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Boat Launch · Anderson County

Dismal Bluff, Melton Hill Lake

1 ramp, 1 lane, canoe / kayak landing. 11 miles from Oak Ridge.

Get driving directionsAll Anderson County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Dismal Bluff

Captains who run Melton Hill Lake, with their own phone numbers. You call and book with them directly.

Capt. Billy Clabough · Knoxville / Kingston

Tennessee River Valley Fishing Guide Service

Catfish, striper, smallmouth, drumCall 865-690-5144tnrvg.com

Capt. Chadwick Ferrell · Knoxville

Fish On! Guided Tours

Striper, catfish, bass, trout, musky, sauger, crappieCall 865-455-0412fishontours.com

Capt. Brycen Roberts · Knoxville

Tennessee River Monsters

Stripers, catfish, largemouthCall 865-207-8741tennesseerivermonsters.com

All 4 guides on Watts Bar, Fort Loudoun and Melton Hill

What to bring

Tackle for Dismal Bluff

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

How to get there

Getting to Dismal Bluff

Dismal Bluff is a public boat launch on Melton Hill Lake in Anderson County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Valley Authority.

HWY 25 to East Wolf Valley to Mountain View Road

Dismal Bluff is 11 miles north-east of Oak Ridge, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Clinton Lakefront Park on Melton Hill Lake/Clinch River, 2.3 miles to the west. For bait, Academy Sports + Outdoors in Knoxville is about 7 miles away.

Coordinates 36.09397, -84.09287

Open in Google MapsSee nearby spots on the mapFishing near Oak Ridge
Aerial view of Dismal Bluff
Dismal Bluff from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Dismal Bluff

Free to launch 2.5 out of 5 Facilities 2.5 of 5, scored from what TWRA records: ramp, docks, pier, restrooms, parking, lighting and hours.

Everything below comes from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s own public access record for Dismal Bluff. It is the same data the state uses, not a guess from a photograph.

Boat ramp

You can launch a trailered boat here. 1 lane.

Canoe and kayak

A landing shallow enough to carry a paddle craft in and out.

Open 24 hours

TWRA records round the clock access, so early starts are fine.

Not recorded here: fishing pier, restrooms, camping. Worth knowing before a long drive with the family.

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Dismal Bluff

Melton Hill Lake holds these, according to the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes.

largemouth basssmallmouth basscrappiestriped basssaugersaugeyemuskellungecatfish

The clearest cause-and-effect story of any lake in this group: cold water released from Norris Dam upstream keeps Melton Hill cool and relatively unproductive, which suppresses largemouth but holds excellent dissolved oxygen, which is exactly why smallmouth, stripers and musky do so well. It holds two state records.

Everything on Melton Hill LakeFind a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Dismal Bluff

What you can keep from Melton Hill Lake at Dismal Bluff. TWRA sets 5 rules just for Melton Hill Lake. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Largemouth bass5 combined with smallmouth14 in minimumMelton Hill Lake rule
Smallmouth bass5 combined with largemouth18 in minimumMelton Hill Lake rule
Spotted bass15No length limitSeparate from the largemouth/smallmouth limit
Striped bass2 striped/hybrid combined32–42 in protected slot, one over 42 inIncludes the Clinch River upstream to the Hwy 61 bridge in Clinton
Muskellunge150 in minimumMuskies not kept must be released immediately; no culling
Crappie1510 in minimumStatewide
Sauger1015 in minimumStatewide
Channel 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

9 public boat launches in Anderson County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Melton Hill Lake around Dismal Bluff

What the water at Dismal Bluff actually looks like. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.

Melton Hill Lake, TennesseeMelton Hill LakeOpen the Melton Hill Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domainClinch River, TennesseeClinch RiverOpen the Clinch River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Norris Lake, TennesseeNorris LakeOpen the Norris Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Melton Hill Lake, TennesseeMelton Hill LakeOpen the Melton Hill Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domainClinch River, TennesseeClinch RiverOpen the Clinch River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Norris Lake, TennesseeNorris LakeOpen the Norris Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Next one along

More Melton Hill Lake access near Dismal Bluff

The closest other public access points on Melton Hill Lake, measured straight line from Dismal Bluff. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · CityOak Ridge Marina7.0 miles south-westTurn onto Melton Lake Drive from Edgemoor Road (170), turn right at Rowing Club1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.03380, -84.19300Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CitySolway Ramp8.8 miles south-westOak Ridge Highway to Edgemoor Road, ramp on right1 ramp, 2 lanesDirections and detail →35.99560, -84.19280Fee not listed2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CountyMelton Hill Park13 miles south-west3230 Williams Bend Rd, Knoxville, TN 379321 rampDirections and detail →35.95207, -84.23595Fee not listed2 out of 5facilitiesBoat LaunchHickory Creek Access16 miles south-west2118 Everett Rd, Knoxville, TN 379321 rampDirections and detail →35.89241, -84.25137
All 5 access points on Melton Hill Lake

Dismal Bluff water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, sunfish.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Dismal Bluff

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Dismal Bluff, including Melton Hill Lake/Clinch River and Clinch River. Handy when the wind is wrong on Melton Hill Lake or the ramp is busy.

Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityClinton Lakefront ParkMelton Hill Lake/Clinch River · 2.3 miles westUnder Hwy 25W Bridge1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing pieraccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.09564, -84.13385Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CountyHighway 61 BridgeClinch River · 2.4 miles north-westI-75 to SR 611 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.12355, -84.11375Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · Private LandLewellyn Island AccessClinch River · 3.0 miles north-westPublic Safety Lane off Hwy 61 in Clintonaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.12759, -84.12545Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAPeach OrchardClinch River · 6.9 miles northI-75 to SR 61 to Hillvale Raod to Peach Orchard Road1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.19088, -84.11958Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAMiller Island SFAClinch River · 7.6 miles northRiver Rd1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.20367, -84.09431Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAMiller Island AccessClinch River · 7.6 miles northRiver Rd off US 4411 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.20424, -84.08831

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Dismal Bluff

The closest shops to Dismal Bluff that this site has checked. Academy Sports + Outdoors in Knoxville is nearest, about 7 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Knoxville · about 7 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Andersonville · about 8 milesBuffalo Creek Outdoor EtcSporting goods. Rods, reels, line and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Knoxville · about 13 milesSmitty’s Bait and TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →
All bait and tackle in Anderson County

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Common questions

Questions about Dismal Bluff

Can you launch a boat at Dismal Bluff?

Yes. TWRA records Dismal Bluff as having a boat ramp. It has 1 lane. TWRA records it as free to launch.

Do you need a fishing licence at Dismal Bluff?

Yes. Anyone 13 or older needs a Tennessee fishing licence to fish here, and a trout supplemental on top of it if you plan to keep trout. It is the same rule at every public access point in the state.

What fish are in the water at Dismal Bluff?

Melton Hill Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, striped bass, sauger, saugeye, muskellunge and catfish. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Dismal Bluff?

Academy Sports + Outdoors in Knoxville is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 7 miles from Dismal Bluff. Buffalo Creek Outdoor Etc in Andersonville is next, about 8 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Dismal Bluff?

No restroom is recorded here. Most TWRA ramps have none, so plan for that on a long day.

Who runs Dismal Bluff?

Dismal Bluff is listed under the Tennessee Valley Authority in TWRA’s public access database. The owner is worth knowing because it usually decides whether there is a fee, whether the gate is locked overnight, and who to ring when a ramp is closed for repair.

Where to next

Around Dismal Bluff

Dismal Bluff is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing Melton Hill Lake5 public access points across 2 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Anderson CountyEvery public spot in Anderson County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listAnderson County spot listAll 16 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near ClintonShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near Oak RidgeEverything within about 30 miles of Oak Ridge, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Dismal Bluff, and who knows it

Guides and charters on this site are listed by the water they run, so you can ring the captain who fishes Melton Hill Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits