Fishing at Good Neighbor Lake, Cumberland County, Tennessee

• Overview

  Good Neighbor Lake lies in Cumberland County, Tennessee. The setting is farm and woodlot on every side. The water measures roughly 23 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. The whole outline is near 1.2 miles, and most of it is walkable. Compared with other Tennessee water on our list, it sits high. Fairfield Glade sits 3.2 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Knoxville sits 57 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Good Neighbor Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Fish documented in Cumberland County include bluegill, rock bass, greenside darter and redline darter. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Good Neighbor Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 74°F and January at 35°F. In milder years the surface never sets. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Good Neighbor Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out. A grey, mild day is often better than a bright, still one.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Spring Lake sits 2.3 miles off and takes the overflow. Signs at Good Neighbor Lake carry more weight than any list.