Chattanooga sits right on the Tennessee River between two huge TVA
reservoirs. On a summer weekend the water is the city's biggest playground -
and the fishing is nationally famous.
Water markers: state/county parks (green), marinas & put-ins (blue), dams
(gold), and the Nickajack Cave bat emergence (purple). Click for details.
- Tennessee River - runs right through downtown. From the riverfront you
can paddle, SUP, or take a riverboat; the waterway splits the city into
"nooga" and the Northshore.
- Chickamauga Lake (upstream of the dam, east/N of town) - the big one:
~36,000 acres, 810 miles of shoreline
(visitchattanooga.com).
Powerboats, wake sports, fishing tournaments, marinas everywhere.
- Nickajack Lake (downstream, through the gorge) - 46 miles long and
far less crowded; the Tennessee River Gorge (the "Grand Canyon of
Tennessee") separates the two lakes (Outdoor Chattanooga).
- Chickamauga Dam (1940) - the great divide between the two lakes. The
day-use area has a big fishing pier, bank fishing, a roped-off swimming
cove, and kayaks by the dozen on summer weekends.
- Nickajack Dam (1967, replaced the old Hales Bar Dam) - boat ramps and
fishing berms on both sides of the river below the dam, plus a concrete
fishing pier with footbridges and a wheelchair ramp
(TWRA).
- Raccoon Mountain (pumped-storage facility, west of town) - its dam-road
overlook is a top sunrise/sunset spot, and the reservoir behind it is a
quieter flatwater option
(TVA).
Chickamauga Lake alone has 30+ public ramps. The most popular, with
lanes:
- Wolftever Creek (4 lanes) near Harrison Bay
- Harrison Bay State Park (3 lanes, free 24-hour ramp at the marina)
- Holly Park (3 lanes)
- Chickamauga Dam (2 lanes, with docks)
- Chester Frost Park (2 ramps, Hixson side)
- Booker T. Washington State Park (day-use ramp)
- Skull Island, Pecan Point, Vincent Road, Wolftever Bridge - more
public ramps around the lake
(Omnia Fishing ramp list,
BoatLaunchMap).
For Nickajack: ramps below Nickajack Dam (both banks) and the
Shellmound (TVA) launch near the cave.
- Island Cove Marina & Resort - the big one: pontoon and fishing boat
rentals, jet skis, beach, cabins
(islandcovemarina.com).
- Lakeshore Marina - fishing boat rentals right on the lake.
- Harbor Lights Marina (boat rentals), Hixson Marina, Chickamauga
Marina, Lakesite, and Pine Harbor also serve the lake.
- Pontoon party barges and jet skis are rentable at several of the
above - prices vary wildly by season and boat size, so call ahead.
- Downtown put-ins at Coolidge Park and along the Riverwalk - kayak/SUP
rentals near the aquarium and the Northshore.
- The Tennessee River Gorge is the region's signature paddle - a
quiet, steep-walled stretch (12 miles) that feels a world away from
downtown. Paddle-friendly with a stern light at dusk.
- Nickajack Cave - from late April to early October at dusk,
thousands of endangered gray bats pour out of the cave mouth. Watch
from paddling launches (Shellmound) or on foot at Maple View (bring a
headlamp/stern light for the paddle back in the dark)
(Outdoor Chattanooga).
- Ocoee River (about an hour east) - whitewater rafting when TVA is
releasing (scheduled releases March–October); book a guide on summer
weekends
(visitchattanooga.com).
This is nationally ranked water - Chickamauga Lake is consistently named
one of the best bass fisheries in North America, and Nickajack catches
far less pressure — and it produced the current TN state-record largemouth:
15 lb 7.5 oz, caught by Darren Nunley on Feb 28, 2026 and confirmed by TWRA
in May 2026 after genetic testing (breaking a 2015 Chickamauga Lake record)
(TWRA,
NoogaFinder).
- Species: largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass; striped and white
bass; crappie; bluegill and shellcracker; channel, blue, and flathead
catfish (the dam tailwater below Chickamauga is catfish central); sauger
and walleye in season.
- License (2026): everyone 13 and older needs a valid Tennessee
fishing license; kids 12 and under fish free. Trout still needs a
separate $21 annual trout supplemental on top of the base license —
it is not bundled into the combo. Note: TWRA approved a fee
restructuring in August 2026 (resident combo $33→$42, most fees +27–29%,
pending legislative sign-off), so prices may rise
(TWRA licenses,
Aug 2026 changes).
Get one at Go Outdoors Tennessee or
most bait shops.
- Shore fishing (no boat): Chester Frost Park (12 piers + an
accessible 80-ft gangway), the Chickamauga Dam fishing pier,
Booker T. Washington state park pier, and Harrison Bay's
accessible pier are the best bank options.
- Trout: tailwaters (Hiwassee River near Reliance, ~1 hr east, is
Tennessee's best beginner tailwater) for stocked rainbow/brown/brook;
Conasauga headwaters (wild fish) for the adventurous.
- Guides/rentals: Scenic City Fishing Charters, Tennessee River
Adventures (catfish), plus guide services at the marinas; a half-day bass
trip typically starts around $225.
- Roped swimming coves below the dams (Chickamauga day-use area).
- Chester Frost Park sandy beach on Chickamauga Lake.
- County/quarry spots around the edges - always check conditions, private
access, and any local restrictions before you go.
Last updated: September 2026 — web-verified (state-record bass, license fees). TVA lake levels and generation schedules change
boat/fishing conditions daily - check the TVA lake info app
and TWRA regulations before heading out.