Fishing at Cordell Hull Reservoir, Smith County, Tennessee

• Overview

  Smith County in Tennessee is where Cordell Hull Reservoir sits. It lies 502 feet above sea level. Around 18.2 sq miles of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. Around 163 miles of margin, so directions matter more than a general plan. It ranks among the bigger water on our Tennessee list. The nearest town is Carthage, 3.5 miles away. The big place round here is Murfreesboro, 41 miles distant. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Cordell Hull Reservoir

  It is listed at 90 ft. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Reported across Smith County: common carp and freshwater drum. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. At Cordell Hull Reservoir the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 78°F; the cold one sits at 36°F. Fishing runs all year, with summer the awkward season. March through May is the strongest run, with autumn a second stretch. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. At Cordell Hull Reservoir the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records put this down as public water. A launch point is recorded some half a mile off. There is a marina, DEFEATED CREEK MARINA, half a mile away. Public data records a pier about half a mile out. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Lake Number Fifteen, 14 miles away, makes the obvious fallback.