It’s a fishing day

Dale Hollow Lake fishing conditions · Tennessee

Now until 7 pmWalleye

The bite peaks at 90.

Log a trip here
Right now: 86 for walleye, go · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, 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. 864 pm
  2. 90
  3. 86
  4. 767 pm
  5. 66
  6. 66
  7. 6610 pm
  8. 70
  9. 70Sun
  10. 661 am
  11. 66
  12. 66
  13. 664 am
  14. 66
  15. 66
  16. 707 am
  17. 66
  18. 66
  19. 6610 am
  20. 70
  21. 70
  22. 761 pm
  23. 76
  24. 76
  25. 764 pm
  26. 70
  27. 66
  28. 667 pm
  29. 66
  30. 66
  31. 6610 pm
  32. 66
  33. 70Mon
  34. 701 am
  35. 66
  36. 66
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
No reading

Walleye range 50–72°

Wind
5 mph

From the north

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:39 pm

Sky
Sunny

No rain expected

Air
58°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

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.

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

90GoNow until 7 pm

Water

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

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Walleye feeds aggressively in low light. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. 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

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

78Worth the tripNow until 7 pm

Water

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

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

2 a day

Release 16–21".

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 2 smallmouth a day: fish from 16 to 21" must be released, and only 1 may be under 16" and 1 over 21". 5 black bass a day combined.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Dale Hollow

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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

78Worth the tripNow until 7 pm

Water

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

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No largemouth under 15"; 5 black bass a day combined.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Chickamauga and Dale Hollow

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

78Worth the tripNow until 7 pm

Water

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

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. 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 20 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
  • Barometer30.12 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:39 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow7:11 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 4:10 pm–5:10 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:30 pm–12:30 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 6:20 am–7:20 am

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 5 pmFreeze Warning
59Marginal
Lake Cumberland27 mi · KentuckyBest now until 6 pmFreeze Warning
65Marginal

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.