Fishing Porter Lake in Rhea County, Tennessee

• Overview

  Out in Rhea County, Tennessee, sits Porter Lake. The surface lies 702 feet up. The closest town, Spring City, is 5.8 miles distant. Beyond it, Decatur at 7 miles and Dayton at 13 miles. What else is close: Blue Spring Slough 3.7 miles, Cupp Lake a shade over 8.8 miles, Breeden Pond 9.1 miles, Hill Lake a shade over 10 miles and Nagle Lake 11 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Porter Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Species logged across Rhea County include river darter, logperch, bluegill and channel catfish. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Porter Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 77°F; the cold one sits at 37°F. There is no frozen season to plan round. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer squeezes it into the edges of the day. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Porter Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Blue Spring Slough at 3.7 miles is the sensible second choice. For Porter Lake in particular, ask before you travel.