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Fishing Clinch River: what the data says
Trophy brown trout tailwater below Norris Dam. The river tops out around 12 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Rainbow Trout fishing at Clinch River
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 12 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 12 ft. Norris Dam tailrace is the standout, a dam tailrace at roughly 10 ft, rated prime for spring rainbow trout. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 12 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Brown Trout fishing at Clinch River
Start shallow in spring: brown trout sit in 1 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 4 to 12 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 12 ft. The spot to know is Norris Dam tailrace, a dam tailrace in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for brown trout in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and early morning. Tie on a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | night & dawn | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 2 to 12 ft | dusk & dawn | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 2 to 12 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Notable structure
- Norris Dam tailrace: dam tailrace, around 10 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 4.1): creek channel, around 9 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 6.6): creek channel, around 9 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 9.1): creek channel, around 9 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 11.6): creek channel, around 9 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 16.3): creek channel, around 9 ft
- Tailout eddy (mile 0.3): eddy pocket, around 7 ft
- Riffle & run (mile 13.8): rock pile, around 4 ft
Common questions
How deep is Clinch River?
Clinch River is about 12 ft at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
What fish are in Clinch River?
Anglers target rainbow trout, brown trout on Clinch River.
Where is the best fishing spot on Clinch River?
Norris Dam tailrace is the top-rated area: a dam tailrace in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Clinch River?
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Fort Loudoun Lake · Norris Lake · Tellico Lake · Watts Bar Lake · Obed River · Douglas Lake
See how Clinch River stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Tennessee · best brown trout lakes in Tennessee
Browse all Tennessee fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.