Cataloochee Creek (TN headwaters)
What to throw right now
Per-species breakdown & tactics
Pick a fish, then Fly, Spin, or Colors. Your last pick is remembered.
Best window: morning
3-4 wt short rod (7'6" or less) for tight casting under rhododendron. 7.5 ft leader, 5X tippet. Bow-and-arrow cast OR roll cast into pocket water behind boulders, overhead casts catch in the canopy. Brookies are aggressive but spook at line splash; land the fly with no leader on the water if you can. Dry-dropper (Royal Wulff + #16 Hare's Ear) covers both column zones in one drift.
Flies: Royal Wulff #14, Elk Hair Caddis #14, Bead Head Hare's Ear #16
Match the hatch by stage. Emerger first, dun second, spinner at last light.
In a few hours
Ultralight 5'-6' rod, 2-4 lb mono. Cast a 1/32 oz inline spinner directly into the head of a plunge pool and let it tumble through. Retrieve speed: just fast enough to feel the blade tick. Brookies hold tight to the bottom in low-flow pockets; the strike comes on the first pass or not at all. Move between holes constantly, these fish don't sit and stew.
Lures: Small bead-head nymph (#14-18 Pheasant Tail / Zebra Midge) under a pencil bobber, 1/32 oz Mepps, 1/16 oz Panther Martin
Small bead-head nymph under a pencil bobber, or olive spinner through seams.
In a few hours
- Chartreuse Highest visibility in green-stained water. First pick for walleye, sauger, and crappie when stain sets in.
- Orange / flame red Sauger and walleye locate by sight even in stain. Bright contrast beats natural finishes head to head.
Engine pick right now: natural, tan
Guide pick for stained water (fall): black wooly bugger, chartreuse egg, hot pink San Juan
Trout key on size and drift first, color second. In clear water naturals win. In stain, go dark or bright so the fly reads against the murk.
Full color matrix for stained water
- barometric trend+10
- pre frontal surge+8
- cloud cover+4
- in season+4
- wind speed+3
Best window: morning
5-6 wt rod, floating line, 4X tippet. Cover water with a #10 olive wooly bugger first, then drop to a #14 Pheasant Tail if nothing's eating up top. Vary depth + retrieve speed until you find what works.
Flies: Olive Wooly Bugger #10, Pheasant Tail #14
Match the hatch by stage. Emerger first, dun second, spinner at last light.
In a few hours
Medium-light combo, 8 lb mono. 1/16 oz curl-tail grub on a steady retrieve covers the broadest set of conditions. Vary depth + speed until the bite is found.
Lures: Small bead-head nymph (#14-18 Pheasant Tail / Zebra Midge) under a pencil bobber, 1/16 oz jig, small spinnerbait
Small bead-head nymph under a pencil bobber, or olive spinner through seams.
In a few hours
- Chartreuse Highest visibility in green-stained water. First pick for walleye, sauger, and crappie when stain sets in.
- Orange / flame red Sauger and walleye locate by sight even in stain. Bright contrast beats natural finishes head to head.
Engine pick right now: natural, black
Guide pick for stained water (fall): black wooly bugger, chartreuse egg, hot pink San Juan
Trout key on size and drift first, color second. In clear water naturals win. In stain, go dark or bright so the fly reads against the murk.
Full color matrix for stained water
- barometric trend+10
- pre frontal surge+8
- cloud cover+4
- in season+4
- wind speed+3
Next 24 hours · weather forecast
Scroll for hourly temperature, wind, and precipitation.
Latest readings
Live telemetry| Air temp (°F) | 58.3°F |
|---|---|
| Cloud cover (%) | 53% |
| Dew point (°C) | 16.1°C |
| Relative humidity (%) | 75% |
| Chance of precipitation (%) | 16% |
| Precipitation (in) | 0.08 in |
| Barometric pressure (mb) | 1,020.2 mb |
| Rain past 24h (in) | 0.76 in |
| Rain past 6h (in) | 0.01 in |
| Wind direction | SSW (196°) |
| Wind (mph) | 3.3 mph |
Reading freshness
Source update lag| Barometric pressure (mb) | 0 min ago openmeteo |
|---|---|
| Wind (mph) | 0 min ago openmeteo |
| Cloud cover (%) | 0 min ago openmeteo |
| Air temp (°F) | 0 min ago openmeteo |
| Rain past 24h (in) | 2779.1 h ago openmeteo stale |
| Rain past 6h (in) | 0 min ago nws |
Hatch matcher · this month
Active aquatic insect emergences & suggested imitations.
Year-round on TVA tailwaters (Clinch, Holston, Watauga, S Holston)
South Holston signature; weeks 14-39 (Apr-Sep). Bank-to-bank evening hatches; verified RiverRunAngling + AppOutdoors + SoEAnglers.
Weeks 22-39 (late May-Sep); big freestones; Hiwassee + Holston. Shop consensus.
Weeks 36-46 (Sep-early Nov); cool overcast afternoons. Shop consensus.
Next few hours · best species
Prime windows for active feeding over the next 12 hours (EDT).
7-day forecast
Composite spot scores over the coming week.
10-day weather & pressure outlook
Extended NWS meteorological outlook.
| Day | High | Low | Wind | Cloud | Rain % | Pressure | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 81°F | 62°F | Unknown | — | 0% | 657.9 mb | nws | |
| 83°F | 64°F | Unknown | — | 2% | 559.3 mb | nws | |
| 82°F | 64°F | Unknown | — | 20% | 534.4 mb | nws | |
| 78°F | 64°F | Unknown | — | 24% | 554.7 mb | nws | |
| 78°F | 62°F | Unknown | — | 28% | 566.2 mb | nws | |
| 77°F | 62°F | Unknown | — | 32% | 650.7 mb | nws | |
| 76°F | 61°F | Unknown | — | 37% | 685.8 mb | nws | |
| 74°F | 59°F | Unknown | — | 31% | 818.6 mb | nws | |
| 74°F | 51°F | Unknown | — | 27% | 1,012.9 mb | nws | |
| 76°F | 54°F | Unknown | — | 23% | 1,014.8 mb | openmeteo |
Trends · 7 days
Hover chart points for telemetry details. Gold dot represents latest reading.
Barometric pressure (mb)
Water temperature (°F)
Fishing regulations (TWRA)
Statewide creel and length limits. Confirm the current rule on TWRA before you keep a fish.
These are statewide defaults only. Many waters have their own creel, size, or season rules that override this list. Check the water you are fishing on TWRA before you go.
TWRA fishing regulations · Water-specific exceptions
Statewide defaults (19 rules)
| Species | Rule |
|---|---|
| Alligator Gar | No harvest allowed. Must be returned to water immediately. |
| Black Bass (includes Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted Alabama And Coosa) | No more than 5 black bass per day in any combination may be taken. | None |
| Catfish | Only one (1) catfish over 34 inches may be harvested per day. No harvest limit on catfish less than 34 inches. |
| Crappie | 15 | 10 inches |
| Lake Trout | Only 2 of your 7 total trout may be lake trout. | None |
| Muskellunge | 1 | 36 inches |
| Paddlefish | Paddlefish may be harvested from April 24 through May 31. Daily creel limit is 2 fish per day with no size limit. Culling is prohibited. Exceptions on Center Hill, Cherokee, and Watts Bar reservoirs. |
| Redear Sunfish (shellcracker) | 20 | None |
| Redear Sunfish Or Shellcracker | 20 | None |
| Region 1 Crappie Exception: Unless Otherwise Noted For Specific Waters. | 30 | None |
| Rock Bass Or Redeye And Shadow Bass | 20 | None |
| Sauger Or Sauger/walleye Hybrids | 10 | 15 inches |
| Shovelnose Sturgeon | No harvest allowed. Must be returned to the water immediately. |
| Skipjack Herring | 100 | None |
| Striped Bass Or Hybrid Striped Bass (any Combination) | 2 | 15 inches |
| Trout (all Trout Species Combined) | 7 | None |
| Walleye | 5 | 16 inches |
| White Bass | 15 | None |
| Yellow Bass, Bluegill, Warmouth, Bream, Bullheads, Pickerel, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, And Nongame Species | no limit | None |