Overmountain Chapter Trout Unlimited
Did you know?
The Overmountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited (OMTU) isn’t just a fishing club—we’re a cold water conservation group. Sure, many of us love chasing trout with a fly rod, but our real passion is protecting and preserving the cold water streams that make those moments possible.
Our mission is simple but important: To conserve, protect, and restore cold water fisheries in the Watauga, South Holston, and Nolichucky watersheds in Northeast Tennessee.
We’re always looking for passionate volunteers to join us—whether that’s helping out in the field, supporting local outreach, or just spreading the word in your community. Every little bit helps.
Can’t volunteer? No problem. Consider supporting our efforts with a donation. Your contribution helps us continue important work to keep these rivers healthy and thriving for generations to come.
Get involved. Make a difference. Protect what matters.
Our Next Chapter Meeting
The History of Fly Fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains
by Shannon Young
We’re excited to welcome Shannon Young from Maggie Valley Fly Shop as our guest speaker for the May OMTU Chapter Meeting!
Shannon will be sharing the rich history of fly fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains - a region celebrated for its scenic streams and incredible fishing opportunities. He’ll also fill us in on the upcoming Maggie Valley Fly Fishing Festival, set for May 23rd & 24th at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds.
Social hour kicks off at 6:00PM, with the program starting at 7:00PM. This is a great opportunity to explore fly fishing just across the border and hear more about a festival you won’t want to miss. We hope to see you there!
WHEN
Tuesday, May 20th
6:00PM
WHERE
Golden Corral Buffet & Grill
3104 Browns Mill Rd
Johnson City, TN 37604
Volunteers Needed
Our annual Trout in the Classroom Release Day is coming up on Friday, May 2nd, and we could really use your help! We’re looking for around 12 volunteers to help run various educational stations, assist with the trout fry release, and share insights with students about the trout’s natural habitat.
The event takes place from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the South Holston Weir Dam. It’s a fun and rewarding day where students get to connect with the outdoors, learn about stream ecology, and release the trout they’ve raised into the river.
If you are interested in helping, please register at the link below.
2025 Tailwater Roundup
What a day! 138 volunteers came together to restore the Watauga and South Holston rivers, with over 110 on the Watauga, alone. This has been our largest clean-up EVER! Several large dumpsters of trash were filled with trash, tires, and other debris at several locations along the rivers.
While significant improvements were made, there is still much to do after the unprecedented damage caused by Helene. Expect to see other clean-up opportunities in the future.
After the clean-up, volunteers met for BBQ and beer at Appalachian Sun Brewery LLC, where lots of folks walked away with sweet gear and guided trips generously donated by local businesses. Organizations providing volunteers included Overmountain Chapter Trout Unlimited, Blue Ridge Guide Association, Appalachian Paddling Enthusiasts, East Tennessee State University, and several local outfitters.
THANK YOU to all of our fantastic volunteers and our sponsors!
First Saturday Clean-up and Fishing Day
Thanks to your support during the 2025 Tail Water Round-Up, large sections of the Watauga River are now nearly free of debris. However, the Watauga Bluffs State Natural Area still requires multiple clean-ups to remove debris from a small, low-lying section. To address this, we’re incorporating a clean-up component into our First Saturday Fishing Days, allowing us to make steady progress each month.
Event Details
📍 Location: Watauga Bluffs State Natural Area
🕗 Time: 8:00 AM, First Saturday of each month
Participants will be provided with gloves and trash bags before walking less than half a mile to the river. We'll spend an hour or two cleaning up, followed by a relaxing morning of fishing near the bluffs. This area offers excellent wade fishing when there’s no generation. If generation is scheduled, we’ll still proceed with the clean-up, and participants can explore other fishing spots afterward.
For convenience, trash bags will be placed near the river below the rapid, allowing drift boats to easily retrieve them from the boat ramp downstream.
Directions
📍 Address: 3511 Steam Plant Rd, Watauga, TN 37694
Google Maps provides accurate directions, but some GPS systems may not.
From I-26 in Johnson City:
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Take the Watauga Ave exit and head northeast toward the town of Watauga.
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Travel 1 mile on E Watauga Ave, then turn left onto N Broadway at Walgreens.
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Immediately turn right onto E Unaka Ave and continue for 3.5 miles.
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Turn left onto Steam Plant Rd just before Persinger Bridge over the Watauga River.
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Follow Steam Plant Rd for 0.25 miles and then bear to the right
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The parking lot will be another 0.25 miles on the right.
Steam Plant Rd passes under Persinger Bridge and over railroad tracks. Since the parking area is small, please carpool if possible.
We appreciate your help in keeping our river clean and look forward to seeing you there!
Thirsty Orange
The 12th Annual Thirsty Orange will be held on Saturday, May 3rd at the Founders Park Pavillion in Johnson City. Craft brewers from around the region will be bringing various beers and ciders for participants to sample. This is one of OMTU's biggest fundraisers of the year. This year we have been given 100 tickets to sell at a discounted rate of $45 each. If you are interested in attending please contact Ryan Turgeon at (570) 351-5975.
For more information on the Thirsty Orange please visit thirstyorange.com.
Hampton Creek Grant
We are excited to share that we have been awarded a $25,000 grant to repair the Brook Trout barrier on the Left Prong of Hampton Creek. Our gratitude goes to the FishAmerica Foundation and The Brunswick Foundation for funding this important project. We also extend our thanks to the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation (TDEC) and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) for their assistance in securing the grant. Construction is scheduled to begin in May or June 2025.
Stony Creek Trash Trout
A Trash Trout was installed on Stony Creek in Carter County, thanks to a team effort between Overmountain Trout Unlimited (OMTU), Asheville Greenworks, and some generous donors. This floating trap is designed to catch plastic and trash before it can float downstream into the Watauga River, helping keep the water clean and healthy for fish and people.
OMTU will check and empty the trap about once a month. The project was made possible with support from Tennessee Tri-Fly and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), who helped cover the costs. It’s a great step toward protecting our local streams and keeping them clean for everyone to enjoy.
OMTU Story
Here is a video that was made by OMTU members back in 1999. It tells about the mission of OMTU and some of the past projects that we have worked on as a chapter. The narrator of the video, Paul Anderson, recently passed away so we decided to post this video in his honor. The projects that we have worked on over the years may have changed, but the mission remains the same.
