Fishing At Norris Lake

AKA: Norris Reservoir

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.

Notorious for exceptional striped bass fishing, Norris Lake is a sprawling, 34,000-acre lake in the northeast part of the state, with a wide variety of fish species. Stripers exceeding 50 pounds are common here. Anglers can also fish for bass, crappie, trout, white bass, walleye, muskie, sunfish, and many other species. And, the fishing is highly rated for most all species in the lake. With over 800 miles of shoreline, there is plenty of places to wet a line. With all the state parks and campgrounds around the lake, it's easy to find a place to fish from shore, or launch a kayak or canoe. Numerous boat launch ramps make it easy for launching larger fishing and pleasure boats. The lake is a maze of points, creek channels, ledges, humps and islands for the fish to call home. In spring and fall there is lots of shallow activity. In summer and winter the fish tend to school in deeper water around channels and structure. The lower end of the lake is a popular area for big stripers, year round.

Primary fish species residing in Norris Lake

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Norris Lake Amenities

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