What is the best time of day to fish in Knoxville?

The most reliable windows are the low-light hours around sunrise and sunset. Today in Knoxville, sunrise is about 6:41 AM and sunset about 8:44 PM, so the dawn and dusk windows either side of those are your best bets — especially on an overcast day or a moving tide.

Does the moon affect fishing in Knoxville?

Yes. The strongest solunar feeding periods and biggest tides come around the new and full moons. The moon is currently a Full Moon (99% illuminated). For the precise solunar major/minor times and tides for your exact spot, use the MyFishingBuds AI Trip Planner.

Best Time to Fish in Knoxville

Tennessee · Wednesday, July 29

🌅

6:41 AM

Sunrise

🌇

8:44 PM

Sunset

🌙

99%

Moon

Today's best windows in Knoxville

🌅 Dawn — 6:11 AM to 7:41 AM

The first light window is the most reliable bite of the day for most species — fish move shallow to feed before the sun gets high.

🌇 Dusk — 7:14 PM to 9:14 PM

The last couple hours of light are the second prime window, especially as water cools and bait moves.

🌙 Moon — Full Moon (99% lit)

A bright moon means more overnight feeding, which can slow the midday bite — lean on the dawn and dusk windows. Solunar activity is strongest around the new and full moons.

Sunrise, sunset, and moon phase are computed for Knoxville (Tennessee); times shown in local time. Best-window ranges are guidance, not guarantees — weather and tides matter too.

Get the precise solunar + tide forecast for your spot

Dawn and dusk are the reliable daily answer, but the exact solunar major/minor periods and the tides for the specific water you're fishing shift day to day. The MyFishingBuds AI Trip Planner pulls live NOAA, USGS, and solunar data to score the best times for your exact Knoxville spot.

See the AI Trip Planner →

Best season to fish Knoxville

Bass fishing peaks in spring (March through May) around the spawn and stays good through fall, with smallmouth especially strong on the clearer lakes like Norris and Tellico. Striped bass fishing is best in late spring and summer, particularly on Cherokee and Melton Hill, where they chase shad. Crappie fishing lights up around the spring spawn and again in fall around brush and bridge structure. The tailwater trout fisheries (the Clinch and Holston below Norris and Cherokee dams) fish year-round and are best when generation is low — always check the TVA dam-release schedule before you wade.

Largemouth BassSmallmouth BassStriped BassCrappieRainbow & Brown Trout (tailwaters)Catfish

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