McCamy Lake Fishing near Benton, Tennessee

• Overview

  Tennessee holds McCamy Lake, in Polk County. The bank is 1,906 feet above sea level. Small at around 8 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Compared with other Tennessee water on our list, it sits high. Benton lies 3 miles from the water. The big place round here is East Chattanooga, 37 miles distant. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on McCamy Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. 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. Survey and observation records for Polk County include snubnose darter, redline darter, redbreast sunfish and smallmouth bass. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Work McCamy Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 76°F; the cold one sits at 38°F. The surface stays open the year round. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to be out. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. On McCamy Lake the same rules apply, with local timing. The week either side of a change of season often fishes hardest.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Parking within half a mile means no long carry with tackle. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. Facilities include toilets around half a mile from here. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Lake Agape at 1.7 miles is the sensible second choice. Confirm before you fish McCamy Lake.