Fontana Lake

Fontana Lake Bass Fishing Guide

Fontana Lake is located just outside of beautiful Bryson City, NC. This 10,230-acre finger lake is 31 miles long, 400 feet deep, and has 238 miles of shoreline. Its deep, cold waters boast one of the most diverse fisheries found anywhere in the country.

One-of-a-kind fishing and sightseeing experience
Fontana Lake is unique in many ways, providing both great fishing and epic mountain scenery. The vast majority of shoreline is undeveloped. More than 90 percent of the land around the lake is owned by either the National Park Service or the US Forest Service. Fontana’s beautiful emerald green water beneath a backdrop of the Great Smoky Mountains makes it a one-of-a-kind experience.
Abundance of wildlife, crystal clear waters, with Great Smokies in the backdrop. Bring along a camera and binoculars, as wildlife is often spotted swimming across the lake or along the banks of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Black bear, fox, bobcats, wild boar, turkey, bald & golden eagles, ospreys, otters, and deer are among the many species of wildlife that are often seen on Fontana Lake.

Fontana Lake is a reservoir impounded by Fontana Dam on the Little Tennessee River, and is located in Graham and Swain counties in North Carolina. The lake forms part of the southern border of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the northern border of part of the Nantahala National Forest. Depending on water levels, the lake is about 17 miles (27 km) long. The eastern end is the Tuckasegee River near Bryson City. It has an average depth of 135 feet (41 m) and reaches a maximum depth of 440 feet (130 m), making it the deepest lake in North Carolina. The lake has many inlets into coves and many islands formed from former mountain peaks, especially near the eastern end. As with most dam-impounded lakes, the steep banks are exposed when water levels are low. Many towns were submerged shortly after the creation of Fontana Lake, such as Proctor and Judson.

Fontana Lake is a unique recreational gem in the North Carolina Smoky Mountains. This unspoiled, scenic lake is 29 miles long and includes more than 240 miles of remote shoreline, much of it bordering the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and national forest land.

Fontana Lake provides the only access into the most remote areas of the National Park, unless visitors undertake a multi-day hike to get there. When the lake is at the normal summer level, a boat may be used to access remote trailheads such as Hazel Creek. From the observation tower on Clingmans Dome, on a clear day the lake can be seen nearly a mile below. While the maximum controlled elevation of the lake (top of dam gates) is 1,710 ft (520 m), the normal Summer surface elevation is 1,703 ft (519 m). NC 28 roughly parallels the southern shore of the lake, and US 19, between Bryson City and Wesser/Lauada, briefly skims an inlet at the extreme southeastern edge.

Cheoah Lake is a smaller gem, just below Fontana Dam, to add even more options to your adventure. We are familiar with many local lakes, ask if you would like a custom location in Western NC.