Carson-Newman University

College Ambassador: Cole Rankin

Species

Bass: With largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass prevalent in a majority of local waters, chasing these guys around on the boat, kayak, or bank is popular.

Stripers: These guys are big, hungry, and fun to catch. Cherokee Lake is one of the striper capitals of the world, and it is just five minutes from campus.

Trout: Local rivers, creeks, and streams are full of rainbow, brook, and brown trout. You can target these guys best from the bank or kayak.

Crappie: Crappie are fun to catch and good to eat. There is a large population in the local lakes. Catch a limit of these guys and have a fish fry with your buddies.

Accessibility

Douglas Lake: This is a world-famous lake, just fifteen minutes from campus. With multiple big tournament trails visiting this lake over the past years, it lives up to its name. Chase bass, crappie, and stripers all over this place and experience some of the best views and fishing you have witnessed. 

Cherokee Lake: This lake is just five minutes from campus and hosts some great fishing opportunities. With world-class smallmouth and striper fishing in the backyard of campus, you are bound to have some great times out here.

Endless Opportunities: Carson-Newman is an hour and a half drive from a large list of great fisheries. Just over an hour’s drive, you can be at the world-famous Chickamauga. In 45 minutes, you can be at the Pigeon and French Broad rivers to target trout and smallmouth from the bank. With approximately 15 lakes and rivers within an hour, the possibilities of fishing are endless at Carson-Newman.
 
Community 

This seems like a fishy school - because it is a fishy school. With options for competitive bass fishing scholarships, Carson-Newman hosts one of the top collegiate programs. With boat barns on campus and access to an almost unlimited list of waters, many students fish at Carson-Newman. Whether you go with your buddies on the fishing team or not, you’ll have no trouble finding people who love to fish.

Hangouts/Shops

Bucks and Bass: This shop is about 15 minutes from campus and boasts an excellent selection of fishing gear and tackle. The owners love college anglers and support the younger generation. This is one of the best shops and hangouts around campus for fishy guys.

Tom’s Sporting Goods: This shop is also about 15 minutes from campus and provides an excellent selection of fishing and hunting gear. The owners love college fishing and are always down to talk fishing. The vibe is good, and the tackle is plentiful.

McKee Outdoors: This shop is about an hour from campus, but the drive is always worth it. Matt at McKee Outdoors loves college fishing and is fully supportive of the younger generation. He has some awesome, harder-to-find JDM gear and gives off great vibes. Check these guys out.