Hunting + Fishing + Shooting Ranges

Hunting + Fishing + Shooting Ranges

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Chattanooga’s Top Fishing Spots

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Outdoor Chattanooga – Fishing

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Outdoorsman's Paradise

The greater Chattanooga area has no shortage of outdoor activities for locals and visitors to enjoy, and those looking to fish, hunt, and shoot are in luck: The Scenic City is an outdoor sportsman’s paradise. Thanks to well-stocked lakes, rivers, and streams, fishermen have plenty of options for a day by the water in search of bass or trout. Those who enjoy hunting have access to hunting preserves, national and state forests, and hunting clubs and organizations throughout the area. Several shooting ranges throughout Chattanooga are available for those looking to get some practice in, as well. No matter what outdoor sport you’re looking for, there’s an abundance of options here waiting for you.

Fishing

The greater Chattanooga area offers a wide variety of fishing spots for amateur and more experienced fishermen alike. The Scenic City’s Chickamauga Lake is stocked with record-setting bass and has many access points for fishing from land or via boat, including Booker T. Washington State Park, Harrison Bay State Park, and Chester Frost Park. Fishermen seeking rainbow trout can find them in North Chickamauga Creek, which is stocked with them each year in early spring. Nickajack Lake, a reservoir southwest of Chattanooga that’s part of the Tennessee River Gorge, features boat-launching ramps and fishing berms on all sides, as well as a concrete fishing pier where you can lure in striped, smallmouth, and largemouth bass.

For those that prefer river fishing, the Little Sequatchie River, a tributary west of Chattanooga near Jasper, Tennessee, is full of catfish and gar, and is also stocked with rainbow trout each year. The Hiwassee River, while primarily known for its whitewater-rafting spots, is also considered to be one of the best fly-fishing areas in the Southeast. There, you can fish for trout on your own, or take a guided fly fishing tour instead. In fact, if you prefer a more guided fishing experience, there are several options in the Chattanooga area on offer, including Chattanooga Fishing Guides and Scenic City Fishing Charters, both of which can guide you through a day of fishing on Chickamauga Lake.

Hunting & Shooting Ranges

Avid hunters have a wealth of opportunities in and around the Scenic City for their sport. Prentice Cooper State Forest, which lies atop Suck Creek Mountain and overlooks the Tennessee River Gorge, boasts 27,000 acres of forest and holds managed turkey and deer hunts each spring and fall. In neighboring counties, the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge, which is made up of a thousand acres on the Chickamauga Reservoir, allows nontoxic shot hunting for small game and is open from March to October. For those who don’t mind driving a little further, east of Chattanooga is Cherokee National Forest, which covers over 650,000 acres across 10 counties. Wild game such as turkey, grouse, deer, black bear, wild boar, and raccoon can be hunted there within their legal seasons.

Anyone looking to get involved with the community in the area can join one of several hunting and rifle clubs nearby. The Chattanooga Rifle Club provides members with access to multiple shooting ranges and regularly hosts competitive shooting activities. For those who live further outside of town, you might find the Cleveland Hunting Rifle and Pistol Club or the Dunaway Hunting and Fishing Club more convenient. If you’re just looking for a shooting range to hit up on weekends, there are several great options in the area. Shooter’s Supply and Indoor Range in Hixson is a family-owned local gun shop and firing range that also offers firearm basics and safety education. Prentice Cooper State Forest also operates a WMA shooting range and is open to those with permits from sunrise to sunset on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. In Harrison, Carter Shooting Supply and Range offers not only a wide array of guns and supplies for purchase, but classes and meeting groups as well.

Whether you’re looking for the ideal fishing spot or a weekend full of hunting in a well-stocked forest, Chattanooga and the surrounding area has something on offer that’s a perfect fit for your wants and needs.

Outdoorsman's Paradise

The greater Chattanooga area has no shortage of outdoor activities for locals and visitors to enjoy, and those looking to fish, hunt, and shoot are in luck: The Scenic City is an outdoor sportsman’s paradise. Thanks to well-stocked lakes, rivers, and streams, fishermen have plenty of options for a day by the water in search of bass or trout. Those who enjoy hunting have access to hunting preserves, national and state forests, and hunting clubs and organizations throughout the area. Several shooting ranges throughout Chattanooga are available for those looking to get some practice in, as well. No matter what outdoor sport you’re looking for, there’s an abundance of options here waiting for you.

Fishing

The greater Chattanooga area offers a wide variety of fishing spots for amateur and more experienced fishermen alike. The Scenic City’s Chickamauga Lake is stocked with record-setting bass and has many access points for fishing from land or via boat, including Booker T. Washington State Park, Harrison Bay State Park, and Chester Frost Park. Fishermen seeking rainbow trout can find them in North Chickamauga Creek, which is stocked with them each year in early spring. Nickajack Lake, a reservoir southwest of Chattanooga that’s part of the Tennessee River Gorge, features boat-launching ramps and fishing berms on all sides, as well as a concrete fishing pier where you can lure in striped, smallmouth, and largemouth bass.

For those that prefer river fishing, the Little Sequatchie River, a tributary west of Chattanooga near Jasper, Tennessee, is full of catfish and gar, and is also stocked with rainbow trout each year. The Hiwassee River, while primarily known for its whitewater-rafting spots, is also considered to be one of the best fly-fishing areas in the Southeast. There, you can fish for trout on your own, or take a guided fly fishing tour instead. In fact, if you prefer a more guided fishing experience, there are several options in the Chattanooga area on offer, including Chattanooga Fishing Guides and Scenic City Fishing Charters, both of which can guide you through a day of fishing on Chickamauga Lake.

Hunting & Shooting Ranges

Avid hunters have a wealth of opportunities in and around the Scenic City for their sport. Prentice Cooper State Forest, which lies atop Suck Creek Mountain and overlooks the Tennessee River Gorge, boasts 27,000 acres of forest and holds managed turkey and deer hunts each spring and fall. In neighboring counties, the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge, which is made up of a thousand acres on the Chickamauga Reservoir, allows nontoxic shot hunting for small game and is open from March to October. For those who don’t mind driving a little further, east of Chattanooga is Cherokee National Forest, which covers over 650,000 acres across 10 counties. Wild game such as turkey, grouse, deer, black bear, wild boar, and raccoon can be hunted there within their legal seasons.

Anyone looking to get involved with the community in the area can join one of several hunting and rifle clubs nearby. The Chattanooga Rifle Club provides members with access to multiple shooting ranges and regularly hosts competitive shooting activities. For those who live further outside of town, you might find the Cleveland Hunting Rifle and Pistol Club or the Dunaway Hunting and Fishing Club more convenient. If you’re just looking for a shooting range to hit up on weekends, there are several great options in the area. Shooter’s Supply and Indoor Range in Hixson is a family-owned local gun shop and firing range that also offers firearm basics and safety education. Prentice Cooper State Forest also operates a WMA shooting range and is open to those with permits from sunrise to sunset on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. In Harrison, Carter Shooting Supply and Range offers not only a wide array of guns and supplies for purchase, but classes and meeting groups as well.

Whether you’re looking for the ideal fishing spot or a weekend full of hunting in a well-stocked forest, Chattanooga and the surrounding area has something on offer that’s a perfect fit for your wants and needs.

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