Big brown trout hitting the nets on the S. Holston.

Perhaps the most underrated time of year on our S. Holston is upon us. Many of the lake run fish have settled in their spots and have started picking out their favorite bugs. Every mile of the river has something to offer from high numbers of little fish, to pods of giant browns. The terrestrial bite is really picking up, as Japanese beetles are abundant on the trees and riverside foliage. The streamer bite is there during high water generation, often with bigger patterns producing best. We have seen huge runs of shad upstream of the lake and the stocking little rainbow trout in each section. Some of the best streamer fishing of the year awaits, for those willing to chunk the big stuff. During low water generation, we have gone into sniper mode… sight fishing to giant browns, and casting to riffle risers during the afternoon sulfur hatch.