Fishing Monterey Lake in Shelby County, Tennessee

• Overview

  Monterey Lake sits within Shelby County in Tennessee. This is dry hill country. With some 28 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Head to Piperton, 6.5 miles away, for anything you forgot. The nearest city of size is Memphis, 24 miles away. If this one is busy: Stotts Lake just 1 mile, Church Lake sits 4.2 miles out, Guymon Lake just 4.9 miles, Milton Schaeffers Lake sits 5.3 miles out and Fisher Lake just 6.9 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Monterey Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Records held for Shelby County cover bluegill, green sunfish and common carp. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Take Monterey Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 80°F, the coldest about 38°F. Cold never closes this one. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. The season on Monterey Lake rarely departs from it. Sudden cold puts fish down faster than sustained cold does.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. Toilets are half a mile away, which matters on a long session. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. The nearest alternative is Stotts Lake, 1 mile out. Signs at Monterey Lake carry more weight than any list.