July Report: Big Browns, Smallmouth on South Holston & Watauga
Our July 2025 fishing report is live! Check out the big brown trout action, smallmouth bass sipping topwater, and afternoon Sulfur hatches. See what you missed!
8/8/20253 min read
What a July! Those evening storms have been perfect, keeping our rivers full of cool water and the fish super active. We've had a lot of questions about Sulfurs on the South Holston, and the good news is, we're still seeing those yellow bugs! The hatch has held up beautifully all month, giving us plenty of dry fly chances. While the Sulfurs will likely slow down as we get into August, it's a perfect transition because the terrestrial bite is going off! Trout have been keying in on ants and beetles, making for some exciting dry fly fishing, particularly first thing in the morning.
When it comes to topwater fishing this season, poppers for smallmouth bass are our absolute favorite. The thrill is unmatched—watching a bass stalk a popper and then sip it is pure excitement. These visual, surface eats make for an incredible fly fishing experience and will certainly put a serious bend in your rod!
Check out this sequence of a big smallmouth taking a popper!
Trout fishing on the South Holston has also been fantastic! Afternoon and evening water releases from the dam have made for awesome fishing all throughout July. If you're looking to fish Sulfur dries, we've found the prime time is between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Check out this incredible brown trout John landed on a recent trip! This fish was fooled by a sulfur nymph fished under a dry-dropper rig. Awesome job, John!
Here's another great brown trout that Mike landed while nymphing on a recent trip.
Check out this incredible 23-inch brown trout that was landed this month! The key to success was simply changing midge colors. Small flies work extremely well during the summer months.
July's Top Flies for South Holston and Watauga River.
#18-20 zebra midges (Olive, Grey, Brown)
#18 sulfur nymphs (Split Case, Pheasant tail)
#18 Sulfur Comparadun, & Puff Daddy
#16 Black Beetles
#18 Floating Ants
Brett traveled all the way from Texas to fly fish the South Holston River, and it certainly treated him well. These three beautiful brown trout were the result of his efforts! Great job, Brett!
August is officially underway, and the great fishing continues! We even enjoyed some temperatures in the low 80s last week, though warmer weather is expected soon. To learn more about the South Holston and Watauga rivers, check out our dedicated pages. Interested in a guided float trip? Give John a ring at 423-946-6665. We look forward to hearing from you!
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