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Lake · Sullivan and Washington

Fishing Boone Lake, Tennessee

13 public access points across 2 counties, with directions to every one.

Jump to the access listLicence and limits

Every access point

Public access on Boone Lake, county by county

All 13 public access points TWRA records on Boone Lake. Each card 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.

Boone Lake access in Sullivan County

Fee not listed2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAAirport RampHamilton Rd, Piney Flats, TN1 ramp, 1 laneaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.47070, -82.39623Free4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVABoone Dam3 ramps, 3 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →36.44746, -82.42803Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaBoone Lake MarinaFrom State HWY 11E in Piney Flats, right onto Allison Rd, straight to Warren Rd, left on Sportsman Dog Road1 ramp, 1 lanefishing pierrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.46294, -82.35190Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaDavis MarinaFrom Johnson City, take Blountville exit, right on Thomas Bridge Rd, right on Buffalo Rd, marina on left1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsDirections and detail →36.49010, -82.32040Fee not listed2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVADevault Bridge2653 Devault Bridge Rd, Piney Flats, TN1 ramp, 1 laneaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.46371, -82.36062Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaLakeview MarinaDirections and detail →36.45335, -82.41424Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVARainbow BridgeEnterprise Rd, Piney Flats, TNDirections and detail →36.47405, -82.31667

Boone Lake access in Washington County

Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAHwy 11E (New Devault Bridge)Hwy 11E/Bristol Hwy, Johnson City, TN1 ramp, 2 lanesaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.39264, -82.35672Fee not listed3.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · OtherJay’s Boat Dock1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →36.41709, -82.38088Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesTVAKnob CreekDirections and detail →36.38400, -82.36100Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAPickens BridgePickens Bridge Rd, Johnson City, TN1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.41900, -82.37516Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVASugar Hollow Access2711 Devault Bridge Rd, Piney Flats TN, 376861 rampDirections and detail →36.46619, -82.35749Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityWinged Deer ParkDirections and detail →36.39595, -82.36336

What to bring

Tackle for Boone Lake

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 checklistCatfish checklistFish Finders comparedTrolling Motors comparedLithium Marine Batteries comparedShallow Water Anchors compared

The water

Boone Lake boat ramps and fishing access

Boone Lake has 13 public access points: 9 boat ramps, 1 fishing pier and 3 kayak launches, in Sullivan and Washington counties.

13public access points
9boat ramps
1fishing pier
3kayak and canoe launches
2counties

Lake conditions

Boone Lake level today

TVA’s current Boone Lake level, the 24-hour change, the Boone Dam generation schedule and the level forecast, on one page.

Boone Lake level

What Boone Lake is actually like

Boone Lake, county by county

Boone Lake does not fish the same at both ends. This is what the research for each county on it turned up.

Washington County

From the Washington County page

Split between Washington and Sullivan counties, with one arm running about 16 mi up the South Fork Holston and the other about 15 mi up the Watauga; TWRA’s caution is that the shoreline is heavily developed by private landowners and little public land is available, so the public ramps matter more here than on most lakes.

Sullivan County

From the Sullivan County page

Shoreline is heavily privatized so public land is scarce; TWRA names Davis Dock and Devault Bridge for topwater stripers, and clay points at 20–30 ft in winter.

What it looks like

Boone Lake in photographs

What Boone Lake looks like through the year. Every picture opens that water’s own page.

Boone Lake, TennesseeBoone LakeOpen the Boone Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domainHolston River, TennesseeSouth Fork Holston RiverOpen the South Fork Holston River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Nolichucky River, TennesseeNolichucky RiverOpen the Nolichucky River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Boone Lake, TennesseeBoone LakeOpen the Boone Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domainHolston River, TennesseeSouth Fork Holston RiverOpen the South Fork Holston River page →Dacoshi / CC BY-SA 3.0Nolichucky River, TennesseeNolichucky RiverOpen the Nolichucky River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

What you can catch

Fish in Boone Lake

What Boone Lake actually holds, from the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes. A licence is required for all of it.

largemouth basssmallmouth bassspotted basscrappieblue catfishtrout
Guides who fish Boone Lake

What you can keep

Fishing limits on Boone Lake

TWRA sets 5 rules just for Boone Lake. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Largemouth bass5 combined with smallmouth15 in minimumBoone Lake rule
Smallmouth bass5 combined with largemouth15 in minimumBoone Lake rule
Spotted bass15No length limitSeparate from the largemouth/smallmouth limit
Striped bass1 (2 striped/hybrid combined)36 in minimumBoone Lake rule
Trout716–22 in protected slot, one over 22 inAll trout. Applies upstream to the Hwy 11E (DeVault/Bristol Hwy) bridge on the Watauga arm
Crappie1510 in minimumStatewide
Blue catfishNo limit under 34 inOnly one over 34 inStatewide

From the 2026–27 Tennessee Fishing Guide (TWRA), in effect 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027, checked 25 September 2026. Rules change, so check the guide before you keep a fish.

Statewide limits and licenses

Eating what you catch

Boone Lake fish consumption advisory

TDEC’s fish consumption advisory for Boone Lake, from its August 2026 list of posted waters.

Entirety (4,400 acres)

PCBs, chlordane

Precautionary advisory for carp and catfish.*Precautionary means: Children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers should not consume the fish species named. All other persons should limit consumption of the named species to one meal per month.

Every Tennessee fish advisory

By county

Counties on Boone Lake

Boone Lake touches 2 Tennessee counties. The county page has the bait shops, the bank access and the local limits.

Blountville (Tennessee’s only unincorporated county seat)Sullivan County7 access points on Boone Lake, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →JonesboroughWashington County6 access points on Boone Lake, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →

13 public access points on Boone Lake, every one with directions.

By town

Towns on Boone Lake

These pages measure from the middle of town rather than the county line, which is usually the number that matters when you are deciding where to drive.

Sullivan CountyFishing near KingsportPublic water within about 30 miles of Kingsport, closest first.See the spots →Washington CountyFishing near Johnson CityPublic water within about 30 miles of Johnson City, closest first.See the spots →Sullivan CountyFishing near BristolPublic water within about 30 miles of Bristol, closest first.See the spots →Carter CountyFishing near ElizabethtonPublic water within about 30 miles of Elizabethton, closest first.See the spots →

Common questions

Questions about fishing Boone Lake

How many public boat ramps are there on Boone Lake?

TWRA lists 9 public boat launches on Boone Lake, with 12 ramp lanes between them, across 2 Tennessee counties. Every one of them is listed on this page with directions.

What fish can you catch in Boone Lake?

Boone Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, blue catfish and trout. Which of those is actually worth chasing depends on the season, and TWRA sets size and creel limits that change, so check before you keep anything.

Which counties does Boone Lake run through?

Sullivan and Washington counties. Each has its own page on this site with the local bait shops, ramps and bank access.

Can you fish Boone Lake from the bank?

Yes. 1 of the public access points on Boone Lake have a built fishing pier, and most of the ramps have shoreline you can walk. A pier is the easiest option with children or without a boat.

Do you need a licence to fish Boone Lake?

Yes. Anyone 13 or older needs a Tennessee fishing licence, and a trout supplemental on top if you plan to keep trout. Non-residents can buy a three-day or ten-day licence rather than a full year.

Is Boone Lake free to fish?

The water is. Some of the ramps are not, Corps of Engineers sites, state park ramps and marinas often charge to launch or park. Each listing below shows the owner, which is the best guide to whether you will be asked for money.

Keep going

More Boone Lake 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

Before you launch, check today's level, dam release schedule and any weather alerts for Boone Lake: Boone Lake conditions.