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Fishing South Fork Holston River: what the data says
The SoHo. wild browns and the famous sulphur hatch. The river tops out around 10 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Rainbow Trout fishing at South Fork Holston River
Spring rainbow trout on South Fork Holston River hold shallow, usually 3 to 10 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 10 ft. The spot to know is South Holston Dam tailrace, a dam tailrace in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 10 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Brown Trout fishing at South Fork Holston River
Spring brown trout on South Fork Holston River hold shallow, usually 1 to 10 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 1 to 10 ft. The spot to know is South Holston Dam tailrace, a dam tailrace in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for brown trout in spring. Plan around after dark and early morning in the warm months. Tie on a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | night & dawn | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 1 to 10 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Notable structure
- South Holston Dam tailrace: dam tailrace, around 9 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 5.9): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 8.0): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 9.9): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 11.8): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Tailout eddy (mile 0.3): eddy pocket, around 6 ft
- Riffle & run (mile 3.7): rock pile, around 4 ft
- Riffle & run (mile 14.2): rock pile, around 4 ft
Common questions
How deep is South Fork Holston River?
South Fork Holston River is about 10 ft at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
What fish are in South Fork Holston River?
Anglers target rainbow trout, brown trout on South Fork Holston River.
Where is the best fishing spot on South Fork Holston River?
South Holston Dam tailrace is the top-rated area: a dam tailrace in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish South Fork Holston River?
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Boone Lake · South Holston Lake · Watauga Lake · Cherokee Lake · Douglas Lake · Norris Lake
See how South Fork Holston River stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Tennessee · best brown trout lakes in Tennessee
Browse all Tennessee fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.