Holston River below Cherokee Dam
What to throw right now
Per-species breakdown & tactics
Pick a fish, then Fly, Spin, or Colors. Your last pick is remembered.
Best window: last light
HATCH-MODE FLY SETUP: 5 wt rod with floating line, 9-12 ft tapered leader to 6X fluorocarbon tippet. Match the hatch by stage, emerger (CDC pattern in the film) first, dun (Comparadun, Parachute) second, spinner (rusty spinner) at last light. Cast 3-4 ft above the rise with a reach mend; the line lands sideways and the fly drifts ahead drag-free. Strip-set on small flies, no rod lift.
From a boat or stable bank perch: 6-7 wt sink-tip line, 4-6 ft fluoro tippet to a weighted streamer or beadhead bugger. Cast quartering downstream, mend hard upstream once, then strip-pause-strip through the seam. The fly needs to track in the bottom third of the column; if it skates near the surface during generation you'll get nothing. Drop a split shot 6" above the fly if the sink-tip isn't getting there.
From a boat or stable bank perch: 6-7 wt sink-tip line, 4-6 ft fluoro tippet to a weighted streamer or beadhead bugger. Cast quartering downstream, mend hard upstream once, then strip-pause-strip through the seam. The fly needs to track in the bottom third of the column; if it skates near the surface during generation you'll get nothing. Drop a split shot 6" above the fly if the sink-tip isn't getting there.
Flies: Wooly Bugger #6 (weighted), Sculpin Streamer #6
Match the hatch by stage. Emerger first, dun second, spinner at last light.
In a few hours
HATCH-MODE SPIN SETUP: ultralight 6'-6'6" rod, 4 lb fluoro all the way through. Two productive rigs: (1) #00 or #0 Mepps Aglia or Joe's Fly in olive-and-yellow, cast quartering upstream + retrieve just fast enough to spin the blade through the seam; (2) a #16 beadhead Pheasant Tail OR Zebra Midge tied to a 24" tippet hanging below a 1/2" pencil bobber, drifted dead-naturally through the same lane a fly angler would target. The bobber rig outfishes the spinner once trout are keyed on a specific bug.
Medium-action spinning rod, 8-10 lb braid + 6 lb fluoro leader. Use the heaviest jighead that still lets the lure breathe (1/4 oz minimum during generation; 3/8 oz if the flow is heavy). Cast across-current and slow-roll back with the rod tip down. Fish the slack-water pockets behind boulders + dam piers; trout stack there during high flow waiting for food.
Medium-action spinning rod, 8-10 lb braid + 6 lb fluoro leader. Use the heaviest jighead that still lets the lure breathe (1/4 oz minimum during generation; 3/8 oz if the flow is heavy). Cast across-current and slow-roll back with the rod tip down. Fish the slack-water pockets behind boulders + dam piers; trout stack there during high flow waiting for food.
Lures: Small bead-head nymph (#14-18 Pheasant Tail / Zebra Midge) under a pencil bobber, 3/8 oz inline spinner, 1/4 oz curly tail grub
Small bead-head nymph under a pencil bobber, or olive spinner through seams.
In a few hours
Stained
- 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: olive, black, white
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
ColorClearStainedMuddy
ChartreuseAvoidBestGood
Orange / flame redAvoidBestGood
Black / blueAvoidGoodBest
White / shadGoodGoodAvoid
Fire tigerAvoidGoodBest
PurpleGoodGoodAvoid
Natural / shadBestAvoidAvoid
Watermelon redBestAvoidAvoid
Hatch: 71% (terrestrials) Active hatch. Fly imitations and small surface bugs are working.
- Generation high-water is the most dangerous time on a TN tailwater. Watch the schedule, never wade during a release, and step back from the bank when the siren sounds.
Why this score
- hatch active+9
- pre frontal surge+8
- barometric trend+8
- in season+4
- cloud cover+1
- dam generation running, capped at 45-35
Best window: morning
HATCH-MODE FLY SETUP: 5 wt rod with floating line, 9-12 ft tapered leader to 6X fluorocarbon tippet. Match the hatch by stage, emerger (CDC pattern in the film) first, dun (Comparadun, Parachute) second, spinner (rusty spinner) at last light. Cast 3-4 ft above the rise with a reach mend; the line lands sideways and the fly drifts ahead drag-free. Strip-set on small flies, no rod lift.
From a boat or stable bank perch: 6-7 wt sink-tip line, 4-6 ft fluoro tippet to a weighted streamer or beadhead bugger. Cast quartering downstream, mend hard upstream once, then strip-pause-strip through the seam. The fly needs to track in the bottom third of the column; if it skates near the surface during generation you'll get nothing. Drop a split shot 6" above the fly if the sink-tip isn't getting there.
From a boat or stable bank perch: 6-7 wt sink-tip line, 4-6 ft fluoro tippet to a weighted streamer or beadhead bugger. Cast quartering downstream, mend hard upstream once, then strip-pause-strip through the seam. The fly needs to track in the bottom third of the column; if it skates near the surface during generation you'll get nothing. Drop a split shot 6" above the fly if the sink-tip isn't getting there.
Flies: Wooly Bugger #6 (weighted), Sculpin Streamer #6
Match the hatch by stage. Emerger first, dun second, spinner at last light.
In a few hours
HATCH-MODE SPIN SETUP: ultralight 6'-6'6" rod, 4 lb fluoro all the way through. Two productive rigs: (1) #00 or #0 Mepps Aglia or Joe's Fly in olive-and-yellow, cast quartering upstream + retrieve just fast enough to spin the blade through the seam; (2) a #16 beadhead Pheasant Tail OR Zebra Midge tied to a 24" tippet hanging below a 1/2" pencil bobber, drifted dead-naturally through the same lane a fly angler would target. The bobber rig outfishes the spinner once trout are keyed on a specific bug.
Medium-action spinning rod, 8-10 lb braid + 6 lb fluoro leader. Use the heaviest jighead that still lets the lure breathe (1/4 oz minimum during generation; 3/8 oz if the flow is heavy). Cast across-current and slow-roll back with the rod tip down. Fish the slack-water pockets behind boulders + dam piers; trout stack there during high flow waiting for food.
Medium-action spinning rod, 8-10 lb braid + 6 lb fluoro leader. Use the heaviest jighead that still lets the lure breathe (1/4 oz minimum during generation; 3/8 oz if the flow is heavy). Cast across-current and slow-roll back with the rod tip down. Fish the slack-water pockets behind boulders + dam piers; trout stack there during high flow waiting for food.
Lures: Small bead-head nymph (#14-18 Pheasant Tail / Zebra Midge) under a pencil bobber, 3/8 oz inline spinner, 1/4 oz curly tail grub
Small bead-head nymph under a pencil bobber, or olive spinner through seams.
In a few hours
Stained
- 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: olive, black, white
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
ColorClearStainedMuddy
ChartreuseAvoidBestGood
Orange / flame redAvoidBestGood
Black / blueAvoidGoodBest
White / shadGoodGoodAvoid
Fire tigerAvoidGoodBest
PurpleGoodGoodAvoid
Natural / shadBestAvoidAvoid
Watermelon redBestAvoidAvoid
Hatch: 71% (terrestrials) Active hatch. Fly imitations and small surface bugs are working.
- Generation high-water is the most dangerous time on a TN tailwater. Watch the schedule, never wade during a release, and step back from the bank when the siren sounds.
Why this score
- hatch active+9
- pre frontal surge+8
- barometric trend+8
- in season+4
- cloud cover+1
- dam generation running, capped at 45-35
Best window: morning
HATCH-MODE FLY SETUP: 6 wt rod with floating line, 9 ft 3X-4X tippet. Hatch-on smallmouth on rivers eat dries you'd throw at trout: #10-12 Stimulator or Chubby Chernobyl, often with a #14 rust-color Hare's Ear dropper. On lake smallmouth, a #4 Game Changer (perch finish) twitched along rocky banks at first light covers more water. Cross-current + dead-drift on rivers, twitch-and-pause on lakes.
From a boat or stable bank perch: 6-7 wt sink-tip line, 4-6 ft fluoro tippet to a weighted streamer or beadhead bugger. Cast quartering downstream, mend hard upstream once, then strip-pause-strip through the seam. The fly needs to track in the bottom third of the column; if it skates near the surface during generation you'll get nothing. Drop a split shot 6" above the fly if the sink-tip isn't getting there.
From a boat or stable bank perch: 6-7 wt sink-tip line, 4-6 ft fluoro tippet to a weighted streamer or beadhead bugger. Cast quartering downstream, mend hard upstream once, then strip-pause-strip through the seam. The fly needs to track in the bottom third of the column; if it skates near the surface during generation you'll get nothing. Drop a split shot 6" above the fly if the sink-tip isn't getting there.
Flies: Wooly Bugger #6 (weighted), Sculpin Streamer #6
Olive wooly bugger or black game changer. Dark silhouette first, drop to rust nymph if refusals.
In a few hours
HATCH-MODE SPIN SETUP: medium-light spinning combo, 8 lb braid + 6 lb fluoro leader. River: 1/16 oz brown jig + 2" smoke craw trailer ticked along bottom seams, smallies hammer it during the hatch as they key on emerging caddis nymphs. Lake: tiny 1/16 oz hair jig under a slip-bobber rig drifted along rocky shorelines. Surface action: 1/8 oz Yellow Magic popper twitched dead-slow with 5-second pauses.
Medium-action spinning rod, 8-10 lb braid + 6 lb fluoro leader. Use the heaviest jighead that still lets the lure breathe (1/4 oz minimum during generation; 3/8 oz if the flow is heavy). Cast across-current and slow-roll back with the rod tip down. Fish the slack-water pockets behind boulders + dam piers; trout stack there during high flow waiting for food.
Medium-action spinning rod, 8-10 lb braid + 6 lb fluoro leader. Use the heaviest jighead that still lets the lure breathe (1/4 oz minimum during generation; 3/8 oz if the flow is heavy). Cast across-current and slow-roll back with the rod tip down. Fish the slack-water pockets behind boulders + dam piers; trout stack there during high flow waiting for food.
Lures: 1/16 oz brown jig + 2" smoke craw trailer (bottom-tick presentation), 3/8 oz inline spinner, 1/4 oz curly tail grub
Black and blue jig or chartreuse spinnerbait tight to cover. Stained fish hold on wood and rock edges.
In a few hours
Stained
- 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: olive, black, white
Guide pick for stained water (fall): black / blue jig, chartreuse / white spinnerbait
Bass see red and green well and chase high-contrast silhouettes in stain. Black and blue reads as a shad or bluegill profile when detail drops out.
Full color matrix for stained water
ColorClearStainedMuddy
ChartreuseAvoidBestGood
Orange / flame redAvoidBestGood
Black / blueAvoidGoodBest
White / shadGoodGoodAvoid
Fire tigerAvoidGoodBest
PurpleGoodGoodAvoid
Natural / shadBestAvoidAvoid
Watermelon redBestAvoidAvoid
Hatch: 71% (terrestrials) Active hatch. Fly imitations and small surface bugs are working.
- Generation high-water is the most dangerous time on a TN tailwater. Watch the schedule, never wade during a release, and step back from the bank when the siren sounds.
Why this score
- pre frontal surge+10
- hatch active+9
- barometric trend+8
- in season+4
- cloud cover+1
- dam generation running, capped at 45-37
Dam generation & flow schedule
Gen off, wadeable
Gen on, high flow
Now marker
24h release schedule (table)
| Time | Flow (cfs) | State | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 7:00 AM | 99 | Spill/Off | |
| Wed 7:00 AM | 0 | Spill/Off | |
| Wed 8:00 AM | 0 | Spill/Off | |
| Wed 9:00 AM | 0 | Spill/Off | |
| Wed 10:00 AM | 0 | Spill/Off | |
| Wed 11:00 AM | 0 | Spill/Off | |
| Wed 12:00 PM | 0 | Spill/Off | |
| Wed 1:00 PM | 0 | Spill/Off | |
| Wed 2:00 PM | 0 | Spill/Off | |
| Wed 3:00 PM | 0 | Spill/Off | |
| Wed 4:00 PM | 0 | Spill/Off | |
| Wed 5:00 PM | 0 | Spill/Off | |
| Wed 6:00 PM | 0 | Spill/Off | |
| Wed 7:00 PM | 0 | Spill/Off | |
| Wed 8:00 PM | 0 | Spill/Off | |
| Wed 9:00 PM | 0 | Spill/Off | |
| Wed 10:00 PM | 0 | Spill/Off | |
| Wed 11:00 PM | 0 | Spill/Off | |
| Thu 12:00 AM | 5,000 | Spill/Off | |
| Fri 12:00 AM | 5,000 | Spill/Off |
Next 24 hours · weather forecast
Scroll for hourly temperature, wind, and precipitation.
1PM
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8% rain
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12PM
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Latest readings
Live telemetry| Air temp (°F) | 66.4°F |
|---|---|
| Cloud cover (%) | 100% |
| Dew point (°C) | 20.6°C |
| discharge cfs | 15 cfs |
| Relative humidity (%) | 66% |
| Chance of precipitation (%) | 11% |
| Precipitation (in) | 0.00 in |
| Barometric pressure (mb) | 1,020.1 mb |
| Rain past 24h (in) | 0.51 in |
| Rain past 6h (in) | 0.00 in |
| Wind direction | NNE (23°) |
| Wind (mph) | 2.9 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) | 2753.1 h ago openmeteo stale |
| Rain past 6h (in) | 0 min ago nws |
Hatch matcher · this month
Active aquatic insect emergences & suggested imitations.
Midge
Sizes 18–24
Recommended patterns:
Zebra Midge #20, Griffith's Gnat #20, WD-40 #20
Year-round on TVA tailwaters (Clinch, Holston, Watauga, S Holston)
Sulphur
Sizes 14–18
Recommended patterns:
Sulphur Comparadun #16, Pheasant Tail #16, Yellow Sally #16
South Holston signature; weeks 14-39 (Apr-Sep). Bank-to-bank evening hatches; verified RiverRunAngling + AppOutdoors + SoEAnglers.
Isonychia
Sizes 10–14
Recommended patterns:
Isonychia Parachute #12, Pheasant Tail #12
Weeks 22-39 (late May-Sep); big freestones; Hiwassee + Holston. Shop consensus.
BWO (fall)
Sizes 20–22
Recommended patterns:
RS2 #22, Parachute BWO #20
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.
TREND SPARKLINE (7-DAY BITE SCORE)
Score Range: 0 - 100
10-day weather & pressure outlook
Extended NWS meteorological outlook.
| Day | High | Low | Wind | Cloud | Rain % | Pressure | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93°F | 68°F | Unknown | — | 0% | 651.6 mb | nws | |
| 95°F | 69°F | Unknown | — | 2% | 537.0 mb | nws | |
| 93°F | 67°F | Unknown | — | 14% | 524.6 mb | nws | |
| 92°F | 68°F | Unknown | — | 9% | 580.0 mb | nws | |
| 91°F | 68°F | Unknown | — | 12% | 543.3 mb | nws | |
| 90°F | 69°F | Unknown | — | 19% | 591.8 mb | nws | |
| 87°F | 68°F | Unknown | — | 23% | 592.2 mb | nws | |
| 81°F | 65°F | Unknown | — | 23% | 636.6 mb | nws | |
| 80°F | 55°F | Unknown | — | 19% | 1,013.1 mb | nws | |
| 82°F | 55°F | Unknown | — | 16% | 1,015.5 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 |
Access points & navigation
- BYRD BRANCH 36.1367, -83.4952 phone map Google OSM
- Beech Grove Access Area 36.3686, -83.4636 phone map Google OSM
- Black Oak Dock 36.1540, -83.4863 phone map Google OSM
- Boat Ramp 36.1558, -83.5135 phone map Google OSM
- Bridgeport 36.3522, -83.5196 phone map Google OSM
- Grainger County Park 36.2134, -83.4678 phone map Google OSM
- Greenlee Campground May Springs 36.2151, -83.4630 phone map Google OSM
- HWY 25-2 36.3902, -83.4498 phone map Google OSM
- Hwy 25E Bridge Access 36.4011, -83.4601 phone map Google OSM
- Hwy 92 Access 36.1677, -83.5040 phone map Google OSM
- Indian Creek Bridge 36.3763, -83.4438 phone map Google OSM
- LAMBDIN BRANCH 36.2407, -83.4370 phone map Google OSM
- Mossy Creek 36.1317, -83.5066 phone map Google OSM
- Oakland Hollow Access Area 36.1772, -83.4883 phone map Google OSM
- WA-NI Village Boat Dock 36.2219, -83.4516 phone map Google OSM