Tims Ford Lake
Tims Ford Reservoir is a TVA lake of about 10,600 acres, mainly in Franklin County. TWRA calls it the best reservoir smallmouth fishery in middle Tennessee, with bass making up about 75% of angler effort.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Smallmouth Bass
Best reservoir smallmouth fishery in middle Tennessee
Largemouth Bass
Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.
Spotted Bass
Rocky banks and bluff ends. Jigs and finesse plastics.
Crappie
Blacknose crappie stocked yearly, about 80% of the catch
Striped Bass
Stocked yearly
Wiper
Hybrids stocked as fingerlings
Walleye
Stocked yearly; about 5% of effort
White Bass
Schools chasing shad in open water, and spring river runs.
Boat launches
14 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- Rock CreekRampTWRA-listed public access, no feeDirections ↗
- Winchester City ParkRampTWRA-listed public access, no feeDirections ↗
- Devils StepRampTWRA-listed public access, no feeDirections ↗
- Pleasant GroveRampTWRA-listed public access, no feeDirections ↗
- Turkey CreekRampTWRA-listed public access, no feeDirections ↗
- Neals BridgeRampTWRA-listed public access, no feeDirections ↗
- Holiday MarinaRampTWRA-listed public access, no feeDirections ↗
- Tims Ford MarinaRampTWRA-listed public access, no feeDirections ↗
- Tims Ford State ParkRampTWRA-listed public access, no feeDirections ↗
- Anderton BranchRampTWRA-listed public access, no feeDirections ↗
- Lost CreekRampTWRA-listed public access, no feeDirections ↗
- Tims Ford DamRampTWRA-listed public access, no feeDirections ↗
- Beth Page Bridge / Estill Springs ParkAccessCanoe/kayak accessDirections ↗
- More public accessPublicSee the state agency or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗
Size & creel limits
Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.
| Species | Min size | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|
| Black bass (combined) | LMB 15 in; SMB 18 in; spotted none | 5 |
| Crappie (combined) | 10 in | 15 |
| Striped/hybrid striped bass | 15 in | 2 |
| White bass | See Tennessee rules book ↗ | 15 |
| Walleye | 16 in | 5 |
Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency ↗
Bait & tackle nearby
No shops listed yet for this lake. Use the search link below.
Search more bait shops near Tims Ford Lake ↗Local tips
- Striped and hybrid bass move to the cooler lower lake in summer.
- Crappie hold near docks, bridge pilings and TWRA fish attractors.
- Walleye are fished by night trolling in summer.
View on interactive map
Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches.
More Tennessee lakes
Norris Lake Cherokee Lake Douglas Lake Dale Hollow Lake Old Hickory Lake Center Hill Lake Tellico Lake Fort Loudoun Lake All Tennessee lakes →
Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.