River · Grainger, Hawkins, Jefferson and Knox

Fishing Holston River, Tennessee

Q: Is Holston River free to fish?

The water is. Some of the ramps are not — Corps of Engineers sites, state park ramps and marinas often charge to launch or park. Each listing below shows the owner, which is the best guide to whether you will be asked for money.

12 public access points across 4 counties, with directions to every one.

Jump to the access list Licence and limits

Every access point

Public access on Holston River, county by county

All 12 public access points TWRA records on Holston River. Each card opens its own page with written directions, coordinates and a link straight to Google Maps.

Tap a pin for the spot page and directions. Open the full Tennessee fishing map.

What to bring

Tackle for Holston River

Three picks from the smallmouth bass checklist that work for the fish here. Affiliate links: buying through them pays this site a small commission at no extra cost to you.

RodSt. Croix Bass X 7 ft medium spinning rodLight enough for a Ned rig, with enough backbone for a 5 lb fish in current.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list

ReelPflueger President 30 spinning reelSmooth drag at a fair price. Fill it with braid and a leader.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list

FinesseZ-Man Finesse TRD and Ned rig jigheadsThe single most reliable smallmouth bait on Tennessee rock. Drag it slowly.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list

Full smallmouth bass checklist (10 items)All gear checklists

Spending more? The bigger purchases, compared side by side:

Bluegill and Panfish checklist Walleye and Sauger checklist Catfish checklist Fish Finders compared Trolling Motors compared Lithium Marine Batteries compared Shallow Water Anchors compared

The water

Holston River boat ramps and fishing access

Holston River has 12 public access points: 11 boat ramps, 1 fishing pier and 11 kayak launches, in Grainger, Hawkins, Jefferson and Knox counties.

12public access points

11boat ramps

1fishing pier

11kayak and canoe launches

4counties

Lake conditions

Holston River generation schedule

The flow in the Holston River follows the release from Cherokee Dam. The schedule for it is on its lake conditions page.

Cherokee Dam schedule Trout stocking

What Holston River is actually like

Holston River, county by county

Holston River does not fish the same at both ends. This is what the research for each county on it turned up.

Hawkins County

From the Hawkins County page

This is the warm-water Holston above the lake, not the Cherokee Dam trout tailwater downstream in Jefferson County, a distinction almost every competing page gets wrong.

Knox County

From the Knox County page

Downstream toward Knoxville the Holston becomes, in the guides’ words, one of the state’s best smallmouth rivers.

What it looks like

Holston River in photographs

What Holston River looks like through the year. Every picture opens that water’s own page.

Holston RiverOpen the Holston River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Cherokee LakeOpen the Cherokee Lake page →TVA Web Team / CC BY 2.0

Norris LakeOpen the Norris Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Douglas LakeOpen the Douglas Lake page →Dwight Burdette / CC BY 3.0

Holston RiverOpen the Holston River page →Dacoshi / CC BY-SA 3.0

Cherokee LakeOpen the Cherokee Lake page →Dwight Burdette / CC BY 3.0

What you can catch

Fish in Holston River

What Holston River actually holds, from the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes. A licence is required for all of it.

smallmouth bass sunfish rock bass walleye sauger catfish

Guides who fish Holston River

What you can keep

Fishing limits on Holston River

TWRA sets 1 rule just for Holston River. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

Fish	Daily limit	Length	Where or when
Smallmouth bass	5 black bass combined	13–17 in protected slot, one over 17 in	I-40 bridge upstream to Cherokee Dam, and John Sevier Dam upstream to the North Fork
Bluegill	No limit	No minimum	Statewide
Rock bass	20	No minimum	Statewide
Walleye	5	16 in minimum	Statewide
Sauger	10	15 in minimum	Statewide
Channel catfish	No limit under 34 in	Only one over 34 in	Statewide

Other rules on Holston River

Hwy 344 (Malinda Ferry Rd) bridge up to John Sevier Dam closed to snagging Mar 1–31 and Apr 16–May 31.

From the 2026–27 Tennessee Fishing Guide (TWRA), in effect 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027, checked 25 September 2026. Rules change, so check the guide before you keep a fish.

Statewide limits and licenses

Eating what you catch

Holston River fish consumption advisory

TDEC’s fish consumption advisory for Holston River, from its August 2026 list of posted waters.

From John Sevier retention weir (River mile 106.2) to the confluence of North Fork Holston River and South Fork Holston River (River mile 142.3)

Mercury

Precautionary advisory for all fish.*Precautionary means: Children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers should not consume the fish species named. All other persons should limit consumption of the named species to one meal per month.

Every Tennessee fish advisory

By county

Counties on Holston River

Holston River touches 4 Tennessee counties. The county page has the bait shops, the bank access and the local limits.

RutledgeGrainger County2 access points on Holston River, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →RogersvilleHawkins County7 access points on Holston River, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →DandridgeJefferson County1 access point on Holston River, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →KnoxvilleKnox County2 access points on Holston River, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →

12 public access points on Holston River, every one with directions.

By town

Towns on Holston River

These pages measure from the middle of town rather than the county line, which is usually the number that matters when you are deciding where to drive.

Jefferson CountyFishing near Jefferson CityPublic water within about 30 miles of Jefferson City, closest first.See the spots →Greene CountyFishing near GreenevillePublic water within about 30 miles of Greeneville, closest first.See the spots →Sullivan CountyFishing near KingsportPublic water within about 30 miles of Kingsport, closest first.See the spots →Knox CountyFishing near KnoxvillePublic water within about 30 miles of Knoxville, closest first.See the spots →

Common questions

Questions about fishing Holston River

How many public boat ramps are there on Holston River?

TWRA lists 11 public boat launches on Holston River, with 11 ramp lanes between them, across 4 Tennessee counties. Every one of them is listed on this page with directions.

What fish can you catch in Holston River?

Holston River holds smallmouth bass, sunfish, rock bass, walleye, sauger and catfish. Which of those is actually worth chasing depends on the season, and TWRA sets size and creel limits that change, so check before you keep anything.

Which counties does Holston River run through?

Grainger, Hawkins, Jefferson and Knox counties. Each has its own page on this site with the local bait shops, ramps and bank access.

Can you fish Holston River from the bank?

Yes. 1 of the public access points on Holston River have a built fishing pier, and most of the ramps have shoreline you can walk. A pier is the easiest option with children or without a boat.

Do you need a licence to fish Holston River?

Yes. Anyone 13 or older needs a Tennessee fishing licence, and a trout supplemental on top if you plan to keep trout. Non-residents can buy a three-day or ten-day licence rather than a full year.

Is Holston River free to fish?

The water is. Some of the ramps are not, Corps of Engineers sites, state park ramps and marinas often charge to launch or park. Each listing below shows the owner, which is the best guide to whether you will be asked for money.

Keep going

More Holston River water, and who fishes it

Every guide and charter on this site is listed by the water they run, so you can call the captain direct. Licences, limits and the state record list are one click away too.

Guides by water Licence and limits