Duck River Fishing Map & Spots (TN)

Hatch outlook

Willow fly (summer mayfly)Active window

Typical here: Apr 1 – Oct 31 · recurring broods all summer — the heart of it is June–July, famously around July 4th on the Tennessee River lakes; any one hatch lasts days to ~3 weeks

dunhatches at dusk — clouds of bugs just before dark, continuing into the night — after hatching they fly to shoreline foliage — trees near lighted docks get covered; the feeding zone is the water under bug-loaded overhanging bushes and willows
spinnerthe following days: mating, egg drop and spent flies falling from the overhangs — the bream bite under the bushes runs as long as the bugs do

A two-level event: bream stack under the bug trees, and the big bass stack under the bream. Fish the same bushes twice — small for bream, big for the bass just outside them.

Crickets or small poppers under a float tight to the bug-covered bushes for bream; beetle spins and hair jigs just under the surface; for the bass, run a bluegill-pattern topwater or squarebill down the outside edge of the overhangs.

The event happens over under and just outside overhanging willows and bushes on steep banks; trees near lighted docks after dark

Next on this water

Spring crawfish emergence · forageFeb 15 – May 15 · in ~6 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

Loading depth chart…

Recent catches at Duck River

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Duck River on the board.

Fishing Duck River: what the data says

North America’s most biodiverse river. And a sleeper smallmouth float. The river tops out around 10 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.

On the chart, Duck River draws 11,678 acres inside 265.3 miles of shoreline. A development index of 17.5 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. Figure 60.8 mi of water from one end to the other, 8.6 mi at the beam. The water lies in Maury County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Blue Cat Lake, 14 mi northwest of here.

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Duck River

In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 10 ft. Summer keeps them at 3 to 10 ft, and they winter in 3 to 10 ft. Riffle & run (mile 23.2) is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring smallmouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 10 ft	dawn & dusk	Riffle & run (mile 23.2) (4 ft)	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	3 to 10 ft	dawn & dusk	Riffle & run (mile 23.2) (4 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	3 to 10 ft	midday & dawn	Current seam (mile 11.3) (6 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	3 to 10 ft	midday	Current seam (mile 11.3) (6 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Largemouth Bass fishing at Duck River

Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 3 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 10 ft. Fall largemouth bass concentrate at Outside-bend hole (mile 3.0), a prime-rated creek channel around 8 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 10 ft	dawn & dusk	Shelbyville Dam tailrace (9 ft)	Spinnerbait, Chatterbait
Summer	3 to 10 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 11.3) (6 ft)	Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait
Fall	3 to 10 ft	midday & dawn	Outside-bend hole (mile 3.0) (8 ft)	Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait
Winter	3 to 10 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 3.0) (8 ft)	Blade bait, Jigging spoon

Channel Catfish fishing at Duck River

Spring puts channel catfish in skinny water — 3 to 10 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 3 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 10 ft. Summer channel catfish concentrate at Outside-bend hole (mile 3.0), a prime-rated creek channel around 8 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	3 to 10 ft	dusk	Tailout eddy (mile 0.7) (6 ft)
Summer	3 to 10 ft	night & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 3.0) (8 ft)
Fall	3 to 10 ft	dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 3.0) (8 ft)
Winter	3 to 10 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 3.0) (8 ft)

Freshwater Drum fishing at Duck River

The spring pattern is a shallow one: freshwater drum in 3 to 10 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 10 ft through summer, 3 to 10 ft in winter. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 3.0), a creek channel in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for freshwater drum in summer. Plan around the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a jig + crawler combo or a small crankbait (slow) gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 10 ft	midday & dawn	Shelbyville Dam tailrace (9 ft)	Jig + curly tail (bounced), Small blade bait
Summer	3 to 10 ft	dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 3.0) (8 ft)	Jig + crawler combo, Small crankbait (slow)
Fall	3 to 10 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 3.0) (8 ft)	Blade bait (vertical), Jigging spoon
Winter	3 to 10 ft	midday	Shelbyville Dam tailrace (9 ft)	Jigging spoon (slow)

Notable structure

Count 54 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Shelbyville Dam tailrace, sits near 9 ft.

Shelbyville Dam tailrace: dam tailrace, around 9 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 3.0): creek channel, around 8 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 5.3): creek channel, around 8 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 8.3): creek channel, around 8 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 19.2): creek channel, around 8 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 21.2): creek channel, around 8 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 25.2): creek channel, around 8 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 28.2): creek channel, around 8 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 30.5): creek channel, around 8 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 38.5): creek channel, around 8 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 41.8): creek channel, around 8 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 45.1): creek channel, around 8 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 48.1): creek channel, around 8 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 53.4): creek channel, around 8 ft

Public access & boat ramps

Carpenter Bridge Access — ramp
Centerville Park Ramp — ramp
Chickasaw Trace Park — ramp
Howard Bridge Road Access — ramp
Iron Bridge Access — ramp
Lillard's Mill — ramp
Riverside Access Area — ramp
Shelbyville City Park — ramp
…plus 7 more mapped sites.

Access data: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency — Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.

Duck River fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Tennessee waters are set by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency — and special regulations can apply to Duck River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Tennessee fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Duck River?

Duck River is about 10 ft (3 m) deep 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 Duck River?

Anglers target smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, channel catfish, freshwater drum on Duck River.

Where is the best fishing spot on Duck River?

Riffle & run (mile 23.2) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish Duck River?

For smallmouth bass, 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.

What are the fishing regulations for Duck River?

Fishing on Duck River is regulated by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Check the official Tennessee regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.

Nearby waters

Blue Cat Lake 14 mi · Whippoorwill Lake 14 mi · Shellcracker Lake 15 mi · Harpeth River 33 mi · VFW Lake 35 mi · Laurel Hill Lake 38 mi · J. Percy Priest Lake 39 mi · Bedford County Lake 42 mi · Normandy Lake 44 mi · Elk River 45 mi · Marrowbone Lake 46 mi · Buffalo River 47 mi

See how Duck River stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Tennessee · best smallmouth bass lakes in Tennessee · best channel catfish lakes in Tennessee · best freshwater drum lakes in Tennessee

Browse all Tennessee fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.