Elk 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.

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Recent catches at Elk 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 Elk River on the board.

Fishing Elk River: what the data says

Tims Ford tailwater trout down through Fayetteville. The river tops out around 9 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.

The outline encloses 1,451 acres, worked by 97.1 miles of shoreline. A development index of 18.2 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. Tip to tip the water measures near 18.4 mi with a 5.8-mi widest point. Lincoln County claims this one. Tims Ford Lake sits 13 mi east — the closest neighbouring chart.

Rainbow Trout fishing at Elk River

Come spring, look for rainbow trout tight to the bank in 2 to 9 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 9 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 9 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6): a creek channel around 7 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 9 ft	dawn & dusk	Riffle & run (mile 26.1) (3 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	2 to 9 ft	dawn & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (7 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	3 to 9 ft	dawn & dusk	Riffle & run (mile 26.1) (3 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	2 to 9 ft	dawn	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (7 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Elk River

Spring smallmouth bass on Elk River hold shallow, usually 2 to 9 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 3 to 9 ft in summer, 3 to 9 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Riffle & run (mile 26.1) — rock pile, 3 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 9 ft	dawn & dusk	Riffle & run (mile 26.1) (3 ft)	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	3 to 9 ft	dawn & dusk	Riffle & run (mile 26.1) (3 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	3 to 9 ft	midday & dawn	Riffle & run (mile 26.1) (3 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	3 to 9 ft	midday	Riffle & run (mile 26.1) (3 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Brown Trout fishing at Elk River

Start shallow in spring: brown trout sit in 1 to 9 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 3 to 9 ft covers summer, 1 to 9 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Riffle & run (mile 26.1), a rock pile in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for brown trout in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and early morning. Throw a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 9 ft	dawn & dusk	Riffle & run (mile 26.1) (3 ft)	Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines
Summer	3 to 9 ft	night & dawn	Riffle & run (mile 26.1) (3 ft)	Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night)
Fall	2 to 9 ft	dusk & dawn	Riffle & run (mile 26.1) (3 ft)	Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon
Winter	1 to 9 ft	dawn	open water	Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow)

Notable structure

16 pieces of structure are mapped here — Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), around 7 ft, is the deepest of them.

Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 4.7): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 6.8): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 10.0): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 12.8): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 15.6): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 19.0): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 21.1): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 28.6): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 30.8): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 34.8): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 37.0): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 41.1): creek channel, around 7 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 44.2): creek channel, around 7 ft

Public access & boat ramps

Chenault Ford — ramp
Dickey Bridge — ramp
Old Dam Ford — ramp
Stump Shoals — ramp
Stone Bridge Park Paddle Craft Launch — carry-in

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

Elk 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 Elk River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Tennessee fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Elk River?

Elk River is about 9 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 Elk River?

Anglers target rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, brown trout on Elk River.

Where is the best fishing spot on Elk River?

Riffle & run (mile 26.1) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish Elk 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.

What are the fishing regulations for Elk River?

Fishing on Elk 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

Tims Ford Lake 13 mi · Woods Reservoir 21 mi · Normandy Lake 23 mi · Bedford County Lake 25 mi · Madison County Public Fishing Lake 25 mi, AL · Lake Guntersville 42 mi, AL/TN · Duck River 45 mi · Nickajack Lake 48 mi · Tennessee River - Reach 1 of 3 52 mi, AL/TN/MS · DeKalb County Public Fishing Lake 54 mi, AL · Shellcracker Lake 59 mi · Blue Cat Lake 59 mi

See how Elk River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Tennessee · best rainbow trout lakes in Tennessee · best brown trout 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.