If you're a fan of fishing in Tennessee, then we've got a couple of really solid spots here in Nashville for you to hit up over the weekend for a great bit of time out fishing. We have a great mix of lakes and rivers, sweet spaces for your kids that are just as visually stunning for adults. If you're ready for a quick bite of Nashville prime time fishin', we have it for you! Here are a few of our favorite spots for fishing in Nashville:
Seventy miles east and you hit Center Hill Lake, a great recreational spot for those of you looking to fish for any type of bass - largemouth, smallmouth, spotted - catfish, walleye, bream or crappie.
This is probably your best bet if you want to hit up a fishing spot just a quick hop from Nashville. It's located in Joelton and is a local hotspot for catfish, bass, sunfish, bluegill and crappie fishing.
Trout fishing at its best! You're looking at brook, brown and rainbow trout fishing if you make your way out here. Plus, you can even try out fly fishing!
You can find brown bass, trout and giant muskie at Dale Hollow Lake. It's one of the state's most beautiful lake regions, and is located roughly a hundred miles northeast of Nashville.
Stones River is made up of three major forks, and if you make your way out to go fishing for the day you can enjoy the hunt for bass, catfish, bluegill and reams more!
How many have you visited? We want to go to them all! Tell us all about your picks for the best lakes in Tennessee in the comments!
Going to the lake is a staple of summer fun for the family. We certainly have some beautiful lakes in Tennessee, but there's one lake near Nashville that also has some sinister history to it. Center Hill Lake is a little over an hour east of Nashville. Just what makes it so eerie? It's not what's on top of that water, but what's underneath. Explore it... if you dare!
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Nothing is quite as spooky as a graveyard. But an underwater graveyard? Not knowing what's right under you makes it that much spookier. Center Hill Lake was once the site of a cemetery... but not now. Right?
Could it be a watery graveyard down there? Maybe. Perhaps an old, dead family home (or ten)? You never know. There are probably no lake monsters, but... well, you never know.
The Center Hill Dam was constructed in 1948 to dam the Caney Fork River.
Slowly, 18,000 acres of farmland, houses, schools, and churches became inundated. Memories and long histories all disappeared beneath the water, which would be named Center Hill Lake.
The town moved its cemeteries by exhuming the bodies and transferring them to other local cemeteries, but the locals still think the area is haunted.
The trips run on Friday and Saturday nights from mid-September to mid-November. See the official Canoe the Canary website for details.
Check out the Haunted Canoe trip trailer below:
Looking for something more mellow and a little less creepy? No worries! Check out this Tennessee Wine Train. Need somewhere to stay while in Tennessee? Be sure to visit VRBO for the awesome offerings there.
Nashville is known for its rivers and its cityscape, for a booming and youthful population that coexists peacefully with farmers and country folk who make their home just outside city lines. Still, the landlocked heart of Tennessee has a couple of watery gems that make a lazy Saturday spent out and about well worth the effort. How many of these best lakes near Nashville have you checked off of your summer to-do list...?
This is one of the most beautiful and underutilized (by Nashvillians!) Nashville lakes and one of our favorite places to spend a lazy Saturday. You can camp at one of their primitive campsites if you'd rather spend the entire weekend along the water, otherwise, you can enjoy the 1,321-acre space right on the Cumberland Plateau.
Center Hill Lake is one of the best lakes near Nashville. Only an hour from downtown, this lake has crystal clear water and three waterfalls to boot. It's one of the most lauded waterways in the entire state, and has 415 miles of shoreline that are perfect for sightseeing and wandering to your heart's content. Burgess Falls is just a hop, skip, and a jump away so we'd recommend rounding out your gorgeous day out and about with a waterfall hike.
You won't be swimming in Radnor Lake, but the Lake Loop Hike is one of the best ways to enjoy the quiet and natural underbelly of Nashville on a pretty day. Make sure you keep Fido on a leash and come prepared for all sorts of pretty shoreline views at one of the most scenic lakes near Nashville.
Old Hickory Lake is known for being one of the best lakes near Nashville to go fishing and enjoy a man-made natural area. Make sure to head over to the sandy beach area if you're looking to go swimming, and bring a picnic lunch if you're worried about getting the munchies while you're out and about. It's also boating and fishing-friendly, but make sure you're headed to a recreational area where it's appropriate.
When the weather is warm, head to Cheatham Lake, one of the best places to swim near Nashville. This 7,000-acre lake is located in Dickson County, and it's located roughly thirty miles from Nashville in Ashland City. It's a great place for clear and freshwater scuba diving and offers up to 320 miles of shoreline that are great for swimmers and fishermen.
Known colloquially as Percy Priest, this is one of the Nashville lakes that is gorgeous at sunset and perfect for swimming just a short drive from the heart of the city. The Nashville Paddle Company offers the opportunity to kayak and paddle board, and the Anderson Road Recreation Area offers a great swimming area and beach.
This is one of the low-key and beautiful fishing lakes near Nashville in Joelton, and it's tucked away from the rest of the world, which makes it stand out stunningly. Pristine, beautiful and chalked with lush greenery and local wildlife, this is the kind of beauty that you never forget. You won't be swimming, but you can rent a boat and enjoy a view of the shoreline front and center.
