BEST TROUT FISHING IN EAST TENNESSE

Living in the hills of Tennessee, I found the rivers and  creeks with the best trout fishing in east Tennessee:

• Little River
• South Holston Creek
• Watauga River
• Hiwassee River
• Abrams Creek
• West Prog Stream
• Tellico River

Also, be sure to check out Tennessee fishing licenses. 

LITTLE RIVER, TOWSEND, TN

When I lived in Maryville, TN, I frequently traveled 20 minutes north to Little River in Towsend, TN.   Little River is known for ample wild trout, including rainbow, brown, and brook trout. Bordering the Great Smokies National Park, Little River is also known for its incredible scenery.

SOUTH HOLSTON CREEK, SULLIVAN COUNTY

South Holston Creek is a trout fisherman’s dream, with about 7,000 trout per square mile. The cold mountain water allows the River’s brown trout to get huge! 

WATAUGA RIVER, JOHNSON CITY, TN

The Watauga River is just south of South Holston Creek in Johnson City, TN. It has about 6,000 trout per square mile, including brown and rainbow trout.

HIWASSEE RIVER, RELIANCE, TENNESSEE

Anglers enjoy year-round trout fishing in the Hiwassee River of East Tennessee. In addition to an abundance of brown and rainbow trout, you may also catch largemouth bass, catfish, and yellow perch.

ABRAMS CREEK, GREAT SMOKIES NATIONAL PARK

In the Great Smokies National Park, Abrams Creek’s cold waters are known for huge housing trout! The waters can be challenging but doable via hiking or canoeing. 

WEST PROG STREAM

West Prog of the Litle Pigeon River is one of the best fishing spots in the Great Smokies National Park. You can catch rainbow, brown, and brook there, and it is the most popular fly fishing spot in East Tennessee.

TELLICO RIVER, TELLICO PLAINS

From September 16 to March 14, you can fish the abundant trout in the Tellico River. There is also a lovely waterfall nearby. November and December are the best months to fish for the river’s rainbow trout.

Also check out the best trout fishing in Georgia.