Tellico River Information / If you go
Shop Tellico River--Tennessee
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Trout Fishing sticker decal
$8.98$7.98
North River Fly Fishing Sticker Tennessee Decal
$8.98$7.98
Tellico River Kayak decal sticker Tennessee
$6.98$5.98
Tellico River Fly Fishing Sticker Tennessee Trout Decal
$8.98$7.98
Bald River Fly Fishing Sticker Tennessee decal
$8.98$7.98
Tellico River Rainbow Trout decal sticker Tennessee
$8.98$7.98
Bookmark this page and use this collection of information and links to help guide your voyage on the Tellico River. Localwaters welcomes any relevant information on the Tellico River you are willing to share with others here on this page, use our contact form or via email.
Conservation Groups active on Tellico River:
Appalachian Chapter of Trout Unlimited
Southern Appalachian Brook Trout Foundation
Tellico River Weather
Tellico River Outfitters:
Fly Fishing-
Telliquah Outfitters LLC
1650 Cherohala Skyway (Hwy. 165)
PO Box 627, Tellico Plains Tennessee 37385
Tel: (423) 536-8143
These folks are located right on the river and have deep local knowledge.
The special Tellico-Citico Permit can be purchased here
Bait & Tackle-
Green Cove Motel and Trailer Camp
2870 River Road Tellico Plains, TN 37385
(423) 253-2069
These folks are located right on the river and have been here for a long time, deep local knowledge
A good selection of baits, some flies too, limited tackle but they are remotely located.
The special Tellico-Citico Permit can be purchased here
Government Agencies:
US Forest Service
Tellico Ranger District
250 Ranger Station Road
Tellico Plains TN 37385
(423) 253-8400
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Region 4
Licensing-Game Enforcement-Stocking-Boating Registration
Tellico River Hatchery
Special Permit Requirements and regulations for this area’s localwaters 2012: *****Check this link for changes to rules permits
Trout Regulations on Cherokee Wildlife Management Area
| Name of Trout StreamOnly one rod or pole permitted per angler on the waters listed below except Calderwood. | Tellico-Citico Daily Permit Required | Closed Thu/Fri Except State & Federal Holidays |
Creel Limit | Minimum Length Limit | Hours Open | Gear/Tackle Allowed |
| Tellico River upstream from Turkey Creek to NC state line* | 3/15 ? 9/15 | 3/15 ? 9/15 | 7 | 6? Brook, No size limit on Rainbow or Brown |
One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset | All |
| Citico Creek upstream from Little Citico Creek* | 3/15 ? 9/15 | 3/15 ? 9/15 | 7 | All | ||
| Green Cove Pond Fishing limited to handicapped** individuals, children under age 13, and adults 65 years of age and older. | Year-round | Year-round | 7 | All(No minnows) | ||
| North River and tributaries | No | No | 3 | 6? Brook, 9? Brown and Rainbow |
Only single-hook artificial lures and flies are permitted. Use or possession of multiple hook lures, or bait is prohibited.One single-hook lure separated from a legal lure by a length of line (e.g. a dropper fly) is also permitted. | |
| Bald River and tributaries | No | No | 3 | |||
| North Fork Citico Creek and tributaries | No | No | 3 | |||
| South Fork Citico Creek and tributaries | No | No | 3 |
Tellico Trout Hatchery (423) 253-2661
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Region 4
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Dale Hollow National Fish Hatchery
Fish Rearing Hatchery-Fish Stocking Partner with TWRA
Andrew L. Currie, Hatchery Manager
145 Fish Hatchery Road
Celina, TN 38551
(931)243-2443
Boating Regulations:
TWRA Boating Regulations
Fishing Regulations: Note that a special permit is required to fish Tellico River and Citico Creek. Check for recent regulations, fishing is closed on Fridays during certain times of the year and a catch and release-delayed harvest section complicates it further.
TWRA go to site for current regulations
Tellico River Special Regulations Smallmouth Bass:
Tellico River (Tellico Reservoir Boundary upstream to state line)
13?17 inch protected length range for smallmouth bass, with a creel limit of 5 black bass, allowing only one smallmouth bass in creel to be greater than 17 inches.
Tellico River Guides:
Telliquah Outfitters
Gage Hodgin (423)-536-8143
1650 Cherohala Skyway (Hwy 165), Tellico Plains Tennessee
Tellico River Camping:
Spivey Cove Campground (USFS)
From Tellico Plains – turn onto TN 165 for approximately 5 miles, turn
right onto FR 210 going past Ranger Station. Campground will be approximately 12 miles upstream.
Davis Branch Campground (USFS)
From Tellico Plains – turn onto TN 165 for approximately 5 miles, turn
right onto FR 210 going past Ranger Station. Campground will be approximately 15 miles upstream.
State Line Campground (USFS)
From Tellico Plains – turn onto TN 165 for approximately 5 miles, turn
right onto FR 210 going past Ranger Station. Campground will be approximately 17 miles upstream.
Big Oak Cove (USFS)
From Tellico Plains, TN, take State Rt. 165 east 4 miles to Tellico Ranger Station sign (Forest Rt. 210)
At sign, bear right (keeping river on right) onto Rt. 210 and go 16.9 miles to sign.
North River (USFS)
From Tellico Plains, TN, take State Rt. 165 east 9.8 miles to the North River campground sign
(Forest Rt. 217). Turn left onto Rt. 217 and go 2.7 miles to campground sign. Turn right into
campground.
Holly Flats (USFS)
From Tellico Plains, TN, take State Rt. 165 east 14 miles to
Holly Flats campground sign (Forest Rt. 126). Turn right onto
Rt. 126 and go 1.1 miles to “Y” intersection. Bear left and
continue on Rt. 126 for 4.9 miles to campground entrance on the
left.
NOTE: Forest Rt. 126, a single-lane road with few turnouts, is steep
and curvy in places.
Lodging:
Green Cove Motel and Trailer Camp (located right on the river-We’ve caught our limit within 100 ft of the room)
2870 River Road Tellico Plains, TN 37385?
(423) 253-2069
It’s a great place for anglers and bear hunters! We’ve stayed there many
times and when time is limited it sure beats camping. The Green Cove is all about location and this is a
well run and very friendly fish camp. The Crows do a great job of managing the property but if you
have expectations of a Holiday Inn-family kind of place you’d better look into one of the many cabins
or motels available around Tellico Plains.
Mountain View Cabin Rentals (423) 519-2000
Log Cabin Rentals
133 Rafter Road
Tellico Plains, Tennessee 37385
We’ve stayed with these folks several times and can recommend them,
though they are higher priced you get what you pay for , perfect for families, very friendly.