Where the Sport Fish Are

TENNESSEE VALLEY-We surveyed our own lakes to measure populations of three species of black bass — largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass — as well as black and white crappie. Here’s what we found where.

An inside guide for successful warm-water fishing in the Tennessee Valley

• TVA prides itself on keeping its reservoir waters healthy, oxygenated and viable enough to support a variety of wildlife.
• That includes a variety of sport fish, including black bass, black crappie, channel catfish and spotted, largemouth and smallmouth bass
• These fish are ranked by reservoir on a scale from 20 (poor) to 60 (excellent).
• Some reservoirs are excellent for certain kinds of fish—use TVA’s sport fish surveys to get an accurate count of what is biting where

TVA strives to keep its waters oxygenated and healthy so that wildlife, including sport fish, can thrive in them. Sport fish have done so well that the region has become known as a fisherman’s paradise.

Yearly aquatic health surveys at each reservoir help TVA track conditions in the water and keep an eye on all kinds of critters, including some sport fish.

Here’s a little cheat sheet for goal-oriented fishermen. TVA ranks fish populations in ranges between 20 (very poor) and 60 (excellent). Here are the best numbers for the fish you may be angling for—and the reservoir where you have the best odds of successfully finding them: