Douglas Lake
A TVA reservoir on the French Broad River in East Tennessee, stretching 43 miles upriver from Douglas Dam in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. It is best known for crappie and largemouth bass, with sauger and white bass in the upper river.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Crappie
TWRA stocks crappie here. Fish brush piles and creek channels in spring, then deeper brush in summer with minnows or jigs.
Largemouth Bass
Shallow flats and creek arms in spring. Crankbaits and plastics on points as the lake drops in fall.
Sauger
Stocked by TWRA. Late winter and early spring runs up the French Broad and Nolichucky arms; jigs with minnows near bottom.
White Bass
Spring runs up the river arms. Small spinners and jigs when fish are schooling.
Channel Catfish
Cut bait or nightcrawlers on channel edges, best in warm months.
Boat launches
6 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- Dandridge TWRA Ramp and DockPublicTWRA public ramp and dock in Dandridge; popular tournament siteDirections ↗
- Walter's Bridge RampPublicPublic ramp at 1499 TN-32, open year roundDirections ↗
- Rankin Bridge Boat DockPublicPublic access off Holt Town Road, open year roundDirections ↗
- Leadvale Access AreaPublicPublic ramp near White Pine; closed in early 2026 for Hurricane Helene repairs, check statusDirections ↗
- Swann's MarinaMarinaFull-service marina near I-40 Exit 424, live bait, rentals, campgroundDirections ↗
- The Point Resort & MarinaMarinaAcross the bridge from downtown Dandridge. Ramp, fuel dock, slipsDirections ↗
Size & creel limits
Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Douglas Lake are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency ↗
Bait & tackle nearby
Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.
- Swann's MarinaNearbyDandridgeDirections ↗
Local tips
- TVA draws Douglas down about 44 feet between summer and winter, so ramps and shallow cover change a lot by season.
- Hurricane Helene left debris and damaged some ramps in 2024; watch for floating wood and check ramp status with TWRA.
- Spring crappie fishing is the main event; brush piles in creek arms hold fish most of the year.
View on interactive map
Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches.
More Tennessee lakes
Norris Lake Cherokee Lake Dale Hollow Lake Old Hickory Lake Center Hill Lake Tellico Lake Fort Loudoun Lake J. Percy Priest Lake All Tennessee lakes →
Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.