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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Bill Stiver - TWRA Bear Management Program
Bill Stiver brings a lifetime of wildlife experience and conservation leadership to our May meeting. Originally from Potterville, Michigan, Bill earned his B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University and his M.S. in Wildlife Sciences from University of Tennessee.
He spent 34 years with the National Park Service, including work in Shenandoah National Park and over three decades at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. His career focused on managing wild hogs, addressing human/bear conflicts, and monitoring elk and endangered bat populations.
After retiring in 2025, Bill now works part-time with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency supporting black bear management efforts.
Bill will discuss the importance of the BearWise program—an initiative focused on helping people live responsibly alongside black bears. He’ll also cover the Tennessee BearWise business recognition program and how cooperative efforts with TWRA can reduce human/bear conflicts in our communities.
Dinner and social time begins at 6:00, the presentation begins at 7:00. We will be providing buffalo wings and cookies for attendees. If you’d prefer something different, food and drinks can be purchased at the deli line downstairs in Food City. Please note that external food is not permitted.
We hope to see everyone there!
📅 Date: Tuesday, May 19
🕕 Time: 6:00 PM
📍 Location: Food City (920 N State of Franklin Rd, Johnson City, TN)
Youth Outdoor Adventure Day
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The Overmountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited is looking for volunteers to help with the Youth Outdoor Adventure Day at Rock Creek Recreation Area in Erwin, TN on Saturday, June 13th.
Volunteers are needed for the following:
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Manning a booth to talk with families about Trout Unlimited and our conservation efforts
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Teaching kids the basics of fly casting and fly fishing
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Helping introduce the next generation to the outdoors and coldwater conservation
This is a great opportunity to share your passion for fishing and conservation while helping kids experience the outdoors in a positive way.
📅 Date: Saturday, June 13
🕕 Time: 9:00 AM
📍 Rock Creek Recreation Area – (Rattlesnake Ridge Trail, Erwin, TN)
If you're interested in volunteering,
Blue Lines Fishing Series
Discover new waters and reconnect with nature through OMTU’s Blue Lines Fishing Series. This is your chance to hike into quiet streams, cast in water no wider than your fly rod, and chase wild trout in some of the most scenic and remote parts of our region. Whether you're a seasoned angler or just starting out, these adventures offer something special.
Laurel Fork Watershed
📅 Date: Sunday, June 14
🕕 Time: 1:00 PM
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Trip Details: Meet up at the Dennis Cove Recreation Area in Hampton, TN before partnering up and carpooling to the many tributaries of the Laurel that house native brook trout and wild brown trout.
Shady Valley
📅 Date: Saturday, June 27
🕕 Time: 8:00 AM
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Trip Details: Meet up at Shady Valley Country store in Shady Valley, TN before partnering up and carpooling to Beaverdam creek and its many tributaries that house native brook trout or fish Beaverdam proper for the potential for a grand slam (brook, brown, and rainbow).
South Indian Creek Watershed
📅 Date: Saturday, July 12
🕕 Time: 8:00 AM
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Trip Details: Meet up at the Bojangles in Erwin, TN before partnering up and carpooling to the many South Indian Creek tributaries native brook trout and wild rainbows.
Horse Creek Watershed
📅 Date: Saturday, July 25
🕕 Time: 8:00 AM
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Trip Details: Meet up at the parking area at the end of the road at Horse Creek Recreation Area where we will have access to the many streams in the Sampson Mountain Wilderness with wild rainbows and brook trout including Turkeypen Creek, Squibb Creek, and Horse Creek.
Watauga Lake Tribs
📅 Date: Sunday, August 30
🕕 Time: 8:00 AM
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Trip Details: Meet up at the parking area at Dollar General on Hwy 67 / 321 on Watauga Lake between Elizabethton and Mountain City. We will pair up and carpool to the many streams flowing into Watauga Lake including Doe Creek, Elk River, and smaller tributaries such as Little Stoney Creek.
North Indian Creek Watershed
📅 Date: Saturday, September 19
🕕 Time: 8:00 AM
📍 Town of Unicoi Visitor Center
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Trip Details: Meet up at the Town of Unicoi Visitor Center at 8 AM before partnering up and carpooling to the many sections of North Indian Creek accessible within a short drive such as Limestone Cove. There are many nearby tributaries that hold trout (including brook trout) such as Clear/Red Forks and Rock Creek.
Roan Mountain
📅 Date: Sunday, October 4
🕕 Time: 12:00 PM
📍 Roan Mountain State Park Visitor Center
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Trip Details: Meet up at the Roan Mountain State Park Visitor Center in Roan Mountain, TN at 8 AM before partnering up and carpooling to the many tributaries of the Doe that house native brook trout.
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.
🗓 Date: Saturday, June 6
🕕 Time: 9:00 AM
📍 Location: 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!
Thank You, Tailwater Roundup Volunteers & Sponsors!
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who came out on March 14 to support this year’s Tailwater Roundup. Because of your hard work and dedication, we had an amazing turnout of 98 volunteers who helped remove over 10,000 pounds of trash and more than 2,000 pounds of tires from the South Holston and Watauga Rivers.
The impact you made on our local waterways is huge. These rivers are special places for so many of us, and it takes a committed community like this to help protect and preserve them.
A big thank you to the Elizabethton Moose Lodge for hosting our after-party and giving everyone a place to relax and celebrate a job well done.
We also couldn’t do this without the incredible support of our sponsors.
Please help us thank and support the businesses and organizations that made this event possible:
828 Flies
AFTCO
APES
Asheville Fly Fishing Co.
Blue Mountain Fly Fishing
Blue Ridge Guide Association
Bojangles
Burger King
Carter County Solid Waste
Chetola Resort
Cortland
Douglas
Due South Outfitters
Elk Creek Outfitters
Fly Desyne / Megafin Flyfishing
Flying Soho
Hares Ear Flyfishing
Hickory Tree Grocery Store
High Country Boats
High Country Guide Service
Holston Distributing
HUK
Hunter Banks
Love Graham Vintage
Mahoney's
Northern Safety
OMTU
Orvis
Pure Fishing / Hatch / Filson
R.L. Winston Rods
Riverfeet Fly Fishing
South Holston River Company
South Holston River Fly Shop
South Holston River Lodge
Southern Drifters Outfitters
Speckled Trout
Stone Fly Co
Sullivan County Solid Waste
Tailwaters Fly Shop
Tailwaters Lodge
The Fly Box
Trophy Waters Guide Service
TVA
VA Creeper Fly Shop
Watauga River Lodge
Because of all of you, this was one of the most successful cleanups yet. We’re already looking forward to next year.
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.
