South Holston & Watauga Report: Epic Fly Fishing in June 2025!

June 2025 was phenomenal: Stripers & streamers, big browns on midges, and hot sulfur dries! Check out South Holston Angler's latest fly fishing report!

7/12/20253 min read

Striped Bass on the fly. South Holston and Watauga River Fishing Report

East Tennessee Fly Fishing in June: This is what you've missed!

June brings Sulfur dry fly fishing to the South Holston River

Check out Chris with this huge brown that ate a streamer!

2025 has been one of the best summers we can remember. Consistent rain has kept our rivers flowing with cold, optimal water, and the fish have been responding incredibly well.

Virtually every day, the TVA dams on the South Holston and Watauga have been releasing water in the afternoons. This burst of cold water has created perfect conditions for fishing Sulfur Dry Flies on the upper South Holston and Blue-Winged Olive dries on the middle stretch of the Watauga River.

Brown trout crushing dry flies on the South Holston

Carl made the drift that fooled this wild brown trout

Rainy days in June have also created phenomenal conditions for streamer fishing. We've seen several days where the murky, stained water produced some truly awesome fish. Just check out the three impressive striped bass that Eric landed on his annual trip with the South Holston Angler!

Interestingly, these powerful stripers were all caught while we were specifically targeting big brown trout. It just goes to show: streamer fishing during the summer can be incredibly productive for either species!

8 weight fly rods are ideal for streamer fishing for brown trout and striped bass.

Eric with 1 of 3 striped bass caught on the fly rod

Check out this big striper Eric caught on a trip with the South Holston Angler

Eric loved catching stripers on the fly.

Big brown trout feed on streamers on the muddy water days.

Some of our guides have been focusing on sight-fishing for big brown trout in the mornings. The low water releases from the dam provide the perfect opportunity for our guides to meticulously find and drift tiny nymphs to these wary fish. June is consistently one of our favorite months for this technical style of nymphing. If you haven't already, be sure to check out our mid-June fishing report for more thrilling big brown trout action!

Midges have proven to be the most productive fly choice for sight-fishing this month, though we've also found success on scuds and BWO nymphs. Every day presents a unique challenge, and while these fish can certainly be difficult to fool, feeling the sheer power of a big brown on a 5wt rod makes every moment of the grind truly worth it.