"Our country is blessed with some great smallmouth fisheries, but year in and year out, none has been more consistently dependable than my favorite – Pickwick Lake" - Bill Dance Legendary Fisherman

Pickwick Lake Facts:
Pickwick Lake has 490 miles of winding shoreline and about 43,100 acres of water surface, running along the Tennessee River and stretching from Muscle Shoals, Alabama to Pickwick Dam, Tennessee.  Fishing conditions include shallow stump flats, well-defined channels, active feeder creeks, steeply falling bluffs, rocky ledges and long grass beds.  Approximately 46 miles of the Tennessee River run through or border Hardin County.  The Tennessee River is part of the Kentucky Reservoir, which is controlled by TVA.

License Information:
Fishing licenses go on sale March 1 each year, the beginning of prime fishing, and are valid through the last day of February.  You can purchase most licenses, except the Lifetime Sportsman License, from most county clerks, sporting goods stores, hardware stores, boat docks and all Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency regional offices.

The TWRA has begun a new service, enabling you to buy licenses with a credit card using a toll-free number.  Dial 1-888-814-8972 and within minutes you’ll have a temporary license number, enabling you to fish right away.  Your permanent license will be mailed within 48 hours.  Please note, in addition to the cost of the license, there is an additional fee for this service.  You may also contact this number for information regarding cost of license.

 Fishing Patterns:

	White Bass	Daytime below dam
	Sauger	December – March below dam
	Catfish	Night or day May-September.  Mainstream bars and drop offs
	Smallmouth Bass	Nighttime June-September, anytime balance of year along bluff and old river channel
	Largemouth Bass	Peak for large fish March-April, October-November
	Striper	Below Pickwick Dam March-May
	Crappie	Year-round TWRA fish attractors

Guide Services:

Pickwick Outdoors, Inc: 1-877-214-4924, Complete services for all recreational plans- lodging, fishing, golfing, camping and boat rentals.

Big Orange Guide Service: P.O. Box 15, Pickwick Dam, TN 38365, 731-689-3074. Guided fishing trips. Smallmouth and largemouth bass, stripers and more. Fish fry service available.

"Little Catman" Guide Service: 34 CR 109, Corinth, MS 38834, 662-286-8644. Catfish guide service that even includes fish cleaning and a photo of your catch. Twenty-two years of fishing on the Tennessee River. Winner of the National Catfish Derby.

Gordon's Guide Service: 920 Morgan Ross Rd., Savannah, TN 38372, 731-925-5306. Smallmouth, largemouth, stripers.

Pickwick Guide Service: 805 Meadow Lane, Savannah, TN 38372, 731-925-2952. Bass, crappie, rock fish and sauger fishing trips. Pontoon trips for pleasure or fishing.

Rick Matlock's Guide Service: P.O. Box 226, Pickwick Dam, TN 38365, 731-689-5382. Full day or half day trips. Catfish, smallmouth, crappie and stripers. 1993 National Catfish Derby Champion.

Super Pro Guide Service: 17 CR 505, Corinth, MS 38834, 662-287-2017. Year 'round crappie fishing.

Pickwick Area Guide: 731-607-5266. Guide services for bass, striper and other Tennessee River fish. Licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard.