Watauga River: Riverside Dr. To find this stretch, use 108 W Riverside Dr, Elizabethon, TN in a GPS. Our guides KNOW the Watauga River. Anglers with a simple map will find no shortage of places to fish and will have a great time pursuing this river’s big trout. This trout filled tributary of the Holston is a mere 1 hour, scenic drive from Asheville. When hanging out in the bluffs, you will likely see drift boats with anglers floating by on the far side of the river, where a deep channel exists. Watauga River The Watauga tailwater (below Watauga and Wilber dams) provides much of the same type of year-round trout fishing as does the Holston. Watauga River 321 Access Upper Gorge Park is sampled weekly from May 1st to September 30th. Walking the ¾ miles of trail along the riverbank and lower slopes of the bluffs, you will see plenty of wildflowers and ferns like Jacobs ladder, hepatica, trout lily, spring beauties and trilliums – depending on the season, of course. Use contact form for fair use, licensing requests or information. The OMTU meets a couple times a year to maintain the trail and sponsor cleanup days. Wilbur Dam Rd. On Google’s Watauga River Map use controls to scroll, zoom, topography/terrain, charts, satellite, geography etc, TWRA boat ramps and Corps Of Engineers Watauga River Maps charts below, Boat ramps and access areas Watauga River, Blevins Bend (1) Though this area has been accessed for decades, it’s the newest official public access along the Watauga River in the Boone NC area. Watauga River, Watauga Lake & Watauga Gorge. Crossing the river can be done with a wading staff during no release of water. will take you up to the dam, with the river access road running down to the left before the dam. View a map of this area and more on Natural Atlas. The riverbed in this area is pretty muck rock and those rocks can be slick. Another notable river system for trout is … It has great Blue Wing Olive hatches in early spring and the Caddis hatch that follows can rival most western hatches. The Watauga River rises from a spring near the base of Peak Mountain at Linville Gap in Avery County, North Carolina.The spring emanates from the western side of the Tennessee Valley Divide, which is, at this location, congruent with the Eastern Continental Divide.On the other side of the divides at Linville Gap are the headwaters of the Linville River in the Upper Catawba Watershed. brown trout in this river. The Lower Gorge River Access at Guy Ford Road near Bethel is the put-in to the classic Watauga Gorge. The parking area accommodates about 8 … The Watauga river starts in Boone NC and flows west into east Tennessee into ... Wading access can be limited since property holders own the riverbed and can deny entry. The area is favored by anglers who can access the Watauga River through the natural area and enjoy trout fishing there. It’s actually a manmade waterfall as Blue Water Industries quarry discharges water into the Watauga River. Your email address will not be published. There is not a great deal of access for the wading angler but a few locations exit. See also: Best Spots for Trout Fishing in Arizona We do both Wade and Float rips. Either wading trips or float trips to fit your fishing adventure, from beginners to experts, fishing with Champion Outfitters guide … I hiked the trail when the dam was generating and I turned around once I came upon the river rising upon a boulder on the trail. Guided fly fishing trips. Fly fishers aren’t as aware of the Holston River as they are the South Holston, Watauga, Clinch, and Hiwassee tailwaters because of access issues. Watauga River For me, the best trout water in East Tennessee is the Watauga River. Hunter Bridge (3) Fly Fishing The Upper Watauga River In North Carolina This is the same Watauga River but it's the headwaters that lies above Boone Lake in North Carolina, rather than the Watauga tailwater below Wilbur Dam that's so popular and well known. On Steam Plant Road, you’ll also see a property owned by former Capt. It is shallow on the near side bordering the state natural area. Thomas Gourley that is marked with a plaque. The rest is all on private land,” Turgeon said. Rainbow trout | Photo Copyright: Justin Chew. You will then cross railroad tracks and drive past a church. Brown trout are no longer stocked in this stream but the TWRA does stock several thousand rainbow trout in this water every year. Access-Very good access on both sides of the river. Fishing and River Description The Watauga River is … Course. Wilbur Dam Canoe Access (7) The Watauga River is one of Southern Appalachian Anglers top picks for wading and floating fly fishing trips. The map is intended to reflect the approximate location of water access generally available for the use of sportsmen/sportswomen. The trail to the Watauga River Bluffs is.25 miles, while the trail along the river is.75 miles. I preferred to park at the “Twins” baseball filed and work my way up and down the river. Classic Whitewater of the Watauga River Gorge. The Appalachian Trail crosses the Watauga River at Watauga Dam.The tailwater is stocked with rainbow, brook and brown trout by the Tennessee Wildlife resources Agency. The only thing to note is to bear right when you come to a t-intersection in a neighborhood-like area near or along Steam Plant Road. Courtesy of TWRA Region 4, Watauga River map of towns and highways within the watershed, Courtesy of TN Department of Environment & Conservation, Watauga River map of state designated natural areas, Watauga River map of hydrology within the watershed, Watauga River map of ecoregions within the watershed, Watauga River map of dams within the watershed, Watauga River Map of counties within the watershed, Products honoring every river and lake in the USA. The trail parallels the river for another ¾ of a mile. Suggested Gear 8 ft to 9 ft 4, 5 or 6 weight fly rods. Sulphurs are hatching on the watauga as well. After crossing into Johnson County, the Watauga River is first impounded by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Watauga Dam, creating the 6,430-acre Watauga Lake. A picnic table exists near the riverbank and two benches are located at the trail head. However, most of the trophy section is only accessible by boat. “If they are not generating, just be careful. Cherokee City Park (2) Definitely don’t be wading if they are generating anything,” Turgeon said. Find out where the action is, what the water conditions are and everything you need for a successful day on the water! Full day, half day, multi-day trips available. People on foot will walk the trail along the river, collecting the trash and litter, and fishing guides and kayakers will boat out the hefty haul. More on that below. In 2015, an access trail to the Watauga River opened and a small parking area built. Bordering an old General Shale mine, the bluffs drop more than 200 feet to the riverbank. Within its 16 miles of fishable trout water, the Watauga River has one of the only stretches of water designated as a trophy section in the state of Tennessee. Filled tributary of the Carolina pink blooms in April, May and June and likes a moist, shady. Silene caroliniana ) waded when they are sloped down in crevices a hour North out of Asheville North,. 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