Fishing Melton Hill Lake

AKA: Melton Hill Reservoir

Popular Fish Species
Melton Hill Lake Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Amenities
Today's Weather & Forecast
Fishing Boat Rentals
Boat Launch Ramps
Marinas
Local Fishing Guides
Fishing License
Campgrounds & RV Parks
Map
Contact Info

Melton Hill Lake, TN

Popular Fish Species Melton Hill Lake, TN

Crappie Fishing

Black and white crappie both reside in Melton Hill Lake, with black crappie typically out-weighing white crappie. They do school together so when you find them you may catch both species. Crappie fishing is on the rise and they can be found in sizeable schools. Crappie always like cover and structure, so locate brush and vegetation. Using a fish finder can help locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. Live bait and small jigs are the most common method for crappie here. In spring and fall focus on the 8 to 12 foot range. As the crappie move deep in summer and winter, follow points out deep, as well as find ledges near channels in deeper water.

Muskie Fishing

Fishing for Muskellunge in Melton Hill Lake could provide a trophy fish on any given cast. In fact, this lake holds the state record musky, at over 43 pounds. Thanks to good fishery management by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, giant musky roam these waters. Musky are extremely aggressive eaters. Muskie fishing can bring some exciting moments to your fishing day, as big muskies are spectacular, and strong fighters. Use a strong rod in medium- to medium-heavy action, with heavy line - 20# or heavier. Because of their sharp teeth, steel leaders are highly recommended. Muskie have a big mouth so use big baits, same baits you would use for bass but in larger sizes. Topwater, spinnerbaits, crankbaits and jerkbaits all work well for hungry muskie. The best time of year to chase these big fish is Spring, and then again in Fall as the water temperature starts cooling.

Melton Hill Lake Popular Fish - Striped Bass

Striped Bass Fishing

Due to their large size, striped bass are a favorite of many locals and fishing guides at Melton Hill Lake. They are plentiful, run in schools and can grow to bragging size. In Spring and Fall work the upper end of the lake where water is flowing into the lake. Look for deeper water in the river channel, as a holding place for stripers. In Summer and Winter, stripers hang out in deeper water during the day Morning often draws the stripers to much shallower water, look for them from the surface down to around the 20-foot range as they feed on shallow-running schools of bait. The lake is filled with plenty of baitfish and sunfish to to keep the fishery thriving. Being successful at fishing for stripers is a matter of locating schools of bait, and the wolf packs of stripers which are likely to be nearby. Fish finders, and forward facing sonar, are a big help in locating these roaming schools. Live bait is very effective here, and stripers can be caught year round.

Fish species to fish for...

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

Melton Hill Lake Fishing Video

Located in the northeast part of the state, Melton Hill Lake is a 5,700-acre reservoir, 4 miles southeast of Oak Ridge, TN. Musky, striped bass and crappie are the predominant angler favorites here, but the lake also has plenty of bass, catfish, walleye, sauger, sunfish, white bass and other species. With over 170 miles of shoreline there is plenty of places to wet a line.

Melton Hill Lake is known for its excellent largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing, In addition to bass, crappie fishing is productive, with both black and white crappie available. The lake is also home to channel catfish and blue catfish. Other species found in the lake include sauger, walleye, and sunfish.

Warm water discharged at the Bull Run Steam Plant keeps this area warm throughout the year, extending the growing season for many species and making this a very popular place to fish.

Primary fish species residing in Melton Hill Lake

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Melton Hill Reservoir Amenities

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

Today's Weather & Forecast

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Bull Run Park Boat Ramp
Located in the northeast section of the lake, at the south end of the Henderson Road Bridge, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and paved parking.

Eagle Bend Public Access Area
This is a one-lane, concrete ramp with gravel parking. It is located in the northeast section of the lake, east side, off Mountain View Road.

Gibbs Ferry Park Landing
This is a two-lane, concrete ramp with limited, paved parking. It is located in the northwest section of the lake, west side, off Oak Ridge Highway.

Guinn Road Park Boat Ramp
This is a two-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and paved parking. It is located mid lake, south side of the lake, off Guinn Road.

Lost Bottom Boat Launch
Located in the northeast section of the lake, east side, off Ridgeview Drive, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with gravel parking.

Melton Hill Park Boat Ramp
This is a two-lane, concrete ramp with paved parking. It is located mid lake, south side of the lake, off William Bend Road.

Solway Park Boat Ramp
Located mid lake, on the west side of the lake, off Edgemoor Road, this is a two-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and gravel parking.

Clark Center Park Boat Ramp
Located mid lake, west side, off Bull Bluff Road, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and paved parking.