River · Hardeman, Haywood and Tipton

Fishing Hatchie River, Tennessee

Q: Is Hatchie River 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.

11 public access points across 3 counties, with directions to every one.

Jump to the access list Licence and limits

Every access point

Public access on Hatchie River, county by county

All 11 public access points TWRA records on Hatchie River. 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.

What to bring

Tackle for Hatchie River

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:

Crappie checklist Bluegill and Panfish checklist Catfish checklist Fish Finders compared Trolling Motors compared Lithium Marine Batteries compared Shallow Water Anchors compared

The water

Hatchie River boat ramps and fishing access

Hatchie River has 11 public access points: 11 boat ramps and 5 kayak launches, in Hardeman, Haywood and Tipton counties.

11public access points

11boat ramps

5kayak and canoe launches

3counties

River levels

Hatchie River level and flow today

The latest USGS gauge readings on the Hatchie River, the seven-day trend and the forecast.

Hatchie River level

What Hatchie River is actually like

Hatchie River, county by county

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

Tipton County

From the Tipton County page

The only major West Tennessee river never impounded or channelized, and a state-designated scenic river; it’s a slow, timber-choked bottomland river best fished from a small boat in the oxbows and sloughs.

Hardeman County

From the Hardeman County page

The last substantially unchannelized river of its size in the lower Mississippi valley, snaggy, current-driven and timber-filled, fished from small boats and from bridge accesses rather than trolled.

Haywood County

From the Haywood County page

The county’s only significant water, and it is a river, not a lake, timber-choked, current-driven and fished from small boats.

What it looks like

Hatchie River in photographs

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

Hatchie RiverOpen the Hatchie River page →noaa.gov / Public domain

South Fork Forked Deer RiverOpen the South Fork Forked Deer River page →Malepheasant at en.wikipedia / Public domain

Hatchie RiverOpen the Hatchie River page →noaa.gov / Public domain

Hatchie RiverOpen the Hatchie River page →Mississippi Department of Archives and History / No restrictions

What you can catch

Fish in Hatchie River

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

largemouth bass crappie bluegill blue catfishbowfingarfreshwater drum

Guides who fish Hatchie River

What you can keep

Fishing limits on Hatchie River

Hatchie River has no limits of its own, so the statewide limits apply. These are the ones for the fish it holds.

Fish	Daily limit	Length	Where or when
Largemouth bass	5 black bass combined	No minimum	Statewide
Crappie	30	No minimum	Statewide (West Tennessee)
Bluegill	No limit	No minimum	Statewide
Blue catfish	No limit under 34 in	Only one over 34 in	Statewide

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

Hatchie River fish consumption advisory

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

From Highway 100 (river mile 126.9) to Hwy 64 (River Mile 147.9).

Mercury

Precautionary advisory for black bass.*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 Hatchie River

Hatchie River touches 3 Tennessee counties. The county page has the bait shops, the bank access and the local limits.

BolivarHardeman County5 access points on Hatchie River, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →BrownsvilleHaywood County5 access points on Hatchie River, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →CovingtonTipton County1 access point on Hatchie River, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →

11 public access points on Hatchie River, every one with directions.

By town

Towns on Hatchie River

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.

Madison CountyFishing near JacksonPublic water within about 30 miles of Jackson, closest first.See the spots →Haywood CountyFishing near BrownsvillePublic water within about 30 miles of Brownsville, closest first.See the spots →Tipton CountyFishing near CovingtonPublic water within about 30 miles of Covington, closest first.See the spots →

Common questions

Questions about fishing Hatchie River

How many public boat ramps are there on Hatchie River?

TWRA lists 11 public boat launches on Hatchie River, with 11 ramp lanes between them, across 3 Tennessee counties. Every one of them is listed on this page with directions.

What fish can you catch in Hatchie River?

Hatchie River holds largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, blue catfish, bowfin, gar and freshwater drum. 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 Hatchie River run through?

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

Can you fish Hatchie River from the bank?

Yes, though no public fishing pier is recorded on Hatchie River. Bank fishing here means the shoreline and parking areas at the public ramps, plus road and bridge crossings where there is public right of way.

Do you need a licence to fish Hatchie River?

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 Hatchie River 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 Hatchie River 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 water Licence and limits