South Fork Holston River (Lower)
Fishing and stocking
Rainbow trout, brook trout, and 2 other species water; 15 stockings on the 2026 record, spread January to October, heaviest in April. The most-stocked water on the Smyth County record for 2026.
Smyth County · Virginia · see it on the national map
Water temp 57 °F at N F HOLSTON RIVER NEAR GATE CITY, VA, 8 km away USGS site 03490000 · read 8:15 pm this evening
The year here
stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details
What swims here
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
Brook trout
Tiger trout
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked today.
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 12 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| Feb 20 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| Mar 3 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| Mar 6 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| Mar 19 | Brown trout | catchable | completed | |
| Mar 25 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| Apr 9 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| Apr 10 | Brook trout | catchable | completed | |
| Apr 10 | Tiger trout | catchable | completed | |
| Apr 22 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| Apr 24 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| May 22 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| May 26 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| Oct 2 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed | |
| Oct 5 | Rainbow trout | catchable | completed |
When to fish South Fork Holston River (Lower)
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 10:08 am-12:08 pm and 10:31 pm-12:31 am | 4:25-5:25 am and 4:42-5:42 pm |
| Tomorrow | 10:54 am-12:54 pm | 5:31-6:31 am and 5:08-6:08 pm |
Moon: waxing gibbous, 92% lit. These are solunar periods, the traditional feeding-time theory: majors around the moon's transit overhead and underfoot, minors around moonrise and moonset. Theory, not a measurement. Times are Eastern Time (EDT).
What the record actually says
- Stocked 18 days ago (Oct 5)
- Water 57 °F at a gauge 8 km away, prime coldwater range
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · Virginia fishing forecast
Gear for this water
Stocked within the last three weeks: fish are still bunched near the release points and keyed on familiar smells.
For the trout (rainbow trout stocked 12 times here in 2026, moving water)
| Inline spinners | 1/16 to 1/8 oz silver or gold; swing them across the current seams |
| Drifted bait | single salmon egg or half a crawler under light split shot, rolled along the bottom |
| Small jerkbaits | floating minnows in the 2 to 3 inch class for the deeper bends |
Suggestions follow from what the state actually stocks here and what kind of water it is, nothing else. No sponsored placements.
Nearby stocked waters
The closest waters with stocking pages of their own, straight-line miles from this one.
| Water | Distance | Most recent |
|---|---|---|
| Big Moccasin Creek | 5.7 mi | Oct 1 |
| Alexander Creek TN | 6.2 mi | Apr 19 |
| Stock Creek | 12 mi | Oct 1 |
| Watauga River NC | 13 mi | Oct 12 |
| Big Creek TN | 21 mi | Apr 19 |
Follow Smyth County stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule