Fishing Report For Norris Lake, TN

AKA: Norris Reservoir

By Rick Seaman

January 16, 2025

Popular Fish Species Reports
Norris Lake Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Today's Weather & Forecast
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Marinas
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Fishing Report Norris Lake, TN

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Norris Lake, TN

Striped Bass

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Very Good To Excellent

The best striper fishing at Norris lake is during Spring, April through June. Be aware of varying catch limits, for different seasons. Norris Lake is created by the inflow of the Clinch and Powell Rivers, and stripers migrate up these rivers during the spawn. Angers report catching striped bass here in the 50-pound range, with some frequency. After the spawn, being successful at fishing for stripers is a matter of locating schools of bait, and wolf packs of stripers are likely to be nearby. Fish finders are a big help in locating these roaming schools. Swimbaits, jerkbaits, crankbaits, spoons, live bait and cut bait are all effective here. Menhaden, aka, bunker is reportedly a good choice for striper bait here, and available at tackle stores and marinas at the lake.

Smallmouth Bass

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Very Good

Norris Lake is widely-known a great smallmouth bass fishery, with the best fishing from early November to late April. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has special limits for bass which currently limit anglers to 5 per day, and only 1 smallmouth bass June 1st through October 15th. Reports by locals and tournament anglers indicate smallies are most often caught in relatively shallow water, especially early and late in the day. I like to fish a topwater bait or a mid-range crankbait, like the Rapala DT-6, when the bass are shallow searching for crawdads.

Walleye

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Norris lake is stocked annually with Lake Erie strain walleye and Rockcastle Walleye, a river strain to help grow the already-healthy, natural population. Walleye fishing has been quite good as a result, for the last decade. The Tennessee WRA reports that minnow-tipped jigs, AC Shiners, Rapala Shad Rap, spinners tipped with minnows or with nightcrawlers, spoons, and live bait are all popular choices here. For trolling in deeper water, try deep-diving crankbaits.

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, blue catfish, black crappie, white crappie, walleye, rainbow trout, brown trout, bluegill, redear sunfish, rock bass, warmouth, white bass, striped bass, muskie, paddlefish and sauger at Norris Lake in Tennessee.

With a long-standing reputation for outstanding striped bass fishing, Norris Lake continues to deliver on that reputation. This 34,000-acre lake, with over 800 miles of shoreline, holds a multitude of stripers exceeding 50 pounds. Locals also report great smallmouth and walleye fishing, year round. Norris Lake is also home to bass, crappie, trout, white bass, muskie, sunfish, and several other species.

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Fishing Boat Rentals

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Marinas

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Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

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Fishing License

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Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".