Best spotted bass lakes in Tennessee
6 Tennessee waters hold spotted bass. 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. The deep-water bass of highland reservoirs. Schools on points and humps chasing herring — always deeper than you think.
- Kentucky Lake — 75 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, Crappie
- Pickwick Lake — 85 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, Crappie
- Center Hill Lake — 190 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
- Melton Hill Lake — 65 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
- Tims Ford Lake — 143 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
- Woods Reservoir — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
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When to fish spotted bass in Tennessee
- Spring 5–20 ft — Spots spawn deeper than largemouth — gravel points and pea-gravel pockets in 5-15 ft.
- Summer 15–40 ft — Offshore season: spots suspend over deep points, humps and standing timber, herding blueback herring and shad.
- Fall 10–30 ft — Fish follow bait to the creek mouths and long points — watch for breaking fish.
- Winter 25–50 ft — Winter spots stack on bluff ends, channel-swing banks and deep points — slow spoons and jigs.
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 longnose gar lakes · best brown trout lakes
Spotted Bass elsewhere: Texas · West Virginia · Georgia