Guided Fly Fishing Trips
Guided trips targeting brown trout & smallmouth bass year-round in East Tennessee. If you know your dates, feel free to use the link below to check my availability. Details are below, but if you have any questions at all, feel free to contact me via the information on my contact page. Thanks!
The Rivers I Guide On
South Holston River
The South Holston begins just outside of Bristol, TN, and flows for about 13 miles into Boone Lake. The river is infamous for its hatches and dry fly fishing but this tailwater has a lot more to offer than just dry fly fishing. In fact, most of the giants that this system produces are caught nymphing with relatively small bugs. The opportunity for streamer fishing here also exists when the conditions line up, but I do prefer the Watauga for streamer fishing.
I often describe the Soho as a mini White River. If you’ve fished the White in Arkansas, I think you’ll find a lot of similarities. In my opinion, versatility is the name of the game on the Soho as the damn is an all-or-nothing generation damn which causes large fluctuations in the water flow. This keeps the fishing interesting and requires anglers to adapt to quickly.
I like to fish the Soho sight fishing with nymph rigs, streamer fishing and am always looking to break out the dry rod when coming across risers.
Watauga River
The Watauga, or “taug”; I describe as more “wild” than the Soho. I say this as it has more rapids, more stream-side cover, more bluff walls, and more complex currents. I’d also go as far to say that the fish are more “wild” as well. They seem to be more opportunistic towards large offerings like streamers and terrestrials. The nymph fishing can also be super solid here as well, but I don’t tend to nymph fish it as much as I do the Soho. Last but certainly not least, the dry fly game here is killer, and on most days is an option.
Overall, the Watauga often gets overshadowed by the Soho but it is an incredible resource and provides fantastic opportunities for anyone chasing trophy brown trout. If this big brown trout and breath taking scenery sound like a good time, I’d love to have you in my boat and try to get you on a big one.
Float Trip Rates
Full Day (6-8 Hours)
- $500 – 1 Angler
- $550 – 2 Anglers
Half Day (4-6 Hours)
- $450 – 1 Angler
- $500 – 2 Anglers
DEPOSITS, CANCELLATIONS, & GRATUITY
Deposits: To secure your trip, I require a deposit of $150 at the time of booking. If paying by card, the remaining balance will be charged 7 days prior to the trip. If paying in cash, the remaining balance will be due on the day of the trip.
Cancellations: Plans change, I understand that and try to be as flexible as possible. That said, cancellations made 30 or more days in advance will receive a full refund of the deposit. Cancellations made within 30 days will forfeit the deposit but can be applied towards reserving a future trip. Any cancellations made within seven days prior to the trip must be paid in full as I likely will not be able to back fill that day on the water.
Gratuity: As a client to many guides myself, I know how awkward it can be to tip your guide. That said, it is customary to tip your guide if you feel they provided excellent service and you had a positive experience during your trip. The amount of the tip is at your discretion, typically ranging from 15-20% of the trip cost. Factors to consider when determining the tip amount include the length and complexity of the trip, as well as the level of service provided by your guide. I work my tail off to provide a first class experience for my anglers and ensure they have an enjoyable, memorable day on the water.
Details
The process for my trips is pretty straight forward. Once you’ve made a booking, I’ll give you a brief call to understand your expectations for the day. I custom tailor all my trips considering factors such as water flows, temperatures, time of year, angler skill level, hatches, and more.
After that, about a day or two before your trip, I will contact you again to finalize the meeting time and location. In most cases, if the location permits, I will arrange for transportation from the meeting point to the river put-in, allowing you to leave your car at the take-out. This ensures easy access to your vehicle once we’re done for the day.
What’s Included
You won’t need to bring much besides your personal necessities. I do my best to offer my customers all the essentials and top-of-the-line fly fishing equipment to ensure a fantastic experience on the water.
What We Provide
Lunch: We provide lunch for all full-day trips, consisting of deli-style sandwiches or hoagies along with a side dish. Snacks and drinks are provided on all trips. With prior notice, we can accommodate reasonable special requests regarding the menu.
Rods & Reels: We supply Sage, Orvis, and TFO fly rods and reels, equipped with scientific anglers’ lines. Our guides carry a variety of sizes and weights to adapt to any fishing conditions. If you’re considering purchasing a new rod, this is a great opportunity to become familiar with some of the industry’s best.
Flies & Tackle: Our guides provide everything you need to ensure successful fishing, including lines, leaders, flies, floatant, indicators, and more.
Necessities: For your convenience and safety, I carry the following items in my boat at all times:
- First Aid Kits
- Sunscreen
What You Need To Bring
Clothing: Please dress appropriately for the prevailing conditions. Your guide will discuss this with you based on the time of year. During summer, we recommend wearing long-sleeved shirts in earth tones to protect you from the sun. In spring and fall, it’s advisable to bring warmer layers for the cooler mornings that can be shed as the day progresses. Winter trips require warmer layers as a necessity. We fish rain or shine, so if rain is forecasted, we kindly ask clients to bring their own rain gear.
Polarized Sunglasses: A good pair of polarized sunglasses is an angler’s invaluable tool, especially when fishing clear tailwaters like the ones we have here in Tennessee. While most of our guides carry extra pairs, we encourage you to bring your own if you already have polarized shades.
Medicines: If you take any medications, please ensure you bring an adequate supply. If you have any dietary restrictions, please inform your guide in advance, and they will make suitable arrangements. We can provide gluten-free and dairy-free lunches as needed.
Meeting Locations & Start Times
I do my best to choose centrally located meeting points that keep you close to the river’s take-out point. I will let you know where to meet the night before the trip. It is either the take out point or a near by location in town from which we will ride their together.
Most trips begin around 7:00 or 8:00 am and conclude between 1:00 and 5:00 pm. With that said, I base my trips around fishing conditions so afternoon trips are definitely on the table whenever deemed to be better fishing and assuming it works with my angler’s schedule.
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