The Caney Fork River is one of the most diverse fishing rivers in Middle Tennessee and offers unique angling opportunities every season. Excellent fishing is available for trout, bass, stripers, and a host of other game fish.
Often referred to simply as the Caney Fork, this tributary of the Cumberland River begins as a tiny creek in Cumberland County and meanders across 143 miles of Middle Tennessee. It is dammed twice along the way.
The first of these is the Great Falls Dam, which impounds Great Falls Reservoir, one of the oldest reservoirs in Tennessee. Constructed in 1916, Great Falls Reservoir is an exceptionally long, riverine impoundment often viewed as part of the river rather than a true lake.
Great Falls Reservoir sits at the confluence of two major Caney Fork tributaries, the Collins and Rocky Rivers, and this area collectively offers some of the best muskie fishing in Tennessee.
The second dam on the Caney Fork is the Center Hill Dam, which forms the sprawling 18,220-acre Center Hill Lake. In addition to supporting its own excellent bass, panfish and walleye fisheries, the lake also supplies cool, clear water to the Caney Fork Tailwater.
The tailwater that begins at the base of the Center Hill Dam is stocked several times every year with trout, providing some of the best trout fishing in Tennessee.
Trout Fishing
Rainbow trout, brown trout, and (occasionally) brook trout are stocked in the Caney Fork River. Although they do not reproduce naturally here—the fishery is sustained entirely through stocking—the Caney Fork is arguably better known for trout fishing than anything else.
Trout are only available from the Caney Fork Dam to the Cumberland River, a 26.5-mile section. That being said, the first 15 miles below the dam are best.
Spring is a great time to fish here, offering an abundance of freshly stocked catchable trout. Holdover trout are also common, and it’s possible to tangle with trophy trout measuring 20 to 26 inches.
Thanks to cool flows from the base of the dam that seldom deviate far from 55 degrees, anglers can catch trout here year-round.
The Caney Fork Tailwater ranges from about 30 to 90 feet wide, and fish tend to be structure-oriented.
Casting to distinct pieces of cover like boulders, logs, weed beds and ledges is usually the best recipe for success. The bottom is predominantly gravel, and trout have a lot of good habitat to choose from. The water is usually fairly clear.
Forage is abundant, but insect hatches are limited, making the Caney Fork a tough river to fish with dry flies. There are some modest Blue Winged Olive hatches, as well as Cinnamon Caddis and Little Sister Caddis.
For fly anglers, nymphing is usually the best approach. Abundant scuds, sowbugs and midges make up the bulk of trout diets, along with black flies and their larvae.
Baitfish, including shad and various minnows, are also on the menu for larger trout. Trophy brown trout especially favor baitfish, so fly casters often catch them on streamers.
The Caney Fork is by no means a fly-fishing-only river. Plenty of anglers find success with spinning gear, commonly fooling trout with Mepps and Rooster Tail spinners. Small jigs like Trout Magnets are also effective.
Several access points are available on the Caney Fork Tailwater, including right below the dam. Be sure to check the Tennessee Valley Authority’s generation schedule. Wading is easy when the water is low, but unsafe when the generators are running.
Warm Water Game Fish
A wide range of warm-water game fish are native to the Caney Fork River, while others have been introduced.
In addition to the major game fish discussed below, the river also supports “rough” fish like buffalo and suckers, as well as panfish, including bluegill, rock bass, and crappie.
Muskellunge
As muskellunge fishing has gained popularity in Tennessee in recent years, the Caney Fork has earned a reputation as one of the best musky rivers in the state. The best area to fish for muskies on the Caney Fork is the Great Falls Reservoir section.
Great Falls Reservoir is so river-like in character that it’s hard to say precisely where the reservoir ends and the river begins. A lot of muskies are caught at the upper end of Great Falls Reservoir and around the confluences of tributaries like the Collins, Rocky and Calfkiller rivers.
Typical Caney Fork muskellunge range from 30 to 36 inches, but trophy fish measuring 50 inches are not outside the realm of possibility.
Anglers catch muskies in every season, but the months of April and May are usually best. This is post-spawn for muskies, and they’re typically hungry and active. Late fall and early winter can also be excellent.
Large crankbaits and plugs are the lures of choice, as well as oversized spinners like Mepps Aglia and Muskie Killer spinners. Whopper Ploppers are also well-known muskie favorites.
Cast around distinct pieces of cover like logs, fallen trees and the edges of weed beds in deep pools.
The section of the Caney Fork below the Great Falls Dam and into the upper end of Center Hill Lake also yields an occasional muskellunge, but not as many as the section above the dam.
Catch More Muskies
Black Bass
Smallmouth, largemouth, and spotted bass are all available in the Caney Fork River, and bass fishing from a canoe or kayak can be excellent. The river isn’t known as a trophy bass fishery, but catch rates are excellent.
Smallmouths are generally the most common species in the river, though largemouth and spotted bass are more often caught in quiet backwaters. The latter two species are also abundant in Center Hill Lake and, to a lesser extent, Great Falls Reservoir.
Virtually every section of the Caney Fork supports smallmouth bass. They are commonly caught alongside trout in the tailwater section and also thrive in the upper portion of the river.
The best bass fishing on the river usually takes place from late spring through early fall, when water levels are low.
Look for smallmouths around rocky structure and current breaks. Deep river bends, rocky shorelines, stairstep ledges, and upper and lower ends of pools are prime spots.
Smallmouth bass feed on crawfish as well as shad and other baitfish. Smallies readily strike jigs, crankbaits, spinnerbaits and soft plastic lures. Topwaters can be especially effective on summer mornings and evenings.
Striped Bass
A seasonal striped bass fishery is available in the lower Caney Fork River. These fish make an annual spawning run up the Cumberland River every spring, and many follow the Caney Fork as far upriver as the Center Hill Dam.
Anglers catch quite a few striped bass weighing 5 to 10 pounds this time of year, and it’s not unusual to encounter fish weighing 30 pounds or more.
While they can range farther, anglers catch most stripers around the mouth of the Caney Fork and within the river’s lowest few miles above the Cumberland.
Stripers feed primarily on gizzard shad, though large stripers also will dine on trout. Any lure resembling a baitfish, including jerkbaits, crankbaits and spoons, will likely get their attention. Live bait often accounts for the biggest stripers.
Though spring is prime time, a few stripers may stay in the Caney Fork tailwater during summer. The tailwater provides cool, oxygenated water with plenty of forage.
Walleye
Walleye are stocked annually in Center Hill Lake and are seasonally available in portions of the Caney Fork River above the lake.
Late winter to early spring is the time to take advantage of the walleyes’ annual spawning run.
The fishing usually peaks around mid to late March, but it’s often possible to find walleye from the upper end of Center Hill Lake up to the Great Falls Dam as early as January and as late as April when they head back downriver.
The Blue Hole area in Rock Island State Park is an especially popular spot for walleye fishing. The best bite is usually at night, but daytime fishing can be good on overcast days.
Try jigs tipped with live minnows, nightcrawlers, or soft plastic trailers like brightly-colored curly tail grubs.
Planning Your Trip
The Caney Fork offers good fishing every season and abundant access. The lower section is the most developed, with several grocery stores, bait shops, and dining options nearby. Numerous campgrounds and RV parks are convenient to most river sections.
Getting to the Caney Fork River
The lower Caney Fork River is easily accessible via I-40, which crosses the tailwater section five times between the Center Hill Dam and the river’s confluence with the Cumberland. The drive to the tailwater from Nashville is just over an hour.
Areas upriver are more rural but by no means hard to get to. US-70 crosses the uppermost end of Center Hill Lake, and US-70S crosses just above the Great Falls Dam, providing access to the Great Falls Reservoir area.
Bank & Boat Access
Beginning at the Caney Fork Tailwater, the following areas provide access to either launch a boat or fish the Caney Fork River from the bank.
Caney Fork Tailwater Access
The Caney Fork Tailwater has several excellent access sites. Immediately below the Center Hill Dam, Buffalo Valley Recreation Area and Long Branch Recreation Area each offer separate boat ramps and bank access on opposite sides of the river.
Several informal pull-offs along the Lancaster Highway provide access a little farther down, followed by sites at Happy Hollow and Batty’s Island, both excellent put-in/take-out spots for float trips.
Canoe the Caney offers some great info on paddling this stretch of river.
Rock Island Area Access
On the upper portion of the Caney Fork, access is equally abundant. Several marinas offer launch facilities at the upper end of Center Hill Lake, where the Caney Fork flows in, including Horseshoe Bend Marina and Campground.
Above the Center Hill Lake and below the Great Falls Dam, Rock Island State Park provides access to the river.
The area immediately below the dam is off-limits, but popular fishing spots, including Blue Hole and Badger Flat, can be accessed through the park.
Great Falls Reservoir Access
The stretch of river above the Great Falls Dam, more properly known as Great Falls Reservoir, has somewhat limited public access but launching is available at the Kings Landing Boat Ramp on the Collins River and at Cotten’s Marina.
Upper Caney Fork Access
Continuing upriver, a boat ramp just off the Highway 111 bridge (sometimes referred to as the Plum Lee Ford Boat Ramp) provides bank fishing access and a gravel launch ramp.
Another launch site a few miles upriver on County Highway 2190 also provides access, as does yet another at Lost Creek State Natural Area. This stretch is popular for canoe and kayak trips, and these three locations are ideal put-in and take-out sites.