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Middle Tennessee · County seat Smithville

Fishing in DeKalb County, Tennessee

Center Hill Lake, Caney Fork River (below Center Hill Dam), Caney Fork River above the lake. Where to launch, where to fish from the bank, and where to buy what you forgot.

Find fishing spots22 public access pointsFind gear & baitBait shops, tackle, rentals, licences

Every public access point

Fishing access in DeKalb County

22 public access points in DeKalb County: 13 boat launches, 4 fishing piers, 2 designated fishing sites and 7 marinas. Each one opens its own page with written directions, coordinates and a link straight to Google Maps.

Tap a pin for the spot page and directions. Open the full Tennessee fishing map.

Caney Fork River 3 in DeKalb County

Free4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEBuffalo Valley Boat Ramp1 ramp, 1 lanefishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.10125, -85.82938Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACELong Branch1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →36.09940, -85.83104Free3 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · USACECenter Hill Tailwater Fishing Pierfishing pierrestroomsDirections and detail →36.10337, -85.83583

Center Hill Lake 19 in DeKalb County

Free5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEEdgar Evins SP Ramp 21 ramp, 3 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.07100, -85.83870Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEHurricane Bridge Ramp2 ramps, More Than 3 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.02650, -85.75030Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEBig Hurricane Creek1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.02609, -85.77656Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · USACECenter Hill MarinaFrom I-40, exit 269 S-go approx. 3 miles-turn right-go approx 2.5 miles-marina on left2 ramps, 2 lanesrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.07690, -85.86000Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACECookeville DockFrom I-40, exit 280s-go approx. 5mi to Cookeville boat Dock Rd-turn right, follow to dock1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.00080, -85.65220Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEDubland1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.94550, -85.68933Free4 out of 5facilitiesMarina · USACEEdgar Evins MarinaFrom I-40, exit 269S, go about 3 miles to 4-way stop, continue 2 miles straight ahead1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.08360, -85.82620Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEEdgar Evins Sp Ramp 11 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.07416, -85.83979Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEFloating Mill Recreation Area1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.04560, -85.76260Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · USACEHidden Harbor Marina1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.00180, -85.82660Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · USACEHurricane Marina1 ramp, 3 lanesrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.03930, -85.75950Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEJohnson Chapel1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.00420, -85.66790Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACELakeside Resort1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.02581, -85.74336Launch fee4 out of 5facilitiesMarina · USACEPates Ford Marina1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsrentalsDirections and detail →35.88300, -85.67310Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEPucketts’ Point1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.99640, -85.72010Launch fee4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACERagland Bottom2 ramps, 3 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →35.97930, -85.72150Free2 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · USACEAustin Bottomcanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.03733, -85.72056Launch fee3.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · USACESligo Marinarestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.96700, -85.71720Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaUnnamed marinaDirections and detail →35.94111, -85.70153

What to bring

What to bring fishing in DeKalb County

Three picks from the largemouth bass checklist that work for the fish here. Affiliate links: buying through them pays this site a small commission at no extra cost to you.

RodUgly Stik GX2 7 ft medium-heavy casting rodStiff enough to set a hook in grass, tough enough to live in a truck bed.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
ReelAbu Garcia Black Max baitcasting reelAn inexpensive baitcaster that casts cleanly once the brakes are set.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
Soft plasticZoom Trick WormThe Tennessee standard on a Texas rig or weightless along docks and grass edges.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
Full largemouth bass checklist (11 items)All gear checklists

Spending more? The bigger purchases, compared side by side:

Smallmouth Bass checklistCrappie checklistBluegill and Panfish checklistFish Finders comparedTrolling Motors comparedLithium Marine Batteries comparedShallow Water Anchors compared

DeKalb County at a glance

DeKalb County boat ramps and fishing access

DeKalb County has 22 public fishing access points: 13 boat ramps, 4 fishing piers and 7 marinas, on 2 lakes, rivers and creeks.

13boat ramps
4fishing piers
7marinas
2lakes, rivers and creeks

The big water in DeKalb

Main fishing waters in DeKalb County

What each of these is actually known for, and what you can expect to catch.

reservoir · 18,220 acres, impounded 1948 · US Army Corps of Engineers, fishery managed by TWRA

Center Hill Lake

A deep, clear highland reservoir under steep rocky ridges, it fishes like a mountain lake rather than a Middle Tennessee impoundment, with finesse presentations in deep water through winter and a strong March–April walleye run

largemouthsmallmouth and spotted basscrappiewalleye
tailwater · 15+ miles of trout water from the dam to the Cumberland · US Army Corps of…

Caney Fork River (below Center Hill Dam)

Middle Tennessee’s premier trout tailwater and about an hour east of Nashville; known as a midge factory, fished with zebra midges under an indicator, dry-dropper in low water and terrestrials in season

rainbowbrownbrook and cutthroat trout
river · TWRA

Caney Fork River above the lake

The upper Caney Fork feeding Center Hill carries the spring walleye run and has its own seasonal regulation (see REGS_NOTES).

walleyesmallmouthrock basscatfish

What it looks like

DeKalb County water

Photographs of the water this page covers. Every picture opens that water’s own page. Drag or swipe to see the rest.

Center Hill Lake, TennesseeCenter Hill LakeOpen the Center Hill Lake page →Tyler White / Public domainCaney Fork River, TennesseeCaney Fork RiverOpen the Caney Fork River page →U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not s / Public domain
Falling Water River, Tennessee
Falling Water River, TennesseeBrian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0
Old Hickory Lake, TennesseeOld Hickory LakeOpen the Old Hickory Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Cumberland River, TennesseeCumberland RiverOpen the Cumberland River page →U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not s / Public domainDuck River, TennesseeDuck RiverOpen the Duck River page →SBaker43 / CC BY-SA 3.0

The ones nobody writes about

Small and out-of-the-way water in DeKalb County

County lakes, park ponds, creeks and river stretches in DeKalb County that never make a best-of list. Several of them fish better than the famous water on a busy weekend.

creek

Smith Fork Creek

Enters Center Hill near Dowelltown; a genuine small-stream smallmouth creek that almost nobody writes about.

smallmouthrock basssunfish
creek arms of Center Hill

Sink Creek and Indian Creek embayments

Named embayments with their own ramps; they fish as separate small lakes in spring.

crappielargemouthbluegill
river arm of Center Hill

Falling Water River arm

Upper-lake arm reaching toward Putnam County.

walleyesmallmouthcrappie
creek arm

Hurricane Creek embayment

Has both a bridge access and a dock.

crappiebass
tailwater

Center Hill Dam tailwater plunge pool

The first few hundred yards below the dam hold both trout and the occasional large striper that has come through.

troutstriped basswalleye

No boat, or your own boat

Bank fishing and launching in DeKalb County

Fishing from the bank in DeKalb County

The Caney Fork tailwater is the best bank and wade fishing in the county, Happy Hollow, Betty’s Island and the Lancaster access are the named put-ins, and during non-generation the river is broadly wadeable for trout. Center Hill Dam tailwater plunge pool bank. Edgar Evins State Park shoreline and marina area.

Ragland Bottoms and Floating Mill recreation area shorelines. Sligo Bridge on SR-56. Holmes Creek recreation area.

Getting a boat on the water in DeKalb County

Center Hill has around 18 access points including nine marinas lakewide (Center Hill, Cookeville Boat Dock, Edgar Evins, Four Seasons, Hidden Harbor, Horseshoe Bend, Hurricane, Pates Ford, Sligo), with pontoon and houseboat rentals widely available. The lake is deep and clear and is a major summer recreational boating and skiing water, so anglers should plan around weekend traffic; no-wake applies in marina basins and near the dam.

The Caney Fork tailwater is one of the best-known float-fishing runs in Middle Tennessee, a full-day float covers roughly 2 to 3 miles, and it is drift boat, raft and kayak water, not powerboat water. Generation schedules must be checked before launching; the river rises several feet in minutes.

Two different trips

Visiting DeKalb County versus fishing it like a local

Where visitors get pointed in DeKalb County

Edgar Evins State Park (marina, campground, cabins, the lake’s main state-park frontage); Center Hill Dam and overlook; the Caney Fork tailwater for guided trout floats; Center Hill Marina and Hurricane Marina; Smithville’s Fiddlers’ Jamboree draws crowds in July and fills every lodging in the county; Burgess Falls State Park is just over the Putnam/White line

Where DeKalb County locals actually go

Smith Fork Creek near Dowelltown for wading smallmouth. The Falling Water River arm at the upper end of Center Hill, which sees a fraction of the pressure the dam end does. Johnson Chapel and Puckett Point ramps, both quiet.

Night fishing for bass on Center Hill in summer, which is the local method and produces when daytime fishing dies. The Caney Fork immediately below Betty’s Island on a non-generation morning.

Rules and record fish

Limits and records for DeKalb County water

Creel and length limits in DeKalb County

Center Hill runs an 18-inch minimum on smallmouth, 15 inches on largemouth and 16 inches on walleye, with crappie at 15/day and a 10-inch minimum. The Caney Fork tailwater trout regulation is unusual and easy to get wrong: the total daily creel is five trout; rainbow, brook and cutthroat carry a 14–20 inch protected length range with only one fish over 20 inches permitted; brown trout are limited to 1 per day at a 24-inch minimum, which is an explicit trophy-brown rule. Stocking runs March through December.

A seasonal gear restriction applies upstream: from January through April the Caney Fork above Rock Island State Park is restricted to single-hook lures with a maximum of three rods, a rule built around the walleye run. A Tennessee trout licence is required in addition to the fishing licence on the tailwater.

State record fish from DeKalb County water

Tennessee state record brook trout, 4 lb 12 oz, Saša Krezić, 1 Apr 2016, Caney Fork River.

13 public boat launches in DeKalb County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Questions people actually ask

DeKalb County fishing questions

Where can I fish from the bank in DeKalb County?

The Caney Fork tailwater is the best bank and wade fishing in the county, Happy Hollow, Betty’s Island and the Lancaster access are the named put-ins, and during non-generation the river is broadly wadeable for trout. Center Hill Dam tailwater plunge pool bank. Edgar Evins State Park shoreline and marina area. Ragland Bottoms and Floating Mill recreation area shorelines. Sligo Bridge on SR-56. Holmes Creek recreation area.. DeKalb County has 4 public fishing piers listed in TWRA’s access database.

How many public boat ramps are in DeKalb County?

TWRA’s access database lists 13 boat launches in DeKalb County, plus 7 marinas. Most of them are on Center Hill Lake. Every one is listed further up this page with its owner and lane count.

Do I need a fishing license to fish in DeKalb County?

Yes. Anyone 13 and over needs a Tennessee fishing license, and there is no license required for ages 12 and under. A resident annual combination hunt and fish license is $33, a resident one-day all-species license is $11, and a non-resident three-day all-species license is $40. Tennessee has no non-resident one-day license. Buy online at gooutdoorstennessee.com, from a county clerk or from a licensed agent. Licenses are digital, nothing arrives in the post.

What fish can you catch in DeKalb County?

The main species across DeKalb County water are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, bluegill, rock bass, striped bass, walleye and catfish. Each water body on the fishing spots page lists what it is actually known for, which is not always the same thing.

Does my Tennessee license cover trout in DeKalb County?

Not automatically. The $33 resident combination hunt and fish license does not cover trout, and neither does the county-of-residence license or the cheaper no-trout short-term options. Those need the $21 annual trout supplemental added on. The Sportsman licenses and every non-resident all-species license already include trout. There is no designated trout water in DeKalb County, but it is worth knowing before you drive to a tailwater elsewhere in the state.

What are the creel limits in DeKalb County?

Center Hill runs an 18-inch minimum on smallmouth, 15 inches on largemouth and 16 inches on walleye, with crappie at 15/day and a 10-inch minimum. The Caney Fork tailwater trout regulation is unusual and easy to get wrong: the total daily creel is five trout; rainbow, brook and cutthroat carry a 14–20 inch protected length range with only one fish over 20 inches permitted; brown trout are limited to 1 per day at a 24-inch minimum, which is an explicit trophy-brown rule Stocking runs March through December Always check the current TWRA guide before you keep anything, because water-specific exceptions change.

Where can I buy bait and tackle in DeKalb County?

Center Hill Marina, Lancaster, 615-548-4115. Hurricane Marina, Silver Point, 931-858-2275. Edgar Evins Marina, Silver Point, 931-858-2424. Pates Ford Marina, Smithville, 615-597-4807. Sligo Marina, Smithville, 615-597-5245. Cookeville Boat Dock, Baxter. Four Seasons Marina, Hidden Harbor Marina and Horseshoe Bend Marina (towns not confirmed). Most Center Hill marinas carry basic tackle, live bait and licences and rent pontoons. There is a fuller list on the DeKalb County gear page, including anywhere renting boats or kayaks and the nearest big-box store.

Where do locals fish in DeKalb County?

Smith Fork Creek near Dowelltown for wading smallmouth. The Falling Water River arm at the upper end of Center Hill, which sees a fraction of the pressure the dam end does. Johnson Chapel and Puckett Point ramps, both quiet. Night fishing for bass on Center Hill in summer, which is the local method and produces when daytime fishing dies. The Caney Fork immediately below Betty’s Island on a non-generation morning.

The water itself

Lakes and rivers in DeKalb County

Each of these has a page of its own covering the whole water, not just the DeKalb County end of it, with every public access point on it and what it holds.

LakeCenter Hill Lake19 access points in DeKalb County, 26 in totalSee the spots →RiverCaney Fork River3 access points in DeKalb County, 10 in totalSee the spots →

DeKalb County water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie.

Conditions

DeKalb County lake levels and trout stocking

Lake conditionsCenter Hill Lake level todayTVA’s current reading and the Center Hill Dam generation schedule.Open →TroutTrout stocking in DeKalb CountyTWRA stocks Pine Creek, Center Hill TW / Caney Fork River. Dates are on the stocking schedule.Open →

Statewide limits: 5 black bass, 15 crappie at 10 inches, 2 stripers at 15 inches, 7 trout.

About this list

Where the DeKalb County access list comes from

The 22 access points above come from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s public access database, which is why each one names the agency that owns or manages it. A state or TVA ramp is usually free. A Corps of Engineers site, a state park ramp or a marina often is not.

The waters, species and local notes are researched separately, county by county, against TWRA’s own reservoir pages, TVA, the US Army Corps of Engineers and Tennessee State Parks.

Ramps close for repairs, gravel roads wash out and regulations change. Treat anything here as a starting point and call ahead if you are driving a long way for it.

By town instead

Towns near DeKalb County

These pages measure from the middle of town rather than the county line, which is usually the number you actually care about.

24 access points within 30 milesFishing near SmithvilleCenter Hill Lake, Caney Fork RiverSee the spots →

4 public fishing piers in DeKalb County, no boat needed.

Keep looking

Counties next to DeKalb

Fish do not respect county lines. These are the nearest counties to DeKalb with public water of their own. Each one opens its own page.

Next county overWhite CountyCenter Hill Lake, Calf Killer RiverSee the spots →Next county overPutnam CountyCenter Hill Lake, Cane Creek LakeSee the spots →Next county overSmith CountyCordell Hull Lake, Caney Fork RiverSee the spots →Next county overVan Buren CountyGreat Falls LakeSee the spots →Next county overWarren CountyBarren Fork River, Collins RiverSee the spots →

Keep going

More DeKalb County water, and who fishes it

Every guide and charter on this site is listed by the water they run, so you can call the captain direct. Licences, limits and the state record list are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits

Weather alerts, power outages and road closures in DeKalb County right now: DeKalb County conditions.