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River · Sullivan

Fishing South Fork Holston River, Tennessee

10 public access points across 1 county, with directions to every one.

Jump to the access listLicence and limits

Every access point

Public access on South Fork Holston River, county by county

All 10 public access points TWRA records on South Fork 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.

South Fork Holston River access in Sullivan County

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRABig Springs AccessBig Springs Rd, Bluff City, TN1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.49750, -82.16165Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityBluff City Park1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.47616, -82.26406Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityCity of Kingsport AccessHwy 11W to Netherland Inn Rd1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.55038, -82.61004Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAEmmett Bridge Access1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.52734, -82.11313Free2 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TVAFt. Patrick Henry DamI-81 to Hwy. 36 (Fort Henry Drive) to Wesley Rd.canoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.50143, -82.51441Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAJ. Forrest Thomas Access Area1315 Dry Branch Rd, Bluff City, TN 376181 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.46362, -82.22448Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TVAOsceola IslandUS 421 to Emmett Road to Holston View Dam Roadrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.52371, -82.10981Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVASmith ShoalsBeulah Church Drive, Kingsport, TN1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.45996, -82.45968Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TVASouth Holston DamUS 421 to Emmett Road to Holston View Dam RoadDirections and detail →36.52211, -82.09774Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TVATVA Walk-in AccessUS 421 to Hwy. 44 to River Bend RoadDirections and detail →36.51067, -82.11471

What to bring

Tackle for South Fork Holston River

Three picks from the largemouth 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.

RodUgly Stik GX2 7 ft medium-heavy casting rodStiff enough to set a hook in grass, tough enough to live in a truck bed.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
ReelAbu Garcia Black Max baitcasting reelAn inexpensive baitcaster that casts cleanly once the brakes are set.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
Soft plasticZoom Trick WormThe Tennessee standard on a Texas rig or weightless along docks and grass edges.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
Full largemouth bass checklist (11 items)All gear checklists

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

Smallmouth Bass checklistCrappie checklistBluegill and Panfish checklistFish Finders comparedTrolling Motors comparedLithium Marine Batteries comparedShallow Water Anchors compared

The water

South Fork Holston River boat ramps and fishing access

South Fork Holston River has 10 public access points: 6 boat ramps and 5 kayak launches, in Sullivan County.

10public access points
6boat ramps
5kayak and canoe launches
1county

Lake conditions

South Fork Holston River generation schedule

The flow in the South Fork Holston River follows the release from Boone Dam, Fort Patrick Henry Dam and South Holston Dam. The schedule for each is on its lake conditions page.

Boone Dam scheduleFort Patrick Henry Dam scheduleSouth Holston Dam scheduleTrout stocking

What it looks like

South Fork Holston River in photographs

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

Holston River, TennesseeSouth Fork Holston RiverOpen the South Fork Holston River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Boone Lake, TennesseeBoone LakeOpen the Boone Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domainHolston River, TennesseeSouth Fork Holston RiverOpen the South Fork Holston River page →Dacoshi / CC BY-SA 3.0Boone Lake, TennesseeBoone LakeOpen the Boone Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domainHolston River, TennesseeSouth Fork Holston RiverOpen the South Fork Holston River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Boone Lake, TennesseeBoone LakeOpen the Boone Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domain

What you can catch

Fish in South Fork Holston River

What South Fork 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.

largemouth basssmallmouth bassspotted basscrappiesunfishrock basswalleyenorthern pikeblue catfish
Guides who fish South Fork Holston River

What you can keep

Fishing limits on South Fork Holston River

TWRA sets 3 rules just for South Fork Holston River. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Trout716–22 in protected slot, one over 22 inSouth Holston Dam to Boone Dam, all trout
Trout716–22 in protected slot (rainbow and brown), one over 22 inBelow Boone: Boone Dam to Louis Milhorn Bridge (Fort Patrick Henry Reservoir)
Smallmouth bass5 black bass combined13–17 in protected slot, one over 17 inBelow Fort Patrick Henry Dam down to the North Fork confluence
Largemouth bass5 black bass combinedNo minimumStatewide
Spotted bass5 black bass combinedNo minimumStatewide
Crappie1510 in minimumStatewide
BluegillNo limitNo minimumStatewide
Rock bass20No minimumStatewide
Walleye516 in minimumStatewide
Blue catfishNo limit under 34 inOnly one over 34 inStatewide

Other rules on South Fork Holston River

  • Nov 1–Jan 31 closed to all fishing: Hickory Tree Bridge up to Bottom Creek, and from the downstream point of Boy’s Island (below Weaver Pike Bridge) up to the top of the first island above Webb Road Bridge.
  • Snagging prohibited year-round from South Holston Dam to the Hwy 390 bridge at Bluff City.

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

By county

Counties on South Fork Holston River

South Fork Holston River touches 1 Tennessee county. The county page has the bait shops, the bank access and the local limits.

Blountville (Tennessee’s only unincorporated county seat)Sullivan County10 access points on South Fork Holston River, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →

By town

Towns on South Fork 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.

Sullivan CountyFishing near BristolPublic water within about 30 miles of Bristol, closest first.See the spots →Sullivan CountyFishing near KingsportPublic water within about 30 miles of Kingsport, closest first.See the spots →Carter CountyFishing near ElizabethtonPublic water within about 30 miles of Elizabethton, closest first.See the spots →

10 public access points on South Fork Holston River, every one with directions.

Common questions

Questions about fishing South Fork Holston River

How many public boat ramps are there on South Fork Holston River?

TWRA lists 6 public boat launches on South Fork Holston River, with 6 ramp lanes between them, across 1 Tennessee county. Every one of them is listed on this page with directions.

What fish can you catch in South Fork Holston River?

South Fork Holston River holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, sunfish, rock bass, walleye, northern pike and blue 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 South Fork Holston River run through?

Sullivan county. Each has its own page on this site with the local bait shops, ramps and bank access.

Can you fish South Fork Holston River from the bank?

Yes, though no public fishing pier is recorded on South Fork Holston River. Bank fishing here means the shoreline and parking areas at the public ramps, plus road and bridge crossings where there is public right of way.

Do you need a licence to fish South Fork 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 South Fork 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 South Fork 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 waterLicence and limits