Watauga River — hatch chart + live conditions
Cold tailwater below Watauga Dam. Year-round fishery with strong sulphur, caddis, and yellow sally hatches. Consistent flows. Good wade access throughout Carter County.
Top 3 dry flies for June
12-month hatch chart
| Month | blue wing olive | caddis | hendrickson | light cahill | midge | quill gordon | sulphur | terrestrial | trico | yellow sally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | ||||||||||
| February | ||||||||||
| March | ● | ● | ||||||||
| April | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||||
| May | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||||
| June · now | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||||
| July | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||||
| August | ● | ● | ● | |||||||
| September | ● | ● | ||||||||
| October | ● | |||||||||
| November | ● | ● | ||||||||
| December |
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Frequently asked
What are the best months to fish the Watauga River?
Best months: March, April, May, June, September, October, November.
What flies hatch on the Watauga River in June?
Active hatches this month: sulphur, caddis, light cahill, terrestrial.
What species are in the Watauga River?
Primary: rainbow trout, brown trout. Cold tailwater below Watauga Dam. Year-round fishery with strong sulphur, caddis, and yellow sally hatches. Consistent flows. Good wade access throughout Carter County.
Are there special fishing regulations on the Watauga River?
No special-regulation section is listed here — standard Tennessee trout regulations apply. Check TN TWRA before fishing.
How do I check live water conditions on the Watauga River?
The live USGS reading is shown at the top of this page (site 03468000). It refreshes hourly.
Related
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