It’s a fishing day

Dale Hollow Lake fishing conditions · Tennessee

Now until tomorrow 3 pmSmallmouth bass

The bite peaks at 58.

Log a trip here
Right now: 58 for smallmouth bass, marginal · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Smallmouth bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 583 am
  2. 58
  3. 58
  4. 586 am
  5. 58
  6. 58
  7. 589 am
  8. 58
  9. 58
  10. 5812 pm
  11. 58
  12. 58
  13. 583 pm
  14. 58
  15. 58
  16. 586 pm
  17. 58
  18. 58
  19. 589 pm
  20. 58
  21. 58
  22. 58Tue
  23. 58
  24. 58
  25. 583 am
  26. 58
  27. 58
  28. 586 am
  29. 58
  30. 58
  31. 589 am
  32. 58
  33. 58
  34. 5812 pm
  35. 58
  36. 58
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
No reading

Smallmouth bass range 55–78°

Wind
0 mph

From the

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:58 am

Sky
Mostly Clear

No rain expected

Air
48°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Tennessee regulations for these waters.

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

58MarginalNow until tomorrow 3 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tennessee statewide: no minimum length, 5 black bass a day combined. Reservoir rules: Kentucky Lake 15"; Percy Priest and Tims Ford 18"; Chickamauga no minimum but only 1 over 16"; Dale Hollow protects smallmouth from 16 to 21" and allows 2 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Tennessee

Season here: Feb–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

58MarginalNow until tomorrow 3 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tennessee statewide: no minimum length, 5 black bass a day combined. Most big reservoirs set their own minimum: Kentucky Lake, Chickamauga, Percy Priest, Tims Ford and Dale Hollow are 15" on largemouth.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Tennessee

Season here: Mar–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

58MarginalNow until tomorrow 3 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

16" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tennessee: 16" minimum, 5 walleye a day. Sauger and sauger hybrids are a separate 10 a day with a 15" minimum.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Tennessee

Season here: Oct–May, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

58MarginalNow until tomorrow 3 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tennessee: nongame species, common carp included, have no creel or length limit. Silver, bighead and black carp may not be possessed or transported alive.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Tennessee

Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.38 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:58 am
  • Sunset today6:51 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 8:00 am–9:00 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:40 pm–2:40 pm
  • Minor solunarTonight 6:20 pm–7:20 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

Tennessee TWRA report, Oct 11

Names largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, which people fish for here. It covers the whole state, so it may not describe these waters.

Read it at Tennessee TWRA

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

A deep, clear Obey River reservoir on the Kentucky–Tennessee line — the world-record smallmouth bass lake (an 11-pound, 15-ounce fish caught in 1955). Trophy smallmouth relate to the clear-water structure, with largemouth, walleye, and muskie rounding out the fishery.

Dale Hollow smallmouth: 16–21" protected slot, 2/day (one under 16", one over 21"). A genuine trophy-smallmouth destination — handle big fish carefully.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Cumberland River (Wolf Creek tailwater)23 mi · KentuckyBest now until tomorrow 3 pm
64Marginal
Lake Cumberland27 mi · KentuckyBest now until tomorrow 3 pm
58Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Dale Hollow Lake?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Dale Hollow Lake you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Dale Hollow Lake?

Dale Hollow Lake is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Common Carp. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Dale Hollow Lake?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Dale Hollow Lake against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Dale Hollow Lake have?

Dale Hollow Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Dale Hollow smallmouth: 16–21" protected slot, 2/day (one under 16", one over 21"). A genuine trophy-smallmouth destination — handle big fish carefully.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Dale Hollow Lake?

state agency regulations apply at Dale Hollow Lake. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Dale Hollow Lake tidal water?

No. Dale Hollow Lake is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.