Fishing at Bickerstaff Lake, Bledsoe County, Tennessee

• Overview

  Bickerstaff Lake falls in Bledsoe County, part of Tennessee. The surface lies 1,706 feet up. Roughly 64 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Around 1.8 miles of margin, front to back. The closest town, Pikeville, is 9.4 miles away. Beyond it, Spencer at 12 miles and Dunlap at 16 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Bickerstaff Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Survey and observation records for Bledsoe County include green sunfish, dusky darter, blenny darter and blackside darter. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. At Bickerstaff Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 35°F in January and 74°F in July. Seasons here are moderate, and the fishing runs most of the year. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. Plan around that when you fish Bickerstaff Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A phone call first saves an afternoon. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Fall Creek Falls Lake is 3.4 miles off. The position on Bickerstaff Lake is worth confirming on the day.