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Cheatham County, Tennessee

Where to Buy or Rent Fishing Gear in Cheatham County

Bait, tackle, rental boats and licenses in and around Cheatham County.

What to bring

Tackle for Cheatham County water

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

Closest first

Bait and tackle shops in and near Cheatham County

The nearest bait, tackle and marina stores to Cheatham County’s water, each with its own page, directions and phone number.

Nashville · about 18 milesCumberland TransitTackle and bait for Davidson County water. Call ahead out of season, winter hours are short.Directions and phone →Nashville · about 19 milesFly SouthFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Nashville · about 28 milesStarkey’s Bait & TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Nashville · about 28 milesFinn’s Tackle ShopLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Mount Juliet · about 34 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Mount Juliet · about 34 milesWalmart SupercenterOpen late, sells licences at the counter, and carries terminal tackle and line.Directions and phone →Centerville · about 36 milesPinewood Canoe & CampPaddle outfitter. Canoe and kayak rental, shuttles and life jackets.Directions and phone →Waverly · about 39 milesDanville Bait Shop & GrillLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Waverly · about 39 milesCuba Landing MarinaMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →

Buy it at the ramp

Marinas and bait at the water in Cheatham County

Access points in Cheatham County that TWRA records as carrying bait, rentals or marina services. Buying where you launch is the cheapest way to avoid a wasted trip.

Free3 out of 5facilitiesMarina · Private LandHarpeth Shoals MarinaCheatham Lake1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsDirections and detail →36.27707, -87.07307Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · Private LandRiverview Marina (formerly Ashland City Dock)Cheatham Lake1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.26880, -87.07650Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TDOTHighway 70 AccessHarpeth RiverHWY 70 and Cedar Hill Roadcanoe / kayak landingrentalsDirections and detail →36.12382, -87.09842

The big stores

Chain stores near Cheatham County

The closest full tackle wall to Cheatham County is the Bass Pro in Nashville, about 19 miles from Ashland City. Distances here are straight line, so the drive is longer. The rest below are the next nearest, each with a map link.

Nashville · about 19 milesBass Pro ShopsFull outdoor superstore. Rods, reels, boats, licences and a tackle wall.Open in maps →Madison · about 23 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Open in maps →Franklin · about 24 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Open in maps →Clarksville · about 26 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 Cheatham County

Buy online at gooutdoorstennessee.com and the license is on your phone in a minute, nothing is mailed. Over the counter, the Cheatham County Clerk in Ashland City sells them, along with most Walmart stores and licensed agents in the county.

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

All license prices and rules

Gear questions

Buying and renting gear in Cheatham County

Do I need a fishing license to fish in Cheatham 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.

Does my Tennessee license cover trout in Cheatham 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 Cheatham County, but it is worth knowing before you drive to a tailwater elsewhere in the state.

Where can I buy bait and tackle in Cheatham County?

Nothing verified in the county by name and phone. TWRA’s access database records no onsite bait anywhere in Cheatham County, bait is listed “in proximity” at Bluff Creek, Cheatham Dam, Riverbluff, Riverview Marina and the Hwy 249 bridge, meaning convenience stores. Riverview Marina has fuel onsite. Canoe/kayak rental is available at the Highway 70 Access on the Harpeth. Nearest big-box: Walmart in Ashland City. There is a fuller list on the Cheatham County gear page, including anywhere renting boats or kayaks and the nearest big-box store.

Can I buy a fishing license in Cheatham County?

Yes. County clerks, most Walmart stores and licensed agents in Cheatham County sell them over the counter, and gooutdoorstennessee.com sells them 24 hours a day. The license is digital or printable, nothing is mailed.

Do I need a boat to fish Cheatham County?

No. Cheatham County has 1 public fishing pier and bank access at several of its parks and river crossings.

What it looks like

What Cheatham County water looks like

The lakes and rivers you are buying gear for.

Cumberland River, Tennessee
Cumberland River, TennesseeU.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not s / Public domain
Center Hill Lake, TennesseeCenter Hill LakeOpen the Center Hill Lake page →Tyler White / Public domainOld Hickory Lake, TennesseeOld Hickory LakeOpen the Old Hickory Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Duck River, TennesseeDuck RiverOpen the Duck River page →SBaker43 / CC BY-SA 3.0Tims Ford Lake, TennesseeTims Ford LakeOpen the Tims Ford Lake page →Geobeedude / CC BY-SA 3.0Cordell Hull Lake, TennesseeCordell Hull LakeOpen the Cordell Hull Lake page →United States Army Corps of Engineers image / Public domain

5 public boat launches in Cheatham County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Where to fish it

Now find the water in Cheatham County

Got what you need? The Cheatham County fishing spots page has every ramp, pier, creek and lake in the county, with directions to each one and the limits that apply on it.

Cheatham County fishing spotsBack to the county page

Keep going

More Cheatham 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