gordons, March Browns and Little Black Caddis.
Fall brings additional Blue Winged Olives and a prolific Mahogany Dun hatch.
Honorable Mentions
Caney Fork River
A tributary of the Cumberland River in Central Tennessee, the Caney Fork River is 143 miles in total length. The section best known for excellent trout fishing is the 26-mile stretch from Center Hill Lake and Dam to the river’s confluence with the Cumberland.
This tailwater fishery is stocked abundantly. Rainbow trout are most common, but anglers can also catch some beautiful brown trout here, as well as occasional brook trout.
Water is released from the base of the dam, keeping the stream a fairly consistent 55 degrees.
How you approach fishing the Caney Fork depends on how heavy the flow is, so be sure to check the release schedule. The river can be waded or fished from the banks, and there is excellent access right below the dam and farther downriver at Happy Hollow and Betty’s Island.
Several species of mayfly and caddis fly hatch here, but not with much consistency. Midges are the most universally effective offering, though there are times that baitfish-imitating streamers can also produce quite well.
More: Complete Guide to Fishing the Caney Fork
Tellico River
Like many trout rivers on the western slopes of the Appalachians, the Tellico River begins in North Carolina before tumbling across the state line into Tennessee. This large freestone stream is heavily stocked, but also has some wild trout mixed in.
The river offers about 18 miles of prime trout water from its headwaters down to Tellico Plains. Many of its smaller tributaries are also excellent, with Bald Creek especially noted for its wild brown trout.
Freshly stocked trout are fairly easy to catch here. Wild trout and the larger holdover hatchery fish are less so.
Most of the major Eastern insect hatches are present, including Blue Quills and Quill Gordons early in the season. There’s also a large Little Black Caddis hatch in March.
The state manages the Tellico River under Delayed Harvest regulations from October 1 to the last day in February. Trout fishing during that time is strictly catch-and-release with artificial lures only.
Citico Creek
A small but very popular trout stream in eastern Tennessee, Citico Creek originates in the Citico Wilderness Area within Cherokee National Forest. The creek flows through public land and is stocked with an ample supply of catchable rainbow trout.
Trout are stocked from March through August, and the creek stays cool enough to allow some holdovers, though intense fishing pressure means that older, larger trout are somewhat rare. Visit on a weekday if you want to beat the heaviest crowds.
Matching the hatch with accuracy is not a requirement here. You’ll be catching trout that are fresh from the hatchery for the most part, and they readily fall for bait and in-line spinners.
Citico Creek is easily accessible via a series of streamside walking paths, and Forest Service Road 35 follows it for much of its length.
There are two primitive tent campgrounds along the creek within the Cherokee National Forest.
Little Pigeon River
Consisting of three prongs—West, Middle and East—the Little Pigeon River is known for excellent wild brook and rainbow trout fishing in Eastern Tennessee. The West and Middle Prongs originate in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Wild trout aficionados especially revere the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River. It’s easily accessible from US-441, also known as Newfound Gap Road, which makes it one of the more popular places to fly fish in the park.
Expect to catch mostly rainbows, with native brook trout increasing in number near the headwaters. Below the point where the three prongs meet, the main stem of the Little Pigeon River offers excellent smallmouth bass fishing.
Most of the usual eastern mayfly and caddis species hatch here, but only sparsely. You may see a few Blue Winged Olives starting in February and some Blue Quills and Quill Gordons the following month. March Browns are one of the better hatches, occurring from April into June.
Obey River (Dale Hollow Tailwater)
The underrated tailwater section of the Obey River below Dale Hollow Reservoir offers some excellent fishing for rainbow and brown trout, which the nearby Dale Hollow National Fish Hatchery stocks multiple times every season.
The best fishing and easiest access is immediately below the dam, where wading is an excellent option during relatively low water. Areas farther downriver can be challenging to access due to steep banks and a deep, narrow river channel.
That said, trout can be caught for about 7 miles below the dam, including some large holdover fish.
Basic fly patterns, including Wooly Buggers, midges, and streamers, usually do the trick, and gear anglers catch many trout using Rooster Tails and Blue Fox spinners.
In addition to the tailwater, rainbow trout are also stocked in Dale Hollow Reservoir itself most years. Anglers catch them by trolling spinners and spoons, especially on deep points and near the dam. The colder months are best in the lake, which is renowned for its record-breaking smallmouth bass.
Doe River
Starting in the mountains of Northeast Tennessee and ultimately emptying into the Watauga River, the Doe Rover offers varied trout fishing opportunities along its varied course. It’s especially known for wild brown trout in the upper part of the river.
Some rainbows and occasional brookies are also available, particularly in the section of the river within Roan Mountain State Park. This stretch is managed under Delayed Harvest Regulations, making it catch-and-release and artificial lures only from October 1 to the end of February.
The headwaters being on private property, the State Park provides the easiest access and best fishing. Nymphs are most effective at targeting the Doe’s larger brown trout, though sporadic hatches offer some dry fly opportunities.
There is also excellent fishing in a roughly 8-mile stretch below the state park, which Carter County Parks & Recreation manages as the Doe River Fishing Trail. This section is regularly stocked and offers multiple angler parking areas and access trails.
Elk River
Another excellent tailwater fishery is available below Tims Ford Dam on the Elk River. This south-central Tennessee river has been stocked repeatedly with brown trout and rainbows and usually offers some nice holdovers.
About 15 miles of the Elk River below the dam support trout. It’s a fairly small river that is excellent for wading when flow levels allow, so be sure to check the dam’s discharge schedule before you go.
Scuds make up a significant part of a trout’s diet here, and midges are also abundant.
The Elk River hosts some decent mayfly and caddis hatches as well, so dry flies can be effective at times, but nymphing is usually the way to go.
The best access is right below Tims Ford Dam, but there are a few additional sites downriver, including Garner’s Ford and Farris Creek Bridge. The Elk River can be floated in a canoe when water is not being discharged from the dam.
Tims Ford Lake above the dam is better known for its bass fishing.