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Fishing Fort Loudoun Lake: what the data says
14,600-acre reservoir near Knoxville. The lake tops out around 75 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.
Largemouth Bass fishing at Fort Loudoun Lake
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring largemouth bass. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Smallmouth Bass fishing at Fort Loudoun Lake
Spring smallmouth bass on Fort Loudoun Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 45 ft. The spot to know is Rock reef, a rock pile in about 8.303165690324949 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Crappie fishing at Fort Loudoun Lake
Spring crappie on Fort Loudoun Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. Old creek channel is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 38 ft, rated prime for winter crappie. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Bluegill fishing at Fort Loudoun Lake
In spring, bluegill run shallow here, mostly 1 to 6 ft. They move out to 4 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 25 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Channel Catfish fishing at Fort Loudoun Lake
Spring channel catfish on Fort Loudoun Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 8 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Tennessee River inflow, a inflow / creek mouth in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in spring. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday |
Blue Catfish fishing at Fort Loudoun Lake
Start shallow in spring: blue catfish sit in 5 to 25 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 10 to 40 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 50 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Old creek channel: a creek channel around 38 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | |
| Summer | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | |
| Fall | 15 to 45 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday |
Fort Loudoun Lake also holds flathead catfish (8 to 30 ft in summer), white bass & hybrids (10 to 30 ft in summer), freshwater drum (8 to 30 ft in summer), longnose gar (1 to 12 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 64 ft
- Old creek channel: creek channel, around 38 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 34 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 26.335367312479477 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 23.100344250892405 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 19 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 19 ft
- Shoreline point: point, around 11.414777363606035 ft
- Marina / dock area: dock line, around 10 ft
- Rock reef: rock pile, around 8.303165690324949 ft
- Tennessee River inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 8 ft
- Tennessee River inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 8 ft
- Rock reef: rock pile, around 7.599991357960412 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Common questions
How deep is Fort Loudoun Lake?
Fort Loudoun Lake is about 75 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 Fort Loudoun Lake?
Anglers target largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, white bass & hybrids, flathead catfish, blue catfish, freshwater drum, common carp, longnose gar on Fort Loudoun Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Fort Loudoun Lake?
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Fort Loudoun Lake?
For largemouth 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.
Nearby waters
Tellico Lake · Clinch River · Watts Bar Lake · Norris Lake · Obed River · Douglas Lake
See how Fort Loudoun Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Tennessee · best smallmouth bass lakes in Tennessee · best crappie lakes in Tennessee · best bluegill lakes in Tennessee
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