95 Counties · 1,002 Public Access Points · 78 Lakes and RiversTennessee state record fish

Bartlett · Shelby County

Fishing Gear and Rental Near Bartlett, TN

Bait, tackle, rental and licenses in and around Bartlett.

What to bring

Tackle for Bartlett

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

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

Before you cast

Buying a Tennessee fishing license in Bartlett

Buy online at gooutdoorstennessee.com and the license is on your phone in a minute, nothing is mailed. Over the counter, the Shelby County Clerk in Memphis sells them, and so do most Walmart stores and licensed agents around Bartlett.

Shelby County has trout water, and no base license covers trout. The $21 annual trout supplemental is the add-on, and the Sportsman licenses and every non-resident all-species license already include it.

Gear questions

Buying and renting gear near Bartlett

Where can I buy a fishing license in Bartlett?

County clerks, most Walmart stores and licensed agents in and around Bartlett sell them over the counter, and gooutdoorstennessee.com sells them around the clock. The license is digital.

Can I rent a boat near Bartlett?

Yes. Mud Island Marina on Mississippi River, about 11 miles from Bartlett, is listed by TWRA as having rentals.

Is there a bait shop in Bartlett?

Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid, 1 Bass Pro Drive, Memphis, a full-scale outdoor retailer inside the converted Memphis Pyramid on the riverfront, and the single most useful gear reference for this county and for much of West Tennessee. Academy Sports and Outdoors operates multiple Memphis-area locations. Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park rents boats and canoes at Poplar Tree Lake. Shelby Farms Park offers paddlecraft rental on Hyde Lake..

Do I need a trout stamp to fish near Bartlett?

Only if you are fishing for trout. The $33 resident combination hunt and fish license does not cover trout and neither do the cheap no-trout short-term options, those need the $21 annual trout supplemental. Sportsman licenses and every non-resident all-species license already include it.

2 public boat launches in Shelby County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Keep going

More Bartlett 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.