Fort Loudoun Lake is a reservoir located just south of Knoxville near the McGhee Tyson Airport. It extends about 50 miles upstream from the Fort Loudoun Dam at Lenoir City into Knoxville. It is the first lake out of nine steps of reservoirs, dams, and locks on the Tennessee River created by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). With urban development so close at hand, this 14,600-acre lake is a popular spot for fishing, paddling, boating, bird watching, and other recreational sports.

Note that different entities spell the lake and the surrounding region as either "Loudoun" or "Loudon."

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     Coordinates:
35.4731N -84.1436W
Map It:
Lake Type:
Reservoir
Surface Area:
14,600 acres
Maximum Depth:
40 ft
Elevation:
813 ft
Normal Water Clarity:
3 ft
Major City:
Knoxville
Airport:
Knoxville

Anglers know this lake well for its bass and catfish. The most common fish in this lake include largemouth, smallmouth, and white bass. Other species in this lake include bluegill, sauger, and crappie. A recent TWRA angler survey shows that black bass accounted for over 35 percent of the catches in this lake.

A short canal connects the Tellico Reservoir downstream on the Little Tennessee River to Fort Loudoun Lake for power production purposes and for commercial barge access. The confluence of the Holston and French Broad Rivers is located slightly east of downtown Knoxville, and the area marks the beginning of the Tennessee River. This area offers river and lake access to boaters. A lock at Fort Loudoun raises and lowers boats by about 70 feet between the lake and Watts Bar Reservoir, which is the second lake in the series of reservoirs on the Tennessee River.

Boaters also can gain access to Fort Loudon Lake through at least 17 boat ramps located in parks, marinas, and creeks surrounding the lake.

• TN Fishing Licenses
• TN 2012 Statewide Limits and Regulations
• TN Fish Consumption Advisories
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency