Center Hill Lake Fishing near Smithville, Tennessee

• Overview

  Tennessee holds Center Hill Lake, in DeKalb County. The surface lies 666 feet up. At 27.0 sq miles you are fishing a fraction of it whatever you do. The form is ragged, which puts a lot of structure within casting range. It is one of the larger waters we list anywhere in Tennessee. The nearest place of any size is Smithville, 6.8 miles away. Murfreesboro sits 35 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Center Hill Lake

  It is listed at 190 ft. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Records held for DeKalb County cover channel catfish, Coho salmon, flathead catfish and longear sunfish. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Anyone new to Center Hill Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 77°F and January near 37°F. It fishes twelve months of the year. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. That shapes the year on Center Hill Lake. Falling water concentrates fish into the deeper parts.

• Tackle & Baits

  This one is in public ownership, with the usual conditions. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Burgess Falls Lake sits 13 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat Center Hill Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.