Fishing

Let’s Go Fishing!

Whether you’re looking for trophy smallmouth bass, tasty trout or a leisurely lakeside fishing trip, Scott County has the spot for you.

The Clinch and Holston Rivers are full of smallmouth, spotted, rock, and largemouth bass, sauger, sunfish, musky, crappie, and freshwater drum. The Clinch River is one of the most diverse and beautiful in the nation while the north fork of the Holston is a trophy smallmouth bass fishery.

Between April 15 and May 31, the Clinch River offers a rare fishing opportunity–sucker shooting.  During this time, anglers climb into the Sycamore trees lining the river banks and shoot the red horse suckers in the shallow waters along the shore.  The only other place in the U.S. where this is allowed is in Vermont.

On the more leisurely end of the adventure spectrum, Bark Camp Lake is a 45-acre lake managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Drop by for picnicking, hiking and birdwatching, but bring your fishing gear to catch largemouth bass, black crappie, several sunfish species, channel catfish and trout.

Trout fishing opportunities exist throughout the county on stocked trout streams such as Big Stony Creek, Little Stony Creek, Stock Creek and Bark Camp Lake.

Don’t forget to stop by the Front Porch Store and Deli in Fort Blackmore or Scotty’s Market in Dungannon to get your fishing license. Visit the Department of Game and Inland Fishery’s website for fishing regulations, opportunities and more.