South Holston Lake is a 7,580-acre impoundment operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) that spans the state line between Tennessee and Virginia. The Virginia portion offers anglers more than 1,600 surface acres of water. Known for clear water with visibility typically greater than many other Tennessee reservoirs, South Holston features 168 miles of shoreline that's only partially developed, with much of the reservoir bordered by the Cherokee National Forest. The lake's diverse structure includes rock bluffs, shale banks, flat clay points, and open water features ranging from mud flats to river channel drop-offs and submerged islands, creating abundant habitats for a variety of fish species.