Fishing the Valley

The fisherman's parking lot will be closed from February 17 through May 16, 2025.
Please check this page for re-opening information in 2025. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Come to the Tennessee Valley where the waters are clean and the fishing is good. If bass is your bag, we’ve got some of the best lakes in the country, including Bassmaster favorites Chickamauga and Guntersville. But if it’s trout you’re after, you’ll find monsters of the species in our mountain streams and the tailwaters below TVA’s dams. Browse through the collection of stories below for the inside line, and get hooked on Valley fishing.

Thrills on Guntersville

CAST for Kids helps children with special needs connect to outdoor recreation.

Catching Up With Cupcake

Wild sturgeon offers a behind-the-scenes look at life in the Tennessee River.

The Happy Place

Recreation abounds at Tims Ford – and it’s all built from powerful partnerships.

The Rhythm of the River

Looking for world-class fly fishing? Head to your home river to catch trout in TVA tailwaters.

Sicklefin Redhorse Swims Toward Success

A feathered fish? Scientists search for the rare sicklefin redhorse, a fish vital to the region’s rivers and Cherokee culture.

Everything Under the Sun

At a North Alabama site, rare fish, native grasslands and solar energy flourish together.

Sunken Treasure

What’s rough, spiky and sunk under TVA reservoir waters? Engineered fish habitats, made possible by TVA and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

Casting Lines, Shaping Lives

TVA fosters a love of fishing and conservation in younger generations – one tournament at a time.

Dive Into Snorkel Trails

Snorkelers can discover underwater wonders at a series of aquatic trails.

Getting to the Bottom

How healthy are TVA’s reservoirs? Scientists sample life on the bottoms to find out.

For the Love of Sturgeon

Passion drives TVA employees and their partners as they monitor this rare fish in reservoirs and rivers.

TVA River Management general manager James Everett

Balancing the Basin

Drought conditions linger, but spring rains could set the stage for a summer of great recreation.

Lake Info App

Want your lake info to go? Download the TVA Lake Info mobile app for iPhone and Android devices.

Mobile Aquarium

Want to get up close to some of the amazing species of fish in the Tennessee Valley region? See if our 750-gallon traveling fish tank will be at an event near you!

Best Bass Lakes are in the Valley!

Don't take our word for it — Bassmaster has listed Guntersville Lake as the second best bass fishing destination in the entire nation, and Chickamauga Lake as number 6.

In addition, here's their list of the best bass lakes in the Southeast:

1. Guntersville Lake
2. Chickamauga Lake
6. Pickwick Lake
15. Watts Bar Lake
19. Wheeler Lake
20. Cherokee Lake

Aquatic Plant ID

The plant-by-plant guide provides information to help you understand when aquatic plants are most productive, where they can grow and how to identify them.

Boosting Oxygen in the Tennessee Valley Tailwater

TVA cares for the creatures who live below its dams, and has devised several good ways to add dissolved oxygen to the tailwaters to enrich aquatic life. WATCH: The story of Jeff Ogden, whose job it is to protect life downstream of TVA's dams.

#TVAfun

Looking to get out on the water, picnic, hike or camp? Discover some of the best recreational activities on our lakes. Share your pics on Instagram using #TVAfun.

River Neighbors Newsletter

Get the all the latest news and inside information about recreation on TVA public lands and lakes.