Fishing on Norris Lake, Tennessee
Take advantage of the wonderful opportunity to fish on Norris Lake.
Fishing Tips
Spotted Bass : Try using white spinners (small) with some plastic grubs on leadhead jigs. Also try doll flies, and crawfish crankbaits.
Crappie : To achieve the most success with these, angling is the best approach. Some good embayments can be found in the back of Big Creek, Davis Creek, and Big Sycamore Creek. Some other areas that may prove well are upper river sections above Powell River (Point 15) and Clinch River (Point 31). Trees down in the water or fish brush piles can be useful. Try small minnows, plastic grubs, small crankbaits and flies tipped with minnows for the best chance at success.
Largemouth Bass: Best chance at largemouth bass, try top water lures and crankbaits, flukes, spinners and bass assassins. You can also try carolina lizards from April through early June on Norris Lake.
Smallmouth Bass: Norris Lake is a great place for smallmouth bass fishing. Silver buddies lures are good. Quarter oz doll flies, float and fly rigs, doll flies with minnows tips, and large shiners. In later winter, try the rocky banks when it’s windy out. Going into the sping, try moving to gravel points reaching into the main channel. If you’re a night fisherman, you may want to try some spinners or pig n jigs off of steep rocky banks to catch smallmouth all year round.
Walleye: You can catch some walleye on norris lake with some tips. Try river runs, trolling with doll flies (minnow tipped). AC Shiners, and Rapalas. Going out of spring into summer, try casting crankbaits into weeds flooded by the lake.
You can get free up to date information on Norris lake levels and the water release schedules by calling TVA Lake Info toll free line at 800-238-2264. Norris Lake = Lake 17.
TVA Sport Fishing Index Rating for Norris Lake
- Fish Species
- 2008 Score
- 2008 Valleywide Average
- Black Basses
- 33
- 37
- Black Crappie
- 30
- 31
- Crappie
- 50
- 31
- Largemouth Bass
- 28
- 35
- Smallmouth Bass
- 38
- 31
- Spotted Bass
- 38
- 31
- Striped Bass
- 46
- 35
- Walleye
- 38
- 38
- White Crappie
- 33
- 33