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!