Ellis Ward Guide Service
Ellis Ward Guide Service
Booked with us before? You may qualify for a Loyalty Discount. Sign in to check.
Ellis Ward Guide Service offers guided float fishing trips for trout, musky, and smallmouth in the rivers of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. Our guided trout trips will take place on either the South Holston River or the Watauga River in Tennessee. Guided Musky Trips will take place on either the Clinch River system near Melton Hill Reservoir in Tennessee, or on the French Broad River outside of Ashevile, North Carolina. Guided Smallmouth Trips will be on sections of the Holston River, the Nolichucky, or the French Broad River.
Ellis has spent thousands of days fishing and guiding these rivers, and as many days at the vise working on fly designs based on his personal experiences watching what triggers big fish to 'go' when in most instances, they will likely stay.
The program for the day changes on a trip-to-trip basis based on fish behavior, seasonality, angler preferences, and conditions. It can include streamer fishing, sight casting dry flies to rising Trout and tailing Carp, mousing for Brown Trout at night, fishing topwater plugs and flies for Striped Bass and lake run Brown Trout, or a healthy combination of many of the above.
If you've ever been bored by Trout fishing or wondered how anyone could stand to watch a bobber for 8 hours straight, you're in good company! Anglers rarely nymph fish; if they do, it's in targeted areas for a limited time. Ellis has developed his fishing, tying, and guiding business around the idea that fishing a tailwater for big Trout should be engaging, exciting, active, and adventurous!
Ellis Ward Guide Service runs catch-and-release trips, but the captain is happy to make some exceptions for a few fish! You'll need to get a fishing license before the trip. This information is available online, or you can ask the captain. Food, drinks, and all the necessary gear are included.
For an exciting fly fishing adventure, book your trip with Ellis Ward Guide Service!
Ellis Ward Guide Service offers guided float fishing trips for trout, musky, and smallmouth in the rivers of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. Our guided trout trips will take place on either the South Holston River or the Watauga River in Tennessee. Guided Musky Trips will take place on either the Clinch River system near Melton Hill Reservoir in Tennessee, or on the French Broad River outside of Ashevile, North Carolina. Guided Smallmouth Trips will be on sections of the Holston River, the Nolichucky, or the French Broad River.
Ellis has spent thousands of days fishing and guiding these rivers, and as many days at the vise working on fly designs based on his personal experiences watching what triggers big fish to 'go' when in most instances, they will likely stay.
The program for the day changes on a trip-to-trip basis based on fish behavior, seasonality, angler preferences, and conditions. It can include streamer fishing, sight casting dry flies to rising Trout and tailing Carp, mousing for Brown Trout at night, fishing topwater plugs and flies for Striped Bass and lake run Brown Trout, or a healthy combination of many of the above.
If you've ever been bored by Trout fishing or wondered how anyone could stand to watch a bobber for 8 hours straight, you're in good company! Anglers rarely nymph fish; if they do, it's in targeted areas for a limited time. Ellis has developed his fishing, tying, and guiding business around the idea that fishing a tailwater for big Trout should be engaging, exciting, active, and adventurous!
Ellis Ward Guide Service runs catch-and-release trips, but the captain is happy to make some exceptions for a few fish! You'll need to get a fishing license before the trip. This information is available online, or you can ask the captain. Food, drinks, and all the necessary gear are included.
For an exciting fly fishing adventure, book your trip with Ellis Ward Guide Service!
Select date to see availability
Trip availability and prices
| Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Customer reviews
Rating
Anglers' gallery (5)
Reviews (3)
Christopher Galbraith•
New York, USMember since 20235.0VerifiedGreat full day trip
Full Day Trip – Trophy Trout on August 27, 2023 • 2 adults • 1 childEllis is an excellent guide— friendly, patient, knowledgeable. My 8 year old son and I greatly enjoyed spending seven hours on the river for him.
Christopher CobleRepeat angler•Wilmington, NC, US•Member since 20232 trips5.0VerifiedFloating Tripp with Captain Ellis
Full Day Trip – Trophy Trout on August 21, 2023 • 2 adultsBeautiful scenery and great trip overall !
Michael Hudnall•Florida, USMember since 20235.0VerifiedGreat experience!
Full Day Trip – Trophy Trout on May 5, 2023 • 2 adultsMy wife and both caught rainbows and browns which was great because we've never caught them before. Captain Ellis was a great guide who offered alot of varieties to fish the river. We started with conventional lures because we weren't familiar with fly fishing. The lures caught fish but after awhile we both had fly rods in our hands. One of my favorite parts was watching the browns eat the dry flies on the surface. Captain ellis worked the river great and put us in the right spots to make the cast. Would do it again ?
Rating
Anglers' gallery (5)
All reviews (3)
My wife and both caught rainbows and browns which was great because we've never caught them before. Captain Ellis was a great guide who offered alot of varieties to fish the river. We started with conventional lures because we weren't familiar with fly fishing. The lures caught fish but after awhile we both had fly rods in our hands. One of my favorite parts was watching the browns eat the dry flies on the surface. Captain ellis worked the river great and put us in the right spots to make the cast. Would do it again ?
Ellis is an excellent guide— friendly, patient, knowledgeable. My 8 year old son and I greatly enjoyed spending seven hours on the river for him.
Beautiful scenery and great trip overall !
FAQs about Ellis Ward Guide Service
- US $500 per group, additional US $100 per person after 1 guest - Full Day Trip – Trophy Trout (8 hours)
- Fishfinder Helix 7 CHIRP SI/DI
- Ice box
- Rods, reels & tackle
- Lures
- Snacks
- Drinks
- Lunch
- Fly fishing equipment
- River fishing
- Lake fishing
- Light tackle
- Trolling
- Spinning
- Jigging
- Popping
- Fly fishing
- Bass (Smallmouth)
- Bass (Striped)
- Brook Trout
- Brown Trout
- Carp
- Muskellunge (Musky)
- Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
Your captain
Johnson City, Tennessee, United States
I am a full-time, year-round fishing guide in East Tennessee, based out of Johnson City. In 2018, I was working in healthcare finance consulting and living in DC. I had been there since 2011, after graduating with a degree in physics from Vanderbilt University. I worked hard to be where I was, but I was brutally unhappy with what I did for a living. I was stressed out and half-checked out when I was able to make it home to see my baby daughter before she was asleep. While my life was 'successful' on paper, it didn't amount to any form of happiness. I found fly fishing somewhat by happenstance after my stepbrother took me fishing for a few hours. I didn't catch any, got hailed on, and thunder stormed out. We broke a borrowed reel, and I was borderline hypothermic for the duration of our stumbling. I was also head over heels in love with whatever it was we just did! I fell in love with fishing because of everything surrounding the sport – the scenery, the drives, the solitude, the heart-wrenching line snaps, and knee-shaking personal bests or firsts. These days, I am excited about every day of work. I take the time to talk with clients extensively before every trip. I also spend a lot of time with my now-almost-5-year-old daughter, who loves fishing but cares very little about catching fish.
What is the boat like?
What kind of fishing will you do?
Which fishing techniques you can try
Which amenities are available onboard
How cancellations work
You can cancel or modify your booking up to 30 days before the trip date, free of charge. If you cancel or modify your booking later, or fail to show up, you'll forfeit 100% of what you've paid.
What the listing policies are
Pickup agreed upon reservation
Transfer to/from departure site may be available and included in price depending on your location and distance from the dock.
How you can pay
When the captain confirms your trip, FishingBooker charges your credit card a 20% deposit to guarantee your reservation.
The remaining balance is to be paid directly to the charter operator on or prior to your trip date in one of the following payment methods:
Cash
Visa
Mastercard
American Express
PayPal
When paying the remaining balance with a credit card, an additional 3.5% charge will apply.
Compare similar fishing charters
