Not only are we blessed with a proliferation of mountain streams, but large tailwaters as well. We float the Clinch, Holston, South Holston, and Tuckaseegee Rivers. You’ll fish from a drift boat which provides a stable, comfortable platform from which to fish. Trout in these rivers are often larger than those in the mountain streams.
Full Day Float for One Angler - $350
Full Day Float for Two Anglers - $375
Floats are a great way to get on fish that may be otherwise inaccessible. However, these trips are not ideal for anglers that have never been on the water. More instruction can be given on a wade trip than a float. Floats are limited to 2 anglers per boat. We provide the flies, drinks, and lunch. We also keep extra rods in the boat if you need the gear.
Deposits & Cancellation Policy
A 50% Deposit is required upon booking. If cancellations occur less than 14 days prior to scheduled trip, deposit will not be refundable. Deposits are refundable in the event of inclement weather or high water. We accept Visa, Mastercard, or your personal check as payment.
What to Expect On Our Tailwaters
Spring
Spring is the best time to fish the Clinch River tailwater below Norris Dam. We most commonly fish nymphs, but there are often some rising fish to tempt with a dry fly. Sulphurs begin hatching by late April and dry fly fishing hits its peak in early May. Streamer fishing is also productive on this river. While streamers can work at any time, we prefer to fish them when the water is high.
The Holston River below Cherokee Dam has some of the best dry fly fishing we’ve found in East Tennessee. Caddis hatches bring numbers of strong fish to the surface. The Holston also has prolific hatches of crane flies, midges, and some mayflies. Nymph fishing is effective, but often passed up in favor of the excellent streamer fishing that the river offers. Rainbows are common and browns are apt to make an appearance at any time. Smallmouth bass also make occasional appearances on the Holston.
Summer
Summer brings continued action on the big rivers, but things are less predictable from one year to the next. Generation from the dams may provide unfavorable flows at times. Summer time heat can make floats less enjoyable than they are in the spring and fall. However, fishing generally holds up on the rivers through the summer. We also turn our attention to smallmouth bass. These explosive gamefish are overlooked by many anglers. In fact, the rivers we fish rarely see fishermen since most serious bass fishermen fish lakes and the average river fisherman in this part of the country targets trout. Poppers and streamers can provide superb action.
Calderwood and Cheoah Lakes are beautiful, secluded pieces of water nestled between the Great Smokies and the Nantahala National Forest. With exceptionally cold water that rarely reaches 60 degrees these lakes are special places to fly fish for trout and the fishing continues well into the fall.
Autumn & Winter
These seasons see TVA lowering lake levels so generation is often at a maximum. Hatches have generally played out on the Clinch, Holston and South Holston rivers.
In October we begin floating the Tuckaseegee River in western North Carolina. This river has a lot of fishy water and willing fish. While the average fish in the Tuck is smaller than the Clinch or South Holston, we’ve had anglers really hook into a good number of trout here as well as a few big ones. This is an excellent first time float for many anglers since long casts are not required. Rainbows and browns are common.
This is the only river we float where brookies are present and we’ve had anglers even bring a few 15-17″ specimens to the net. Depending on weather and water conditions we’ll float the Tuck through the spring.
