July at a glance
Tennessee fishing in July
Summer thermocline fishing and night bass fishing.
What to bring for July:
Species by species
What to fish for in Tennessee in July
Hybrid striped bass
Hybrid striped bass in TennesseeHybrids school in the lower lake at 18–19 ft in July and August.
Where: J. Percy Priest Lake from Hobson Pike to the dam, and Tims Ford Lake from the state park to the dam.
Source: TWRA: Percy Priest · TWRA: Tims Ford
Walleye
Walleye in TennesseeSummer is the most productive walleye season on some middle Tennessee lakes, at the bottom of the thermocline.
Where: Normandy Lake, Tims Ford Lake, and trolling nightcrawler rigs in 15–30 ft on Dale Hollow Lake from June to August.
Source: TWRA: Normandy · TWRA: Tims Ford · TWRA: Dale Hollow
Largemouth bass
Largemouth bass in TennesseeOnce the water hits the 80s, largemouth go to deep points and breaks, and night fishing produces through August.
Where: Center Hill Lake and Watts Bar Lake.
Source: TWRA: Center Hill · TWRA: Watts Bar
Striped bass
Striped bass in TennesseeStripers seek cooler water.
Where: The Hiwassee River arm of Chickamauga Lake in summer, and the oxygen refuge near the dam on Cherokee Lake.
Rules: A boat-closed zone near Cherokee Dam applies in summer (TWRA’s page gives July 1 in the rules and July 15 in the striper text; check before going).
Source: TWRA: Chickamauga · TWRA: Cherokee
Crappie
Crappie in TennesseeSummer crappie hold on deep docks and offshore brush, and under lights at night.
Where: Watts Bar Lake, Cordell Hull Lake and Nickajack Lake.
Source: TWRA: Watts Bar · TWRA: Cordell Hull · TWRA: Nickajack
Where to go
Tennessee lakes and rivers to fish in July
Common questions
Tennessee fishing in July: questions
What is biting in Tennessee in July?
In July, Tennessee anglers mostly target hybrid striped bass, walleye, largemouth bass, striped bass and crappie. Summer thermocline fishing and night bass fishing.
Where is the best fishing in Tennessee in July?
TWRA names J. Percy Priest Lake, Tims Ford Lake, Normandy Lake, Dale Hollow Lake, Center Hill Lake, Watts Bar Lake among the waters for this time of year.
Where do you catch hybrid striped bass in Tennessee in July?
Hybrids school in the lower lake at 18–19 ft in July and August. J. Percy Priest Lake from Hobson Pike to the dam, and Tims Ford Lake from the state park to the dam.
Where do you catch walleye in Tennessee in July?
Summer is the most productive walleye season on some middle Tennessee lakes, at the bottom of the thermocline. Normandy Lake, Tims Ford Lake, and trolling nightcrawler rigs in 15–30 ft on Dale Hollow Lake from June to August.
Where do you catch largemouth bass in Tennessee in July?
Once the water hits the 80s, largemouth go to deep points and breaks, and night fishing produces through August. Center Hill Lake and Watts Bar Lake.
Where do you catch striped bass in Tennessee in July?
Stripers seek cooler water. The Hiwassee River arm of Chickamauga Lake in summer, and the oxygen refuge near the dam on Cherokee Lake.
Do any Tennessee fishing rules change in July?
A boat-closed zone near Cherokee Dam applies in summer (TWRA’s page gives July 1 in the rules and July 15 in the striper text; check before going).
Do I need a license to fish in Tennessee in July?
Yes. Anyone 13 or older needs a Tennessee fishing license all year, and a trout license is needed to fish for or keep trout unless the license already includes it.
Patterns, spawning temperatures and named waters come from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s reservoir pages, regulations and trout forecast, linked on each species. Fish follow the water temperature, not the calendar, so a warm or cold year shifts everything by a few weeks. For this week’s conditions see TWRA’s weekly fishing report.
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.