Every Boat Ramp on South Holston Lake

About South Holston Lake

South Holston Lake is a 7,580-acre TVA reservoir straddling the Tennessee-Virginia border in Sullivan County, with 168 miles of shoreline and depths plunging to 230 feet in this deep Appalachian mountain impoundment. The lake is surrounded by the Cherokee and Jefferson National Forests, with steep, forested ridges creating a remote mountain atmosphere despite the lake's proximity to Bristol and the Tri-Cities metropolitan area. South Holston is perhaps best known for the world-class tailwater trout fishery below its dam, where the South Holston River has earned a reputation as one of the premier dry-fly streams in the eastern United States.

Smallmouth Bass are the top lake species at South Holston, with the deep, clear water and rocky structure producing quality bronzebacks that thrive in the lake's cold, well-oxygenated depths. Walleye provide excellent fishing in the main lake during winter and spring, with fish often exceeding 5 pounds taken from the deeper channel areas. Largemouth Bass and Crappie inhabit the creek arms and sheltered coves, providing reliable fishing during warmer months. The tailwater below South Holston Dam is the true gem, with Rainbow and Brown Trout feeding on prolific sulphur hatches that create some of the most technical and rewarding dry-fly fishing anywhere in the South.

Boat launches are available at several locations around South Holston Lake, with TVA-managed ramps at Observation Knob and other access points providing well-maintained facilities. The tailwater section is accessible from numerous wading access points along the South Holston River below the dam. Whether you are drop-shotting rocky ledges for Smallmouth Bass on the main lake, trolling for Walleye in the deep mountain water, or matching a sulphur hatch on the world-famous tailwater below the dam, South Holston Lake and its tailwater deliver an extraordinary combination of lake and river fishing in the Appalachian highlands of upper East Tennessee.

Nearest towns: Bristol, Bluff City, Abingdon