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Chickamauga, Tims Ford, Fall Creek Falls among 18 ‘Bill Dance Signature Lakes’ to share $15 million in improvements

Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / Michael Corbett and Steve Cornett fish from their boat during the Fishing League Worldwide Bass Fishing League Regional Championship tournament held in October 2018 on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tenn. Chickamauga Lake is one of three area lakes named among 18 across the state to receive the "Bill Dance Signature Lakes" designation as the state and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency invest $15 million in improvements.
Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / Michael Corbett and Steve Cornett fish from their boat during the Fishing League Worldwide Bass Fishing League Regional Championship tournament held in October 2018 on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tenn. Chickamauga Lake is one of three area lakes named among 18 across the state to receive the "Bill Dance Signature Lakes" designation as the state and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency invest $15 million in improvements. Staff photo by Erin O. Smith / Michael Corbett and Steve Cornett fish from their boat during the Fishing League Worldwide Bass Fishing League Regional Championship tournament held in October 2018 on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tenn. Chickamauga Lake is one of three area lakes named among 18 across the state to receive the "Bill Dance Signature Lakes" designation as the state and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency invest $15 million in improvements.

By Ben Benton 8 min read

With a $15 million investment, Tennessee will become home to 18 Bill Dance Signature Lakes bearing the angler’s stamp of approval – and three of them are in the Chattanooga region.

Chickamauga Lake, Tims Ford Lake and Fall Creek Falls Lake are among those targeted by the project to launch in 2022. Officials hope to increase visitation to the lakes and honor the legacy of Dance, an 81-year-old Tennessee native, according to a news release from the state.

(READ MORE: When hunting trophy largemouth bass, patience and obsessive persistence pay off)

Tennessee is home to about 500,000 acres of lakes, and 1.7 million people from Tennessee and elsewhere fish here, state officials said, citing data from the American Sportfishing Association.

Born and raised in Lynchburg, Tennessee, Dance and agency partners selected the lakes for their ability to be a “destination fishing location” and provide quality fishing fun for avid anglers, amateurs and families. Endorsed by Bill Dance Outdoors, projects slated to begin in 2022 should be near completion by fall of 2024, officials said.