It’s a fishing day

Watauga River fishing conditions · Tennessee

Today, 2 pm–4 pmRainbow trout

The bite peaks at 78.

Log a trip here
Right now: 53 for rainbow trout, sit it outTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Rainbow trout, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 533 am
  2. 53
  3. 53
  4. 536 am
  5. 58
  6. 58
  7. 589 am
  8. 53
  9. 58
  10. 5812 pm
  11. 68
  12. 78
  13. 783 pm
  14. 68
  15. 68
  16. 686 pm
  17. 68
  18. 68
  19. 589 pm
  20. 53
  21. 53
  22. 58Tue
  23. 58
  24. 68
  25. 683 am
  26. 68
  27. 68
  28. 586 am
  29. 58
  30. 53
  31. 539 am
  32. 53
  33. 53
  34. 5312 pm
  35. 58
  36. 68
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Rainbow trout range 45–68°

Wind
0 mph

From the

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:46 am

Sky
Clear

No rain expected

Air
42°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Rising

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Tennessee regulations for these waters.

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

78Worth the tripToday, 2 pm–4 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Rainbow trout bite in 45–68° water, best near 55°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

7 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tennessee: 7 trout a day combined, no statewide minimum (only 2 may be lake trout). Tailwater rules: Clinch 14–20" protected; South Holston 16–22" protected; Watauga Quality Trout Area 14" and 2 a day; Hiwassee delayed harvest Oct 1–Feb 28; Caney Fork 5 a day with a 14–20" protected range and a 24" brown trout minimum.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Tennessee

More on rainbow trout

Brown Trout

Brown trout

Salmo trutta

70Worth the tripToday, 2 pm–4 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Brown trout bite in 45–68° water, best near 55°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Brown trout feeds less actively under bright moon. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

7 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tennessee: 7 trout a day combined, no statewide minimum (only 2 may be lake trout). Tailwater rules: Clinch 14–20" protected; South Holston 16–22" protected; Watauga Quality Trout Area 14" and 2 a day; Hiwassee delayed harvest Oct 1–Feb 28; Caney Fork 5 a day with a 14–20" protected range and a 24" brown trout minimum.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Tennessee

More on brown trout

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.43 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:46 am
  • Sunset today6:39 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 7:50 am–8:50 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:30 pm–2:30 pm
  • Minor solunarTonight 6:10 pm–7:10 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

Tennessee TWRA report, Oct 11

Names brown trout, rainbow trout, which people fish for here. It covers the whole state, so it may not describe these waters.

Read it at Tennessee TWRA

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

The Watauga below Wilbur Dam near Elizabethton — a sister tailwater to the South Holston with big wild browns and stocked rainbows in cold, clear water. Floated and waded, with a designated Quality Trout Fishing Area.

TN: this is the Quality Trout Fishing Area (Smalling bridge down to the CSX railroad bridges) — 14" minimum, 2 trout a day, no bait. The rest of the river is 7 a day. Watch TVA generation flows.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

South Holston River16 mi · TennesseeBest today 1 pm–9 pm
68Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Watauga River?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Watauga River you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Watauga River?

Watauga River is listed on this site for 2 commonly-targeted species: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Watauga River?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Watauga River against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Watauga River have?

Watauga River has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. TN: this is the Quality Trout Fishing Area (Smalling bridge down to the CSX railroad bridges) — 14" minimum, 2 trout a day, no bait. The rest of the river is 7 a day. Watch TVA generation flows.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Watauga River?

state agency regulations apply at Watauga River. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Watauga River tidal water?

No. Watauga River is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.