Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
173 km of the Tennessee River navigation corridor, with channel depths from USACE hydrographic survey. The river tops out around 40 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Traced from the shoreline, Tennessee River - Reach 2 of 3 runs 32,292 acres with 393.2 miles of edge. An index of 15.6 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 86% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. End to end it runs roughly 91 mi, about 60.1 mi across. The nearest mapped water is Chickamauga Lake, 11 mi to the southwest.
Spring puts rainbow trout in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 30 ft, wintering in 8 to 40 ft. Spring rainbow trout concentrate at Channel current seam (mile 3.0), a prime-rated current seam around 18 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 3.0) (18 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 3.0) (18 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 3.0) (18 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Channel current seam (mile 3.0) (18 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 12 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Channel bar / point (mile 31.5), a point in the 14 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 4.9) (10 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 3.0) (18 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Channel bar / point (mile 31.5) (14 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | midday | Channel current seam (mile 3.0) (18 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Come spring, look for brown trout tight to the bank in 3 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 12 to 40 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 35 ft. Start at Channel current seam (mile 3.0). It's a current seam holding about 18 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in after dark and early morning. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 12.8) (11 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft | night & dawn | Channel current seam (mile 3.0) (18 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Slackwater eddy (mile 12.8) (11 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Slackwater eddy (mile 12.8) (11 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Count 60 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Outside-bend hole (mile 8.9), sits near 22 ft.
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 Tennessee River - Reach 2 of 3 specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Tennessee fishing regulations →
Tennessee River - Reach 2 of 3 is about 40 ft (12 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, brown trout on Tennessee River - Reach 2 of 3. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Channel current seam (mile 3.0) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 18 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.
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.
Fishing on Tennessee River - Reach 2 of 3 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.
Chickamauga Lake 11 mi, TN · Hiwassee River 22 mi, TN · Parksville Lake 26 mi, TN · Watts Bar Lake 29 mi, TN · Tellico Lake 39 mi, TN · Lake Conasauga 41 mi, GA · Hiwassee Lake 46 mi, NC · Obed River 46 mi, TN · Fort Loudoun Lake 49 mi, TN · Melton Hill Lake 50 mi, TN · Blue Ridge Lake 51 mi, GA · Nickajack Lake 52 mi, TN
See how Tennessee River - Reach 2 of 3 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. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.