7 public waters in the East region — 4 lakes/reservoirs and 3 rivers. Every one is fishable on a Tennessee licence.
See every public fishing venue in Tennessee on the map, with boat ramps, camping, parking and full rules for each one.
A 45,478-acre TVA reservoir sprawling across five East Tennessee counties, Norris Lake offers diverse warm and cool-water fishing. Striped bass, largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass are the headline species, while walleye, black crappie, channel catfish and bluegill provide year-round opportunity across its extensive main pool and creek arms.
Anderson, Knox, Loudon and 1 more county in Tennessee — Melton Hill Lake is a 13,400-acre lake, managed by Tennessee Valley Authority: A mainstem Tennessee River impoundment — big, fertile, current-fed water with the state's deepest bench of species: black bass, white and Striped Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, three Catfish species, Sauger and Carp.
East Fork Poplar Creek runs through the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and carries a long-documented mercury contamination legacy from 1950s-60s weapons-plant operations -- roughly 15 miles of the creek historically exceeded water-quality criteria for mercury, and fish (redbreast sunfish studied specifically) carry elevated mercury and PCB levels. The creek still holds fish and catch-and-release fishing is considered low-risk, but check Tennessee's current fish consumption advisory list before eating anything caught here.
In Anderson County, Tennessee, Hinds Creek is a 62-acre lake, managed by Tennessee Valley Authority. Public lakes across the Southeast typically hold largemouth and other black bass species, bream (bluegill and redear/shellcracker sunfish), black and white crappie, and blue, channel and flathead catfish -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Scott, Campbell and Anderson Counties, Tennessee — New River is a 40 km stream: A clear Cumberland Plateau reservoir — smallmouth-strong with a Walleye run, plus largemouth, Crappie and Catfish.
In Anderson County, Tennessee, Bull Run Creek is a 8 km river or creek. A clear Cumberland Plateau reservoir — smallmouth-strong with a Walleye run, plus largemouth, Crappie and Catfish.
Norris Tailwater below the dam in Anderson County delivers a rare East Tennessee opportunity to fish for rainbow, brown, and brook trout in a 5.7 km tailrace managed by TWRA. Cold, stable water releases make this reach productive year-round for multiple trout species.
Across its mapped waters, Anderson County holds 20 species on PiscaMaps, including Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Black Crappie, Channel Catfish, Spotted Bass, Common Carp and White Crappie.
Ramps, put-ins and species for every water — plus the carp layer no other US app has.
Open the Tennessee map Join PiscaMapsOne Tennessee fishing licence covers every public water in the state. Resident annual is about $34, non-resident about $50, with 3-day and 10-day non-resident permits available. TWRA agency lakes and the Beech River lakes need an extra lake permit. Buy at gooutdoorstennessee.com.