Best striped bass lakes in Tennessee
11 Tennessee waters list striped bass (official records or labelled estimates). 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. Open-water nomad that follows shad and herring schools; loves current, points and cool depths.
- Chickamauga Lake — 75 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #1: 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 #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 50 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Norris Lake — 210 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 35 public access sites, 8 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Cherokee Lake — 160 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #4: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 38 public access sites, 11 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Cordell Hull Lake — 75 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 14 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
- Melton Hill Lake — 65 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 15 public access sites
- J. Percy Priest Lake — 100 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, CrappieWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 33 public access sites, 7 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Tims Ford Lake — 143 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 18 public access sites
- Boone Lake — 120 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites
- Nickajack Lake — 55 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #11: 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 striped bass in Tennessee
- Spring 5–20 ft — Fish push up creeks and rivers; chase the bait to moving water.
- Summer 25–60 ft — Stripers hold in the cool deep layer — live bait or trolling over the thermocline.
- Fall 10–35 ft — Fall blitz season — follow the birds and breaking fish.
- Winter 20–50 ft — Big schools stack on channel bends with bait; slow presentations.
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 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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