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10,370-acre reservoir near Jasper. The lake tops out around 55 ft. This chart interpolates between a real shoreline and a known maximum depth. It will point you at likely water, but it is not a navigation product. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Nickajack Lake's chart carries 29.9 miles of bank, with 2 islands in the mix. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 3.5) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. 60% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 5.9 mi, about 2.6 mi across. Marion County claims this one. DeKalb County Public Fishing Lake sits 33 mi southwest — the closest neighbouring chart.
Come spring, look for largemouth bass tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (14 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (14 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (25 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 45 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 14 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (25 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (14 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (25 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
When the water first warms, crappie slide up into 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. If you only fish one area, make it Old creek channel: a creek channel around 28 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (25 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Feeding flat (9 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Old creek channel (28 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for bluegill tight to the bank in 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. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Break off the point (25 ft) | Tiny spoon |
In spring, blue catfish run shallow here, mostly 5 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 40 ft before dropping to 20 to 50 ft for winter. Summer blue catfish concentrate at Old creek channel, a prime-rated creek channel around 28 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | Creek inflow (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (28 ft) | |
| Fall | 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Old creek channel (28 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Deep basin (47 ft) |
Come spring, look for channel catfish tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 40 ft. Start at Creek inflow. It's an inflow / creek mouth holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Creek inflow (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Old creek channel (28 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Old creek channel (28 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Old creek channel (28 ft) |
Nickajack Lake also holds flathead catfish (8 to 30 ft in summer), striped bass (17 to 55 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.
Count 14 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 47 ft.
Access data: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency — Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Nickajack Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Tennessee fishing regulations →
Nickajack Lake is about 55 ft (17 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.
Anglers target largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, blue catfish, channel catfish, flathead catfish, striped bass, white bass & hybrids, freshwater drum, longnose gar, common carp on Nickajack 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. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
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.
Fishing on Nickajack Lake 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.
DeKalb County Public Fishing Lake 33 mi, AL · Lake Guntersville 34 mi, AL/TN · Woods Reservoir 35 mi · Chickamauga Lake 38 mi · Tims Ford Lake 38 mi · Normandy Lake 48 mi · Elk River 48 mi · Madison County Public Fishing Lake 48 mi, AL · Bedford County Lake 51 mi · Tennessee River - Reach 2 of 3 52 mi, TN/AL/GA · Lake Conasauga 54 mi, GA · Parksville Lake 55 mi
See how Nickajack 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
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.