Every Boat Ramp on Norris Lake

About Norris Lake

Norris Lake is a 34,200-acre crown jewel of the Tennessee Valley Authority system and the first reservoir ever built by the TVA, impounded in 1936 on the Clinch and Powell Rivers across five counties in the rugged Cumberland Plateau and Appalachian foothills. With an extraordinary 809 miles of shoreline and depths plunging to 200 feet, Norris Lake is renowned for its crystal-clear mountain water that consistently ranks among the cleanest large reservoirs in the southeastern United States. The towns of Rocky Top, Jacksboro, La Follette, and Norris provide a full range of services, marinas, and lakeside accommodations for visiting anglers.

The bass fishing at Norris Lake is exceptional across multiple species, with Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Spotted Bass all thriving in the lake's diverse habitat of rocky bluffs, submerged timber, and deep channel ledges. Striped Bass grow to impressive sizes feeding on the abundant threadfin shad population in the main lake's open water, with fish exceeding 30 pounds caught each season. Walleye fishing is outstanding in the deeper channel areas, particularly during the cooler months, while Crappie and Bluegill provide reliable panfish action in the numerous coves and marina areas throughout the year.

Norris Lake offers dozens of public boat ramps and full-service marinas spread across its five-county footprint, ensuring anglers can quickly access virtually any section of the lake. Norris Dam State Park provides excellent launch facilities and camping at the dam end of the lake. Whether you are working a jerkbait along a rocky bluff for Smallmouth Bass, trolling umbrella rigs for Striped Bass in the main channel, or filling a livewell with slab Crappie in a sheltered cove, Norris Lake delivers world-class fishing in the clear mountain waters of East Tennessee.

Nearest towns: Rocky Top, Jacksboro, La Follette, Norris