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Lake Information for Boone Lake
Boone is a 4,520-acre TVA reservoir located in upper East Tennessee. The dam, which was completed in 1952, is located on the South Fork of the Holston River. Boone's major tributaries are the Watauga and South Fork of the Holston Rivers which originate in North Carolina and Virginia, respectively. Although Boone is relatively small, it is fertile enough to support impressive numbers of sport fish.
There are seven public boat ramps and eight private marinas located around the reservoir. The 122-miles of shoreline are highly developed by private landowners and little public land is available. A large and excellent public fishing pier is located at the Devault Bridge near Winged Deer Park. This pier can be easily accessed by the disabled.
Largemouth and smallmouth bass, striped bass, hybrid striped bass, and catfish are the predominant game fish. Since Boone can support high densities of fish, the TWRA has stocked blue catfish, striped bass, hybrid striped bass, and crappie during the past several years to enhance the fishery.
Largemouth and smallmouth bass are by far the most numerous and most sought after game fish in the reservoir. Although largemouth make up the greatest percentage of TWRA’s black bass samples, nearly equal numbers of both species are caught by anglers. The bass population is in excellent shape and the future continues to look good.
Since Boone has an abundant supply of forage species and good fertility, it can support the addition of quality game fish such as blue catfish. Blue cats can exceed 100 pounds and have been stocked on a limited basis since 1992.
Crappie fishing has improved recently. The creel limit put in place in the mid-90’s has allowed the crappie population to thrive. Black crappie are more abundant than whites. The daily creel limit is 15-fish with a minimum length limit of 10-inches.
Largemouth bass - Spring: Spinner baits, buzz baits, worms, crankbaits, and float-n-fly work well in coves; Summer: Good night fishing on worms and lizards.
Smallmouth bass - Spring: Fish with spinner baits, lizards, worms, live bait, small crankbaits, float-n-fly, and suspended flukes. During this period, secondary points and boulders are prime smallmouth holding spots. Summer: The smallmouth move to deeper water; the river channels are the best areas to fish. Fish at night with various worm rigs and pig-n-jigs. Crappie - Fish minnows or jigs around brush in the main channel or coves.
Blue catfish - Summer: Fish the channel on either river arm with shad or bluegill.
Striped and Cherokee bass - Spring: Use gizzard shad at 10-20 feet to the South Fork headwaters and to Point 19 on the Watauga Arm; Summer: Gizzard shad 10-20 feet deep and surface fishing with black-and-silver RedFin plugs above Davis Dock on the South Fork arm and above Devault Bridge on the Watauga arm; Fall: Same tactics as summer, but best on the South Fork Arm between Sportsman Dock and Rainbow Bridge; Winter: Fish gizzard shad on clay points at 20-30 feet.
Businesses Located Nearby
Bait & Tackle
- Kenny's Tackle
- 3748 Highway 75 - Kingsport, TN
- (423) 279-0113
- Mel-Bro Hatcheries Wholesale
- 688 Pleasant Hill Rd - Blountville, TN
- (423) 323-5579
- Fly Shop of Tennessee
- 102 Willmary Rd - Johnson City, TN
- (423) 928-2007
Boat Rental
- Jet N Wet Rentals, LLC
- 101 Jays Dr - Gray, TN
- (423) 282-6568
- Tri-City Boat Dock
- 600 Old Muddy Creek Rd - Piney Flats, TN
- (423) 323-7524
- Price Lake Boat Rentals
- 3636 Blue Ridge Pkwy - Blowing Rock, NC
- (828) 963-4186
Vacation Rental
- Lake Lodges Vacation
- 116 Angeline Dr - Gray, TN
- (703) 489-5246
- Lake Lodges Vacation
- 144 King Dr - Gray, TN
- (703) 489-5246
- Lake Lodges Vacation
- 174 Hr King Rd - Gray, TN
- (703) 489-5246
Bar and Restaurant
- Skobys Restaurant
- 1001 Konnarock Rd - Kingsport, TN
- (423) 245-0571
- Tcby
- 5049 Bobby Hicks Hwy, Ste 105 - Gray, TN
- (423) 477-8243
- Chili's Grill & Bar
- 3040 Franklin Terrace Dr - Johnson City, TN
- (423) 283-4229