Guide To Fishing At Fontana Lake

AKA: Fontana Reservoir

What to fish for...

Fishing for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, black crappie, walleye, rainbow trout, brown trout, bluegill, yellow perch, steelhead and muskie at Fontana Lake in North Carolina.

With over 230 miles of scenic shoreline, Fontana Lake offers a broad range of fishing opportunities. Well known as a bass tournament lake, it is home to bass over 10 pounds. Healthy populations crappie, perch, bluegill and walleye make this an excellent choice for fish-fry outings. If you like to fish for the big ones, the lake also boasts big catfish and muskie. If you prefer trout fishing, Fontana serves up both rainbow and brown trout. This 11,700-acre reservoir, located in the western part of the state, has a wide variety of camping and lodging choices. Public boat ramps and marinas make boating a pleasure, and boat rentals are available for varied types of boats. The lake has limited shoreline cover, but has a great deal of creek channels, coves, ledges and humps that hold fish - both deep and shallow, depending on time of year. There is limited shoreline access to much of the lake, but there are areas for fishing from shore. Boat, canoe, and kayak fishing are the preferred ways to fish these waters.

Available Fish Species
Amenities
Today's Weather & Forecast
Rental Boats
Marinas
Boat Launch Ramps
Campgrounds & RV Parks
Map
Video
Contact Info

Primary fish species residing in Fontana Lake

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Fontana Lake Amenities

Marina: YES
Boat Rental: YES
Boat Launch Ramp: YES
Campgrounds: YES
RV Hookups: YES
Lodging: YES
Convenience Store: NEARBY
Bait & Tackle: NEARBY
Restaurant: NEARBY

Today's Weather & Forecast

Fishing Boat Rentals

Alarka Marina
Rentals: Pontoon boats
828 488-3841

Almond Boat and RV Park
Rentals: Fishing boats, canoes, kayaks and pontoons
828 488-6423

Fontana Village Resort Marina
Rentals: Fishing boats, canoes, kayaks and pontoons
828 498-2017

Prince Boat Dock Parking Marina
Rentals: Pontoon boats
828 479-3704

Marinas

Alarka Marina
7230 Grassy Branch Rd
Bryson City, NC 28713
828 488-3841

Fontana Village Resort Marina
40 Fontana Dam Rd
Fontana Dam, NC 28733
828 498-2017

Prince Boat Dock Parking Marina
Fontana Lake
Robbinsville, NC 28771
828 479-3704

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Cable Cove Boating Access
County Rd 1287, Fontana Dam, NC 28733
This is a concrete ramp with primitive parking, just passed the Cable Cove Campground on Cable Cove Road.

Lemmons Branch Boat Launch
Conveniently located in the southwest sector of the lake, this two-lane concrete ramp has paved parking for over fifty vehicles. Take Highway 28 to Tsali Road to Lemons Branch Boatdock Road.

Prince Boat Dock Parking Marina
Rentals: Pontoon boats
This is a primitive ramp and parking, located on Thomas Park Road.

Tsali Boating Access Ramp
Located in the southwest sector of the lake, at the end of Tsali Road, this is a primitive launch area and parking.

Click here for a North Carolina Fishing License.