South Holston Reservoir Fishing
Public reservoir fishing in Washington and Smyth counties, 7,580 acres.
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South Holston Reservoir, the short version
Covering 7,580 acres, South Holston Reservoir is a reservoir in Washington and Smyth counties. Ice, gas and groceries wait in Abingdon, roughly 5 miles off.
The DWR access layer counts 2 boat ramps here. A digest exception covers it, printed below. Part of it lies in TN; the license agreement is below.
Acres as stated on the Virginia DWR waterbody page, read November 6, 2026. Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026. Census 2023 places.
The DWR waterbody page on South Holston Reservoir
South Holston Lake is a 7,580-acre impoundment operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Much of the reservoir is in Tennessee, but the Virginia portion of the reservoir offers anglers more than 1,600 surface acres of water. South Holston offers good fishing for a variety of species. Black bass, crappie, walleye, sunfish, and catfish are a few of the most sought after species. Predatory fish have diverse and abundant forage in the form of alewives, gizzard shad, threadfin shad and shiners.
The DWR text on South Holston Reservoir appears unedited above.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
For the black bass herePiscifun AlinoX 300 low profile baitcaster34% OFFSale $104.99 What DWR marks as available at South Holston Reservoir
- Boat motors (DWR layer)Unlimited HP
- Facilities DWR marksparking, accessible facilities, picnic tables, grills, restrooms, boat ramps, paddle access, camping
- DWR region numberDWR Region 3
- Stocked trout lakecategory SR
These South Holston Reservoir entries come from DWR layers, word for word where possible.
Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026. Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026. Virginia DWR Stocked Trout Reaches and Stocked Trout Lakes layers (category, species, heritage day), read November 6, 2026.
What swims in South Holston Reservoir, per DWR
Best bets DWR marks at South Holston Reservoir
| Species group | DWR rating |
|---|---|
| Bass | best bet |
| Catfish | best bet |
| Trout | best bet |
| Panfish | present |
Nothing here for South Holston Reservoir is an angler report; it is what DWR names.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
Boat ramps serving South Holston Reservoir
| Site | Recorded attributes | Owner | Location (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avens boat ramp on South Holston Reservoir | dock and ramp, 1 ramp, freshwater | TVA | From Abingdon, South on Rt 75 (3.2); L on Rt 672 (2.4) |
| Whitaker Hollow boat ramp on South Holston Reservoir | concrete ramp, 2 ramps, freshwater | Washington County | From Abingdon, South on Rt 75 (8); L on Rt 670 (3); L on Rt 674 (4); L on 664 (2) |
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Size and creel at South Holston Reservoir
| Species as printed | Applies to | Creel | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass | statewide | 5 per day in the aggregate (combined) | No statewide length limits |
| Alabama, Spotted Bass | statewide | No statewide daily limit | No statewide length limit |
| Landlocked Striped Bass and Landlocked Striped Bass X White Bass Hybrids | statewide | 4 per day in the aggregate | No fish less than 20 inches |
| Striped Bass | Anadromous (coastal) striped bass above the fall line in all coastal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay and Crane Lake (City of Suffolk) | Creel and length limits shall be as set by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission for recreational fishing in tidal waters | no length limit printed |
| Striped Bass | Striped bass in the Meherrin, Nottoway, Blackwater (Chowan Drainage), North Landing and Northwest rivers and their tributaries plus Back Bay | No possession | no length limit printed |
| Walleye, Saugeye | statewide | 5 per day in the aggregate | No walleye or saugeye less than 18 inches |
| Sauger | statewide | 2 per day | No statewide length limits |
| White Bass | statewide | 5 per day | No statewide length limits |
| Chain Pickerel and Northern Pike | statewide | 5 per day | No statewide length limits |
| Muskellunge | statewide | 1 per day | No muskellunge less than 40 inches |
| Bluegill (bream) and other sunfish excluding Crappie, Rock Bass (redeye) and Roanoke Bass | statewide | 50 per day in the aggregate (combined) | No statewide length limits |
| Crappie (black or white) | statewide | 25 per day in the aggregate (combined) | No statewide length limits |
| Rock Bass (redeye) | statewide | 25 per day in the aggregate with Roanoke bass | No statewide length limits |
| Roanoke Bass | statewide | 25 per day in the aggregate with rock bass | No statewide length limits |
| Perch (yellow and white) | statewide | No statewide daily limit | No statewide length limit |
| Trout | statewide | 6 per day | 7 inch minimum size |
| Channel, White, and Flathead | statewide | 20 per day | No length limits |
| Blue | statewide | 20 per day | No statewide length limits |
Unless the digest singles out South Holston Reservoir for a species, the statewide row decides.
What the DWR page lists under rules for South Holston Reservoir
- Any person possessing a valid Tennessee or Virginia resident sport fishing license, or who is legally exempt from those license requirements, and possessing the South Holston Reservoir License may fish in the Tennessee and Virginia impounded waters of South Holston Reservoir. Virginia residents fishing in South Holston Lake in TN must have a Virginia resident license and South Holston Reservoir Permit (or Tennessee non-resident fishing license); under the age of 13-no license or permit required. The annual cost of the South Holston License is currently $21 dollars. The South Holston License is valid in all impounded portions of the reservoir below full pool elevation of 1,730 feet, including the confluence of the Middle Fork and South Fork Holston rivers and the South Fork Holston River upstream to the Route 710 Bridge at Alvarado, VA. The South Holston License is not valid for possession of trout.
- A valid resident Tennessee trout fishing license or a valid resident Virginia trout fishing license is required to fish for trout and to possess trout on South Holston Reservoir. All anglers shall abide by the laws of the state in which they are fishing as to manner and means of taking fish. Size restrictions and creel limits shall be as follows:
- Black Bass
- No smallmouth less than 15 inches
- 5 fish/day
- Walleye
- No walleye less than 18 inches
- 5 fish/day
- Crappie
- No crappie less than 10 inches
- 15 fish/day
- Trout
- No minimum size
- 7 fish/day
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
Local exceptions at South Holston Reservoir
| Water as printed | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| South Holston Reservoir | Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass | No smallmouth less than 15 inches |
| South Holston Reservoir | White Bass | No harvest or possession (catch and release only) |
| Flannagan and South Holston reservoirs | Crappie (black or white) | No crappie less than 10 inches; South Holston Res. — 15 per day in the aggregate (combined) |
| South Holston Reservoir | Rock Bass (redeye) | 20 per day |
| South Holston Reservoir | Trout | 7 fish per day—only 2 lake trout. No minimum size. |
| South Holston Reservoir | All Catfish | 20 per day, only 1 catfish per day longer than 34 inches |
Water-specific exceptions as printed, 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (eRegulations, linked from the Virginia DWR regulations page), read November 6, 2026.
Reciprocity on South Holston Reservoir
- South Holston Reservoir Any person possessing a valid Tennessee or Virginia resident freshwater fishing license, or who is legally exempt from those license requirements, and possessing the South Holston Reservoir License may fish in the Tennessee and Virginia impounded waters of South Holston Reservoir. Virginia residents fishing in South Holston Lake in Tennessee must have a Virginia resident license and South Holston Reservoir Permit (or Tennessee nonresident fishing license); under the age of 13—no license or permit required . The annual cost of the South Holston License is …
Tennessee and Virginia rows for South Holston Reservoir
| Species | Restriction | Creel |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth & smallmouth bass | No smallmouth less than 15 inches | 5 per day |
| Spotted bass | No minimum size | No daily limit |
| Walleye | No walleye less than 18 inches | 5 per day |
| Crappie | No crappie less than 10 inches | 15 per day |
| Trout | No minimum size–only 2 lake trout per day | 7 per day |
| White bass | No harvest–all white bass must be released | |
| Catfish | Only 1 catfish over 34 inches | 20 per day |
| Bluegill | No minimum size | 50 per day |
| Rock bass | No minimum size | 20 per day |
| Trotlines* | 100 hooks per angler | |
| Jugs* | 50 per angler | |
| Limb-lines* | 15 per angler | |
| *All trotlines, limb-lines, and jugs must be tagged with angler’s name/address or license number. |
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older.
Statewide creel and length limits as printed (page updated August 17, 2026), 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (eRegulations, linked from the Virginia DWR regulations page), read November 6, 2026. Virginia license fees in the 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (licenses run one year from purchase unless noted), read November 6, 2026.
Virginia records caught at South Holston Reservoir
| Species | Weight as printed | Date | Water as listed | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sauger | 5 lbs. 8 oz. | 7-2-1972 | South Holston Lake | retired category |
State Record Freshwater Fish as of 9-2-2025 (keeper: Virginia DWR (State Record Freshwater Fish list as of 9-2-2025); angler names left off here), read November 6, 2026.
Circuit stops at South Holston Reservoir
Schedules and Virginia winners on South Holston Reservoir sit one click away.
Sizing South Holston Reservoir against nearby impoundments
Among the five nearest lake pages, Laurel Bed Lake is the biggest at 330 acres.
| Water | Distance | Size | DWR ramps | Trout stocking dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Holston Reservoir | this water | 7,580 acres | 2 | 0 |
| Beartree Lake | 15 miles east | 10 acres (DWR outline area) | 0 | 22 |
| Hidden Valley Lake | 16 miles northwest | 61 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Laurel Bed Lake | 24 miles north | 330 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Hungry Mother Lake | 29 miles northeast | 108 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Bark Camp Lake | 35 miles northwest | 61 acres | 1 | 31 |
Virginia DWR waterbody pages and Public Fishing Lakes layer, NHD outline areas, DWR Boating Access Locations and stocking schedule; read November 6, 2026.
Old Dominion stops around South Holston Reservoir
Other impoundments a short drive from South Holston Reservoir
- Beartree Lake15 miles east
- Hidden Valley Lake16 miles northwest
- Laurel Bed Lake24 miles north
- Hungry Mother Lake29 miles northeast
- Bark Camp Lake35 miles northwest
Bloodworm and minnow counters en route to South Holston Reservoir
- Virginia Creeper Fly-Fishingbait and tackle shop, Abingdon, 6 miles
- Just Fish'nbait and tackle shop, Bristol, 10 miles
- Mountain Sports LTDbait and tackle shop, Bristol, 13 miles
- Sportsman Marinamarina, Abingdon
Towns that make a good base for South Holston Reservoir
- Abingdon5 miles, Washington County
- Bristol11 miles, City of Bristol
- Glade Spring15 miles, Washington County
- Chilhowie19 miles, Smyth County
Each locality touching South Holston Reservoir, linked
- Washington Countycounty seat Abingdon
- Smyth Countycounty seat Marion
A Piscifun spread to take to South Holston Reservoir
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Photo ID for the fish swimming at South Holston Reservoir
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Pacific Southwest Region, Public domain
Photo: Andy Sloane, CC BY-SA 2.0
Sorting out South Holston Reservoir, question by question
Which part of Virginia is South Holston Reservoir in?
Set the GPS for Washington and Smyth counties, about 5 miles from Abingdon.
What size is South Holston Reservoir?
It spans 7,580 acres.
Which Commonwealth ramp puts a bass boat on South Holston Reservoir?
DWR shows 2 boating access sites; Avens boat ramp on South Holston Reservoir is a good start.
Which fish does a Virginia angler find in South Holston Reservoir?
Expect black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, crappie, flathead catfish, walleye and white bass, per DWR.
Do I measure bass at South Holston Reservoir?
The statewide digest row for largemouth and smallmouth bass reads: 5 per day in the aggregate (combined); No statewide length limits. Check the water-specific line in the limits band too.
Which license should I carry at South Holston Reservoir?
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older. Anglers under 16 need none.
Is South Holston Reservoir worth a trip with no boat on the trailer?
The pier layer is empty for this water.
Does any listed bait store serve South Holston Reservoir?
Try Virginia Creeper Fly-Fishing (about 6 miles away).
Does the DWR record list include South Holston Reservoir?
Sauger, 5 lbs. 8 oz., 1972, is on the DWR record list for this water (angler names are left out here).
Which state license covers South Holston Reservoir?
South Holston Reservoir Any person possessing a valid Tennessee or Virginia resident freshwater fishing license, or who is legally exempt from those license requirements, and possessing the South Holston Reservoir License may fish in the Tennessee and Virginia impounded waters of South Holston Reservoir. Virginia residents fishing in South Holston Lake in Tennessee must have a Virginia …
Head out to South Holston Reservoir this season
Read the creel rows before the bow leaves the ramp.