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Best rainbow trout lakes in Tennessee

10 Tennessee waters hold rainbow trout, 1 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. The classic stocked cold-water trout. Depth is everything: rainbows follow the temperature layer they like.

1. Dale Hollow Lake — 130 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
2. Tellico Lake — 95 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
3. South Holston Lake — 240 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
4. Watauga Lake — 265 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
5. Elk River — 9 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout
6. Marrowbone Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
7. Caney Fork River — 12 ft max · Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout
8. South Fork Holston River — 10 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout
9. Hiwassee River — 10 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout
10. Clinch River — 12 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout

When to fish rainbow trout in Tennessee

• Spring 5–20 ft — Post-ice-out trout roam shallow; fish inflows and windblown shorelines.
• Summer 8–30 ft — Rainbows hold near cold inflows, current seams and the thermocline — find the cool water and you've found the fish.
• Fall 10–35 ft — Fall feeding on rock shoals, current and channel edges as water cools.
• Winter 8–40 ft — Trout are comfortable in cold water — one of the best winter targets; streams and tailwaters fish shallow, deep lakes hold on basin edges.

Also in Tennessee: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish 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

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