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Kingston · Roane County

Fishing Gear and Rental Near Kingston, TN

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

What to bring

Tackle for Kingston

Three picks from the smallmouth 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.

RodSt. Croix Bass X 7 ft medium spinning rodLight enough for a Ned rig, with enough backbone for a 5 lb fish in current.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
ReelPflueger President 30 spinning reelSmooth drag at a fair price. Fill it with braid and a leader.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
FinesseZ-Man Finesse TRD and Ned rig jigheadsThe single most reliable smallmouth bait on Tennessee rock. Drag it slowly.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
Full smallmouth bass checklist (10 items)All gear checklists

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

Crappie checklistBluegill and Panfish checklistStriper and Hybrid checklistFish Finders comparedTrolling Motors comparedLithium Marine Batteries comparedShallow Water Anchors compared

Closest first

Bait and tackle shops near Kingston

The nearest bait, tackle and marina stores to Kingston, each with its own page, directions and phone number.

Lenoir City · about 15 milesLane’s Landing Bait & TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Louisville · about 28 milesDunmore Bait & TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Knoxville · about 29 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Crossville · about 33 milesMeadow Park Lake park officeLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Knoxville · about 33 milesSmitty’s Bait and TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Knoxville · about 33 milesBig Fish OutfittersFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Andersonville · about 34 milesBuffalo Creek Outdoor EtcSporting goods. Rods, reels, line and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Jacksboro · about 36 milesWalmart SupercenterOpen late, sells licences at the counter, and carries terminal tackle and line.Directions and phone →Tellico Plains · about 38 milesTellico OutfittersFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →

Buy it at the ramp

Marinas and bait near Kingston

Access points within reach of Kingston that TWRA records as carrying bait, rentals or marina services.

Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · Private LandLong Island MarinaWatts Bar Lake · 3 mi from KingstonOff Paint Rock Ferry Road1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →35.83380, -84.49340Launch fee3.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaCaney Creek MarinaWatts Bar Lake · 5 mi from Kingstonrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.87029, -84.60320Fee not listed3.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · CityRockwood Marina & RV ParkWatts Bar Lake · 10 mi from KingstonNext to Tom Fuller Access Areafishing pierrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.83486, -84.67949Fee not listed3 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaBayside MarinaWatts Bar Lake · 12 mi from KingstonHwy 58 South, turn right onto 304, go approx. 6miles, Marina on rightfishing pierrestroomsDirections and detail →35.75020, -84.65870

The big stores

Chain stores in and around Kingston

The closest full tackle wall to Kingston is the Academy in Knoxville, about 33 miles. Distances here are straight line, so the drive is longer. The rest below are the next nearest, each with a map link.

Knoxville · about 33 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Open in maps →Kodak · about 51 milesBass Pro ShopsFull outdoor superstore. Rods, reels, boats, licences and a tackle wall.Open in maps →Cookeville · about 59 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Open in maps →Hixson · about 61 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Open in maps →

Before you cast

Buying a Tennessee fishing license in Kingston

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

Anyone 13 and over needs a license to fish Roane County water, and under 13 is free. If you live in Roane County, the $10 county-of-residence license covers you on Roane County water, though not for trout.

All license prices and rules

What it looks like

The water around Kingston

What you are buying gear for. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.

Watts Bar Lake, TennesseeWatts Bar LakeOpen the Watts Bar Lake page →ChristopherM / CC BY 2.5Clinch River, TennesseeClinch RiverOpen the Clinch River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Emory River, TennesseeEmory RiverOpen the Emory River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Watts Bar Lake, TennesseeWatts Bar LakeOpen the Watts Bar Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 4.0Clinch River, TennesseeClinch RiverOpen the Clinch River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Emory River, TennesseeEmory RiverOpen the Emory River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Gear questions

Buying and renting gear near Kingston

Where can I buy a fishing license in Kingston?

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

Can I rent a boat near Kingston?

Yes. Caney Creek Marina on Watts Bar Lake, about 5 miles from Kingston, is listed by TWRA as having rentals.

Is there a bait shop in Kingston?

Harriman and Kingston are the county’s retail towns and Oak Ridge is about 25 minutes north with fuller sporting goods retail.

Do I need a trout stamp to fish near Kingston?

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.

31 public boat launches in Roane County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Where to fish it

Now find the water near Kingston

Every public launch and pier within reach of Kingston, closest first.

Fishing spots near KingstonBack to Kingston

Keep going

More Kingston 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