Center Hill Lake is 18,220 acres of crystal-clear, emerald water carved into the Cumberland Highland ridgelines — one of the most beautiful lakes in Tennessee and one of the most versatile. Whether you want to throttle up on a jet ski, drift a cove in a kayak, pull a trophy smallmouth from a rocky ledge, or simply anchor a pontoon in the shallows and let the afternoon dissolve, Center Hill delivers. Here's everything you can do on the water from The Little Lake House at Center Hill Lake.
01
Rent a Boat — Know Your Options
Nine Marinas · Multiple Rental Types · Book in Advance
Center Hill Lake has nine marinas spread across its 400 miles of shoreline, and most offer rental fleets that cover every style of day on the water. From laid-back pontoon floats to performance tritoons, wake boats, jet skis, kayaks, and even multi-day houseboats — the lake has it all. Here are the marinas closest to and most popular among guests of The Little Lake House.
Hurricane Marina
Center Hill Lake's oldest marina, now a state-of-the-art facility 3 miles south of I-40. Golf cart valet service, 24-hour fuel, Ship Store, and the Blue Water Grille on-site.
Tritoons Pontoons Double Deckers Waverunners Ski Boats Kayaks Paddle Boards
Edgar Evins Marina
Inside Edgar Evins State Park with over 338 slips. Full-service marina with on-site restaurant, convenient to the park trails and quiet upper coves.
Pontoons Bass Boats Jet Skis Fishing Boats
Hidden Harbor Marina
Family-friendly full-service marina with cabin and campsite rentals on-site. Best value on the lake according to multiple reviewers. Online booking available.
Pontoons Double Deckers w/ Slide Deck Boats Houseboats Fishing Boats
Pates Ford Marina
Seven days a week pontoon rentals close to Smithville. Host of WakeFest 2026 (July 17–18). One of the most-used launch points for summer events on the lake.
Pontoons WakeFest Host
Horseshoe Bend Marina
50-acre property with 30 campground sites, 30 boat slips, and a family and pet-friendly atmosphere. Jackson kayak rentals available on-site.
Pontoons Kayaks Campground
JBeez WaterCraft Rentals
Specialists in jet ski and waverunner rentals for thrill seekers. Waverunners fit up to 3 passengers. Pontoon rentals also available for groups up to 12.
Jet Skis Waverunners Pontoons
Little Lake House Tip Summer weekends — especially WakeFest weekend (July 17–18) and July 4th — are the busiest on the lake. Book your boat rental 4–6 weeks in advance for those dates. For a standard summer weekend, 1–2 weeks out is usually sufficient. Most rentals run 8am–5pm; ask about extended hours if you want a sunset return.
02
What to Do Once You're Out There
400 Miles of Shoreline · Crystal Clear Water · Rocky Bluffs & Hidden Coves
"Center Hill Lake has 400 miles of shoreline. You will not run out of places to explore."
Center Hill Lake isn't a drive-around-the-main-channel kind of lake. Its 400 miles of shoreline is a maze of rocky points, limestone bluffs, deep channels, shallow coves, and hidden arms that reward exploration. Here's the full menu of what guests actually do on the water.
Pontoon Float
Anchor in a quiet cove, swim the shallows, let the afternoon happen. The classic Center Hill Lake experience.
Jet Ski & Waverunner
Open water runs on the main channel, cove exploration at speed. Best in mornings before traffic builds.
Waterskiing & Wake Boarding
Ski boats and wake boats available at Hurricane and Hidden Harbor. Calm early mornings make for ideal glass-water pulls.
Kayak & Paddleboard
Explore the upper coves and rocky shoreline at your own pace. Available at Hurricane Marina, Horseshoe Bend, and Edgar Evins Marina.
Cliff Jumping
Center Hill Lake's limestone bluffs drop straight into deep water throughout the upper arms. Locally known spots exist — ask the marina staff where to go safely.
Swimming & Snorkeling
Water mid-70s°F all summer. Visibility is excellent in the upper arms. Floating Mill Park and Rock Island State Park have designated swim beaches.
Houseboat Weekend
Multi-day houseboat rentals available through Hidden Harbor Marina — the ultimate Center Hill Lake experience for groups.
Kayak to Burgess Falls
Launch from Cane Hollow, paddle the Falling Water arm, and arrive at the base of a 130-foot waterfall by water. Check lake levels first.
Little Lake House Tip The best cove swimming is on the Edgar Evins shoreline and up the Caney Fork arm toward Rock Island. These areas have clearer water, less boat traffic midday, and the dramatic Highland Rim bluffs that make Center Hill Lake look like nothing else in Tennessee. Go early, claim your cove, and stay.
03
Fishing Center Hill Lake
18,000 Acres of Prime Habitat · 15+ Species · World-Class Bass Fishing
Center Hill Lake is one of Tennessee's premier fishing destinations — and for serious anglers, it's a bucket-list lake. The reservoir is a maze of points, channels, ledges, and islands that create exceptional fish habitat across the full 18,220 acres. With a maximum depth of 190 feet, clear water, and rocky structure throughout, it supports an extraordinary range of species year-round.
Bass fishing is the main event. Smallmouth, largemouth, and spotted bass are all present in healthy numbers, with the smallmouth fishery drawing anglers from across the region for its quality and fight. But Center Hill also holds walleye, crappie, catfish, white bass, rainbow and brown trout (stocked April through September below the dam), striped bass, muskie, and the legendary Center Hill paddlefish — with a lake record of 75 pounds.
Smallmouth Bass
The star of Center Hill. Rocky structure, clear water, top-water fighters. 18" minimum.
Largemouth Bass
Brush piles, ledges, and channel points. 15" minimum. Active year-round.
Spotted Bass
Same structure as smallmouth. No length limit. Often caught while smallmouth fishing.
Walleye
5 per day, 16" minimum. Low-light bites at dawn and dusk. Deep structure in summer.
Crappie
15 per day, 10" minimum. Submerged structures and logs. Best at dawn and dusk.
Striped Bass
Open water schooling fish. Chase shad in the main channel. Best with live bait.
Rainbow & Brown Trout
Stocked April–September. Long Branch Recreation Area below the dam is prime trout water.
Catfish
No creel limit under 34". Night fishing in summer is most productive. Bottom structure.
Muskie & Paddlefish
Trophy species. Lake record paddlefish: 75 lbs. Muskie limit: 1 per day, 50" minimum.
In summer, the best bass fishing shifts to early mornings and night fishing. Once water temperatures hit the 80s°F, bass move to deeper water (15–25 feet) and feed most actively at night using spinnerbaits, jigs, and soft plastics. Dawn topwater near cover can produce explosive bites before the heat sets in.
Best Bank Fishing
Edgar Evins State Park — rocky shorelines, submerged structures, bass and crappie
Best Pier Fishing
Floating Mill Park — accessible piers, family-friendly, bluegill and catfish
Best Trout Water
Long Branch Recreation Area below Center Hill Dam — cold water releases, stocked April–September
Summer Bass Tip
Fish the brush piles and rock ledges off main channel points. Ask marina staff exactly where they are.
Key Tennessee Fishing Regulations — Center Hill Lake
- Largemouth Bass: 15" minimum
- Smallmouth Bass: 18" minimum
- Walleye: 5/day, 16" minimum
- Crappie: 15/day (combined), 10" minimum
- Catfish: No limit under 34"; 1 fish over 34"/day
- Muskie: 1/day, 50" minimum
- Trout (stocked): Check TWRA for current regs
- Paddlefish: Closed — no taking or possessing
Little Lake House Tip A Tennessee fishing license is required for all anglers 13 and older. Pick one up at most area bait shops, Walmart in Smithville, or online at tn.gov/twra before you arrive. For serious anglers, hiring a local guide is worth every dollar — they know exactly where the brush piles are, which points are holding fish, and what the bite is doing that week.
04
Swimming & Swim Beaches
Mid-70s°F All Summer · Crystal Clear · Designated Beaches & Open Coves
Center Hill Lake's water runs clear and stays in the mid-70s°F through summer — ideal swimming conditions from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The lake's rocky shoreline and Highland Rim bluffs create a setting that feels more like a national park than a Tennessee reservoir. Swimming is permitted throughout the lake from boats; designated swim beaches provide amenities for those arriving by car.
Floating Mill Park
Sandy swim beach, accessible by car, family-friendly. Picnic area and fishing piers on-site.
Rock Island State Park
Designated swim beach at the headwaters of Center Hill Lake. Turquoise limestone swimming hole, herons, and kingfishers.
Cove Swimming
By far the best experience — anchor a pontoon in any cove on the Edgar Evins shoreline and swim off the back of the boat in warm, clear water.
Water Temperature
Mid-70s°F surface temperature in summer. Deep water drops cooler — stay in the shallows for the warmest swim.
Little Lake House Tip Do not swim near the Center Hill Dam or the powerhouse at Rock Island — currents are deceptive and powerful even when the water looks calm. Always swim in designated areas or calm, sheltered coves well away from the main channel.
✦
Eighteen thousand acres. Four hundred miles of shoreline. A lake full of fish, limestone bluffs, hidden coves, and water so clear you can watch the bass hold against the rocks. Center Hill Lake is not a lake you see in a day — it's a lake you keep coming back to, each time finding something you missed before. The Little Lake House at Center Hill Lake is your base for all of it. Start planning your time on the water.
The water is waiting.
Book The Little Lake House at Center Hill Lake and get out there.
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