Fishing Report - South Holston Tailwater - Bristol, TN

I was down in Norton, VA for my outpatient medicine rotation and had the opportunity to duck down to the South Holston tailwater on a Sunday morning. The trip started out on a fantastic note with a cool 60 degree morning and a drive through the twisty back roads of SW Virginia. I pulled into the South Holston Fly Shop around 11:00 and met a really nice guy that set me up with a great selection of Sulphur dries, nymphs, and emergers. The shop also had a great selection of hackle at very fair prices and the guy working there was kind enough to give me some tips on tying while I was there, as well as telling me what setup that was working that week with the large amount of rainfall from the tropical storm.

After leaving the shop it was a short jaunt down to the river (despite a few wrong turns) and I hurriedly rigged up a CDC dry fly to try and get some fishing in before the water rose while they were generating power. I saw lots of fish rising but didn't get any bites until I took the time to add the dropper fly they had suggested at the shop. I pulled in a great trout, not huge, but enough to whet my appetite.

It was getting late, so I decided to take a break for lunch and regroup. Sitting down on the bank, I ran into the homeowner who had just purchased this amazing home right on the river, but had recently had trouble with folks coming up the bank and making trouble. After he found out I wasn't going to "take a s#%! on his lawn" we got to talking and he remembered me from the shop and was an avid fly fisherman who knew the river really well. He was nice enough to donate some frog's fanny to my cause and I was off again.

Unfortunately, I'm still new to the sport and was wading in worn out crocs and shorts and was really struggling, not only slipping on every rock, but also freezing in the perfect trout-temperature water. Unbelievably, I turned around a

nd the same gentleman was calling me to shore holding his top-of-the-line waders and boots. He generously lent me his waders, boots, rod, and flies all while sitting on his patio that abutted the river drinking a beer and pointing out the hot spots. I caught a few more trout, but learned a ton about reading a river, landing fish, and so many more helpful tips. The river was beautiful, but this kindness made my trip.

I highly recommend this river, which supposedly has 5,000 fish per mile in the tailwater. But be respectful of those with property along the river and ask lots of question because you never know who you'll meet.