Overmountain Chapter Trout Unlimited
Our Next Chapter Meeting
CSX Work Along the Nolichucky River
We’re excited to welcome Casey Ehorn, Deputy Chief of the Regulatory Division for the Nashville District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to our April meeting. He will discuss the reconstruction of the CSX railroad along the Nolichucky River and provide insights into the Corps' responsibilities for other rivers across Tennessee. Social time and dinner start at 6:00, with the program kicking off at 7:00.
WHEN
Tuesday, April 15th
6:00PM
WHERE
Golden Corral Buffet & Grill
3104 Browns Mill Rd
Johnson City, TN 37604
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!
Women's Intro to Fly Fishing
OMTU is hosting a two-part Women's Fly Fishing Course on April 11th and 12th. Participants will gather online on Friday evening (7PM-9PM) for the "classroom" instruction and discussions. Saturday morning (8AM-1PM) we meet in person to put your new knowledge into action! You will put on waders and boots, set up a fly rod (all gear provided), and be paired up with a mentor. We will help you develop the basic fly casting during some lawn practice then head into the water to catch some fish!
Whether you have zero fly fishing experience, are looking for a refresher on the basics, or are hoping to meet other local lady anglers, we would love to have you join us.
The course will be held rain or shine, so keep an eye on the forecast and dress accordingly. If severe storms (lightning) are expected, the event may be rescheduled. More information and tickets can be found on our event calendar found on the OMTU website or by clicking the following link.
THE CLASS IS CURRENTLY FULL AND THE REGISTRATION HAS BEEN CLOSED
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.
Trash Trout
We’re thrilled to announce the purchase of a Trash Trout for Stony Creek in Carter County, acquired from Asheville GreenWorks. This device will be installed near the lower end of the creek, roughly half a mile upstream from its confluence with the Watauga River. Fabrication is expected to take about six weeks, and we’ll finalize the installation date as more details become available. The Trash Trout will help capture plastics and other debris, keeping them out of the Watauga River. We would like to thank the Tri Fly Tournament for their generous donation to help pay for this project.
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.
