95 Counties · 1,002 Public Access Points · 78 Lakes and RiversTennessee state record fish

Schedule and results

Watts Bar Lake Fishing Tournaments

2 upcoming events, next on Oct 22–24, 2026, and 5 recent results with winning weights.

Coming up

Upcoming Watts Bar Lake tournaments

Every scheduled event on Watts Bar Lake we have found, soonest first, with the launch site and the organizer’s page for entry and rules.

Oct222026

Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional (Region 6)

Oct 22–24, 2026 · Major League Fishing

Launch: Spring City Boat Ramp, 417 Toestring Valley Rd, Spring City

Rhea County

Event page

Apr32027

Phoenix Bass Fishing League Team/Solo

Apr 3, 2027 · Major League Fishing

Launch: Spring City Boat Ramp, Spring City

Rhea County

Event page

Results

Watts Bar Lake tournament results

Winners and winning weights from 5 events on Watts Bar Lake since 2024, newest first. Each row links to the report it came from.

DateEventWinnerWinning weightBig fish
May 3, 2026BFL Volunteer Division eventMLF Phoenix Bass Fishing LeagueBilly Joe Wheat21 lb 14 ozBig fish: Tim Smiley 8 lb 12 ozSource
Apr 25, 20266th Annual Big Crappie BashBig Crappie BashDarryl Bolton and Steve Mobley2.32 lb (single big-fish format)Big fish: Darryl Bolton and Steve Mobley 2.32 lbSource
Sep 20–21, 2025BFL Volunteer Division finalMLF Phoenix Bass Fishing LeagueMatthew Rock34 lb 2 oz17.1 lb a dayBig fish: Michael Morrison 4 lb 1 ozSource
Oct 17–19, 2024BFL Regional (Region 5)MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing LeagueTanner Hadden47 lb 0 oz15.7 lb a day–Source
Jun 8, 2024BFL Volunteer Division eventMLF Phoenix Bass Fishing LeagueJeffery Moore13 lb 2 oz (3-bass limit)Big fish: Dalton Munsey 5 lb 15 ozSource

What wins here

What it takes to win on Watts Bar Lake

Across the 3 five-bass-limit events here, the winner averaged 18.2 lb a day. The heaviest was Billy Joe Wheat at 21.9 lb a day in the BFL Volunteer Division event (May 2026).

Oct 2024 BFL Regional (Region 5)15.7 lb a day
Sep 2025 BFL Volunteer Division final17.1 lb a day
May 2026 BFL Volunteer Division event21.9 lb a day

Winning weight divided by days fished. Length, big-fish, three-bass and Bass Pro Tour formats are left out because they are not comparable.

Billy Joe Wheat, May 2026: Shallow grass in the Piney area, frog and bladed jig

Matthew Rock, September 2025: Main-river channel swings in 25-35 ft with LiveScope, jighead minnow

Tanner Hadden, October 2024: Suspended bass off grass edge in 15 ft in one creek arm, jerkbait and jig

Jeffery Moore, June 2024: Cranking early, then flipping jig and worm in shallow cover and brush

Plan the day

Launching for a Watts Bar Lake tournament

Launch sites used

  • Spring City
  • Spring City Boat Ramp

Who runs events here

  • MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (4)
  • Major League Fishing (2)
  • Big Crappie Bash (1)

Common questions

Watts Bar Lake tournament questions

When is the next fishing tournament on Watts Bar Lake?

The next posted event is the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional (Region 6) on Oct 22–24, 2026, run by Major League Fishing, launching from Spring City Boat Ramp.

How much weight does it take to win a bass tournament on Watts Bar Lake?

In the 3 five-fish events listed here the winner averaged 18.2 lb a day, from 15.7 to 21.9 lb.

Who won the last tournament on Watts Bar Lake?

Billy Joe Wheat won the BFL Volunteer Division event (May 3, 2026) with 21 lb 14 oz.

Where do tournaments launch on Watts Bar Lake?

Recent events used Spring City, Spring City Boat Ramp. Ramps get busy at launch and weigh-in.

Which organizations hold tournaments on Watts Bar Lake?

MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League, Major League Fishing, Big Crappie Bash.

How do I enter a tournament on Watts Bar Lake?

Through the organizer. Each scheduled event links to its own page with entry fees, rules and the sign-up.

Do I need a Tennessee fishing license to fish a Watts Bar Lake tournament?

Yes, every angler 13 and older needs a valid Tennessee fishing license, plus any permit the lake requires.

How often is this Watts Bar Lake page updated?

Schedules were last checked on 30 September 2026 and results on 8 October 2026. Past events move off the schedule the day after they end.

Every event and result for Watts Bar Lake links to its source.

Schedules and results come from each organizer’s published pages and news reports, linked on each row. Check the event page before you go. Tennessee Fishing Spots is not affiliated with any tournament organization.

Keep going

More Tennessee water, and who fishes it

Every guide and charter on this site is listed by the water they run, so you can call the captain direct. Licences, limits and the state record list are one click away too.

Know a tournament that is not listed?

Send it here with a link to the organizer’s event page or schedule. Weekly and monthly ones only need to go in once. If that page shows the name and the date (or the day of the week), it goes on this page right away. If not, we check it by hand within a week.

We keep what you send so we can check the event. Your email is never published.