March 2019 Club Meeting: South Holston and Watagua River Tailwaters

By Larry Forte

I have heard amazing things about the South Holston and Watagua Rivers. Plenty of trout and plenty of big trout. It is on my list of places to fish. So when our guest speaker, Joe Kostura, owner of Highland Outfitters in Lineville, NC, asked about speaking at one of my meetings, it was a very easy decision.

I hope you can join us at our next Meeting on Tuesday, March 12that 7:00 PM. Joe’s presentation will cover the South Holston and Watauga River Tailwater Fisheries. Both of these Rivers are located in Northeast Tennessee (TN), near Elizabethton and Bristol, TN, and they are both considered two of the best trout fisheries in the Southeast, and possibly even the entire East Coast. They are year-round fisheries in every sense of the phrase. Neither River freezes in the Winter, nor get too hot in the Summer. Water temperatures stay between 42-58 degrees throughout the year.

Joe will cover all four Seasons, how to fish and approach each Season, hatches and bugs, sections of each River fished during select times of the year to chase those big Brown Trout around, sight fishing on the South Holston River, a few techniques, and of course, answer any questions along the way and after his presentation.

A few key facts to think about:

The Watagua River: Includes 18 miles of River to fish. It has an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 fish per mile.

Fly Hatches include:

  • Caddis – April & May
  • Sulphurs – May & June
  • Blue Wing Olives – All year long

The South Holston River: Includes 18 miles of River to fish. It has an estimated 8,000-10,000 fish

per mile.

Fly Hatches include:

  • Sulphur Capitol of the World (9 months of Bugs!)
  • Blue Wing Olives – All year long

It promises to be a fun evening. I hope to see you on the 12th!