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PiscaMapsUnited States Tennessee DeKalb County Center Hill Lake

Fishing at Center Hill Lake

Tennessee · DeKalb County, Putnam County and White County · 14,297 acres
State
Tennessee
Country
USA
Licence
State-issued
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Tennessee Reservoir 14,297 acres Open access — public water 🎣 Carp water 🌙 Night fishing

About Fishing at Center Hill Lake

Center Hill Lake is a public reservoir in DeKalb County, Putnam County and White County, Tennessee, managed by US Army Corps of Engineers (Nashville District). The shoreline and water are open to the public. Public access confirmed via marquee operator.

A deep, clear Caney Fork reservoir known for smallmouth and a strong walleye run. Steep bluff banks and clear water suit finesse tactics.

Center Hill Lake covers about 14,297 acres in the Cumberland Plateau region. Anglers here mostly fish for smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, spotted bass, walleye; black crappie, white crappie, channel catfish, bluegill are also on record. Neighbouring public land — Center Hill Recreation Area, Center Hill Lake, Edgar Evins State Park & Wildlife Management Area — opens up bank access away from the main entry points. The nearest other mapped waters on PiscaMaps are Caney Fork River and Pine Creek.

County
DeKalb, Putnam, White
Region
Cumberland Plateau
Surface area
14,297 acres
Public access
Open access — public water
Managed by
US Army Corps of Engineers (Nashville District)
Night fishing
Permitted
Boats
Permitted

Fish Species at Center Hill Lake

Species from TWRA and Tennessee fishery data.

🎣 Carp Fishing at Center Hill Lake

Clear-water carp fishing on the Caney Fork arm and around the marinas — lightly targeted, commons the main quarry.

Active carp organisations: Carp Anglers Group.

Confidence: low — inferred from habitat

Access & Rules at Center Hill Lake

Night fishing: No statewide night-fishing closure in Tennessee; a few individual waters have local rules — check the current TWRA regulations for this water.

Boats: Boats allowed. On the large TVA/USACE reservoirs there is no horsepower limit; TWRA agency lakes are usually electric-motor or 10 hp only.

Bank & bivvy camping: Camping is at Corps, TVA, TWRA and state-park campgrounds. Dispersed bankside camping on public shoreline is generally not allowed — use a designated site.

Tackle: Statewide creel and size limits apply; several reservoirs carry a black-bass protected slot — check the current TWRA regs for this water.

Rules verified 2026-09-01 against TWRA regulations. Always confirm the current rules before you fish.

Public Land Around Center Hill Lake

Source: USGS PAD-US (Protected Areas Database).

Facilities Near Center Hill Lake

Boat ramps: 20 mapped — Boat ramp, Boat ramp, Edgar Evans Ramp 1, Boat ramp, Boat ramp, Boat ramp and others nearby.

Camping: 8 sites mapped nearby — Ragland Bottom, Hurricane Bridge, Floating Mill Park, Edgar Evins State Park Campground, Floating Mill Campground, Long Branch (Center Hill Lake) and others.

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors.

Lake Level

USACE Nashville District — Center Hill Dam daily lake level.

Fishing Licence for Center Hill Lake

A Tennessee fishing licence covers all public water in the state. Non-resident annual is around $50; 3-day and 10-day non-resident permits are also sold. TWRA agency lakes need an extra TWRA Lake permit.

Tennessee

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) Resident annual: ~$34 Non-resident annual: ~$50 Buy: gooutdoorstennessee.com

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