Best longnose gar lakes in Tennessee
10 Tennessee waters list longnose gar (official records or labelled estimates), 1 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Prehistoric surface predator of warm backwaters. A summer sight-fishing riot on rope lures.
- Kentucky Lake — 75 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #1: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 44 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Chickamauga Lake — 75 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 29 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Watts Bar Lake — 100 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 50 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Mississippi River — Memphis — 135 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Lake Barkley — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Sauger, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 39 public access sites
- Old Hickory Lake — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 36 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Fort Loudoun Lake — 75 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 17 public access sites
- Reelfoot Lake — 18 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 15 public access sites
- Harpeth River — 8 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Longnose GarWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 11 public access sites, 10 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Nickajack Lake — 55 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
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How to use this ranking
The order is a map-planning ranking, not a claim about today's fish population. It favors larger mapped waters and gives survey-backed contours a three-times data-quality boost. Agency population surveys, current regulations, access and recent conditions should make the final decision.
Compare maximum depth across 37,233 lake records · See Tennessee waters with public access data
When to fish longnose gar in Tennessee
- Spring 2–10 ft — Fish gather in warm shallow backwaters ahead of the spawn.
- Summer 1–12 ft — Look for fish rolling on the surface in slack water — cast past and drag through.
- Fall 4–15 ft — Following bait into deeper slack water as temps fall.
- Winter 10–25 ft — Wintering in deep, still holes.
Also in Tennessee: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best sauger lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best striped bass lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best blue catfish lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes · best brown trout lakes · best spotted bass lakes
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