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.
Upcoming Events
Our Next Chapter Meeting
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🌶️OMTU Chili Cook-Off & Gear Swap🌶️
Where tight lines meet hot chili!
Do you have a killer chili recipe that deserves bragging rights? Or maybe you just love a good bowl of chili and talking fishing with friends? Either way, this is an event you don’t want to miss.
🔥 Bring the Heat - Cook up your best batch and enter our Annual Chili Cook-Off!
🏆 Prizes awarded to the Top 3 Chili Masters
🥄 Just Here to Eat? No problem at all—come hungry and sample all the chili you want while hanging out with fellow anglers.
🎣 Gear Swap Bonus - Got fishing gear collecting dust? Bring it along to sell or trade and maybe score something new for the upcoming season.
📍 Location: The Fly Box (500 Hickory Tree Road, Bristol, TN)
🥤 Drinks: OMTU will provide tea and water, or grab a cold beer from The Fly Box
Good chili. Good beer. Good fishing stories. Come for the chili, stay for the community.
We hope to see you there! 🍻🌶️🎣
10th Annual Bill Beazell & Allen Robbins Memorial Tailwater Roundup
A decade strong—and still growing. Join us as we celebrate 10 years of honoring Bill Beazell and Allen Robbins the best way we know how: by giving back to the rivers we love.
📅 Saturday, March 14, 2026
⏰ 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
This is our biggest cleanup of the year, and we need boots on the ground, oars in the water, and hands ready to help.
🌊 WHERE TO MEET
South Holston & Watauga Rivers
📍 Ingles Parking Lot (768 W Elk Ave, Elizabethton, TN 37643)
🧤 WHAT’S PROVIDED
✔ Trash bags, gloves, & waters
✔ FREE breakfast to start the day right
✔ Good vibes, great people, and a chance to make a real impact
🍔 AFTER THE CLEANUP
We’ll wrap things up with food, drinks, and prizes at 4:00 PM (location TBD). Stick around, swap stories, and celebrate a job well done.
This event grows every year, and that’s because of volunteers like you. Whether you’ve been here since year one or this is your first Roundup—we can’t do it without you.
💙 Thank you for supporting our tailwaters.
🎣 We hope to see you on the river.
Fly Tying Social
OMTU is hosting a fly-tying social at Mulligan's Irish Pub. Come with your fly tying gear and materials or borrow ours. Learn a new fly from the experts or just come hang out over a beer.
📅 Thursday, December 4
⏰6PM - 9PM
📍Mulligan's Irish Pub (308 E Main St, Johnson City, TN 37601)
Doe River Cleanup
The Doe River is one of our community’s greatest natural resources—and it needs our help. On Saturday, February 21 at 9:00 AM, volunteers are invited to participate in a Doe River Stream Cleanup.
We’ll meet at Happy Trails Park and concentrate our cleanup efforts on major problem areas where trash has been dumped over the riverbank. By targeting these high-impact sites, volunteers can make a real and lasting difference in the health of the river and surrounding habitat.
Gloves, trash bags, and lunch will be provided, so all you need to bring is your time and a desire to give back. This event is open to families, anglers, and anyone who enjoys the outdoors.
📅 Saturday, February 21
⏰9:00AM-1:00PM
📍Happy Trails Park (135 Old Railroad Grade Rd, Roan Mountain, TN 37687)
First Saturday Fishing Days
Who: Fly fishers of all ages and skill levels
What: A few hours of relaxing fishing, most likely on the Watauga River or larger streams within a 30 min drive of Elizabethton.
When: Meet at 9:00 AM
Dates:
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Saturday, December 6
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Saturday, January 3
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Saturday, February 7
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Saturday, March 7
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Saturday, April 4
Where: Meet at O'Reilly Auto Parts (500 N Sycamore St, Elizabethton, TN 37643) and decide on which river or stream based on conditions the day of.
Please reach out to us if you are a new fly fisher, need gear, or want to learn more!
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!
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.
