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Best smallmouth bass lakes in Tennessee

29 Tennessee waters hold smallmouth bass, 2 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Current- and rock-loving fighter. Lives around gravel, boulders and hard-bottom structure.

1. 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
2. Tennessee River — Reach 2 of 3 — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
3. Chickamauga Lake — 75 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 28 public access sites
4. Pickwick Lake — 85 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #4: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 22 public access sites
5. Watts Bar Lake — 100 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 46 public access sites
6. Norris Lake — 210 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 28 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
7. Cherokee Lake — 160 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 27 public access sites
8. Tennessee River — Reach 1 of 3 — 33 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
9. Cordell Hull Lake — 75 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 14 public access sites
10. Dale Hollow Lake — 130 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
11. Tellico Lake — 95 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 14 public access sites
12. Douglas Lake — 140 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugerWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 12 public access sites
13. Fort Loudoun Lake — 75 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 16 public access sites
14. Center Hill Lake — 190 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 13 public access sites
15. Melton Hill Lake — 65 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 15 public access sites
16. South Holston Lake — 240 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
17. J. Percy Priest Lake — 100 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 26 public access sites
18. Tims Ford Lake — 143 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 18 public access sites
19. Duck River — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Freshwater DrumWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 15 public access sites, 5 carry-in or shore-oriented
20. Watauga Lake — 265 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
21. Boone Lake — 120 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites
22. Harpeth River — 8 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Longnose GarWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
23. Nickajack Lake — 55 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
24. Normandy Lake — 85 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
25. Woods Reservoir — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites

…plus 4 more Tennessee waters holding smallmouth bass.

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When to fish smallmouth bass in Tennessee

• Spring 3–12 ft — Gravel and rock flats near deep water; spawning happens on hard bottom.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Offshore rock humps and deep points; smallmouth suspend near bait.
• Fall 8–25 ft — Feeding hard for winter — long tapering points and rocky drops.
• Winter 20–45 ft — Deep, vertical presentations near rocky wintering holes.

Also in Tennessee: best largemouth 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 longnose gar lakes · best brown trout lakes · best spotted bass lakes

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