Elk River Tennessee Fishing Report & Options for Selecting Flies: Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Tailwater
Species
Brown Trout (stocked with holdovers)
Rainbow Trout (stocked with
holdovers)
Size
Small
Location
South Central Tennessee
Nearest Towns
Lynchburg
Season
Year-round
Access:
Fair
Non-Resident License
State of Tennessee
Weather
National Weather Service Link
Seasons:
Year-round
Spring:
Spring is a good time except after heavy rains when water is being let through the dam.
Summer:
Summertime flows will vary with the electricity load.
Fall:
Fall is normally a very good time with good flows
Winter:
Most warm days are very good days to fish
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
4, 5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five
or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 4/5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Copyright 2013 James Marsh
Fly Fishing the Elk River Tailwater Tennessee
The Elk River is a little known tailwater located in Tennessee below Tims Ford Dam. It’s relatively small and easy to wade. The tailwater hold trout for about fifteen miles below the dam. The trout all were stocked at one time. There aren’t any stream-bred trout known to exist in the river but there are plenty of holdovers. Catching a good size brown trout is very possible.
This river flows through what most of the state of Tennessee is know for – hills. It winds and meanders its way around with fairly smooth, moderate flows. The country around the river is all farming country although there are some cattle along the river in some areas. Unlike most tailwaters in Tennessee, wading is the best method of fishing the Elk River. Of course, as with any tailwater, the flows have to be suitable. There’s a link on your left that will provide the scheduled TVA discharge times of the Tims Ford Dam on the Elk River.
You can float the river. If you do, you would be better off with a canoe or small personal pontoon type boat. Be very cautious about the discharges. When water is being released the stream is dangerous to be wading or in a small boat or canoe.
Access is rather limited but there’s access points right below the dam. Downstream there’s a TVA access at Garner’s Ford, access at the Farris Creek Bridge and access at the Old Dam Ford.
This river is full of scuds but it also has a few mayflies and caddisflies. There’s plenty of midge larvae in the river and imitations of their larva, pupae and the adults will work year round. Fly fishing the Elk River tailwater with streamers is a good way to catch the brown trout.
We cannot provide a lot of information on this stream because we have only fished in on one occasion; however, it isn’t the first time I have fished the Elk River. I had fished it many times for smallmouth bass in the state of Alabama. I won a bass tournament on the river too many years ago to reveal.
Copyright 2013 James Marsh