Boat Launch · Blount County

Parks Ferry, Fort Loudoun Lake

1 ramp, 1 lane. 6 miles from Farragut.

Get driving directions All Blount County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Parks Ferry

Captains who run Fort Loudoun 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 865-690-5144 tnrvg.com

Capt. Chadwick Ferrell · Knoxville

Fish On! Guided Tours

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

Capt. Brycen Roberts · Knoxville

Tennessee River Monsters

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

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

What to bring

Tackle for Parks Ferry

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

How to get there

Getting to Parks Ferry

Parks Ferry is a public boat launch on Fort Loudoun Lake in Blount County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Valley Authority.

1276 Parks Ferry Rd, Friendsville, TN

Parks Ferry is 5.7 miles south of Farragut, the nearest town with its own page here. The county seat, Maryville, is 12 miles to the east. The closest other public access is Lakeland Dr, 0.8 miles to the west on the same water. For bait, Lane’s Landing Bait & Tackle in Lenoir City is about 5 miles away.

Coordinates 35.80231, -84.16855

Open in Google Maps See nearby spots on the map Fishing near Farragut

Aerial view of Parks Ferry — Parks Ferry from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Parks Ferry

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 Parks Ferry. 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.

Open 24 hours

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

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

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Parks Ferry

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

largemouth bass smallmouth bass crappie bluegill striped bass white bass walleye sauger catfish

This is Knoxville’s home water, the Tennessee River running straight through the middle of the city, and it has hosted a string of high-profile bass tournaments. It fishes as a developed, current-influenced river lake rather than a highland reservoir.

Everything on Fort Loudoun Lake Find a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Parks Ferry

What you can keep from Fort Loudoun Lake at Parks Ferry. TWRA sets 1 rule just for Fort Loudoun Lake. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

Fish	Daily limit	Length	Where or when
Black bass (combined)	5	15 in minimum	All black bass species
Crappie	15	10 in minimum	Statewide
Bluegill	No limit	No minimum	Statewide
Striped bass	2 striped and hybrid combined	15 in minimum	Statewide
White bass	15	No minimum	Statewide
Walleye	5	16 in minimum	Statewide
Sauger	10	15 in minimum	Statewide
Channel 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

14 public boat launches in Blount County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Fort Loudoun Lake around Parks Ferry

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

Fort Loudoun LakeOpen the Fort Loudoun Lake page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domain

Little RiverOpen the Little River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 2.5

Chilhowee LakeOpen the Chilhowee Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Fort Loudoun LakeOpen the Fort Loudoun Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Little RiverOpen the Little River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 2.5

Chilhowee LakeOpen the Chilhowee Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Next one along

More Fort Loudoun Lake access near Parks Ferry

The closest other public access points on Fort Loudoun Lake, measured straight line from Parks Ferry. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVALakeland Dr0.8 miles westLakeland Dr, Lenoir City, TN1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.79810, -84.18140 Free4 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaChoto Marina1.6 miles north-east1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsDirections and detail →35.81570, -84.14420 Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaInternational Harbor2.5 miles south-eastDirections and detail →35.77520, -84.13780 Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAGallagher Creek2.6 miles south-eastCedar Crest, Friendsville, TN1 ramp, 1 laneaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.77550, -84.13700 Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAIsh Creek3.1 miles east4423 Wonderland Dr, Louisville, TN 377771 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.79118, -84.11563 Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaConcord Yacht Club3.3 miles northDirections and detail →35.84876, -84.15118

All 27 access points on Fort Loudoun Lake

Parks Ferry water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Parks Ferry

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Parks Ferry, including Tellico Lake, Watts Bar Lake and Melton Hill Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Fort Loudoun Lake or the ramp is busy.

Free4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVATVA Canal Access AreaTellico Lake · 4.8 miles west1 ramp, 3 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →35.77900, -84.24860 Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVABussell FerryWatts Bar Lake · 4.9 miles west1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.78740, -84.25410 Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaWind River Harbor MarinaTellico Lake · 5.6 miles south-westDirections and detail →35.75529, -84.24985 Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAPoplar SpringsTellico Lake · 6.6 miles south-west1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.75160, -84.26900 Fee not listed2 out of 5facilitiesBoat LaunchHickory Creek AccessMelton Hill Lake · 7.8 miles north-west2118 Everett Rd, Knoxville, TN 379321 rampDirections and detail →35.89241, -84.25137 Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVALotterdale CoveTellico Lake · 9.5 miles south-west1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.67620, -84.23730

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Parks Ferry

The closest shops to Parks Ferry that this site has checked. Lane’s Landing Bait & Tackle in Lenoir City is nearest, about 5 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Lenoir City · about 5 milesLane’s Landing Bait & TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Louisville · about 9 milesDunmore Bait & TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Knoxville · about 16 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Directions and phone →

All bait and tackle in Blount County

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Common questions

Questions about Parks Ferry

Can you launch a boat at Parks Ferry?

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

Do you need a fishing licence at Parks Ferry?

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 Parks Ferry?

Fort Loudoun Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, striped bass, white bass, walleye, sauger 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 Parks Ferry?

Lane’s Landing Bait & Tackle in Lenoir City is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 5 miles from Parks Ferry. Dunmore Bait & Tackle in Louisville is next, about 9 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Parks Ferry?

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

Who runs Parks Ferry?

Parks Ferry 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 Parks Ferry

Parks Ferry is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing Fort Loudoun Lake27 public access points across 3 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Blount CountyEvery public spot in Blount County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listBlount County spot listAll 20 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near MaryvilleShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near FarragutEverything within about 30 miles of Farragut, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Parks Ferry, 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 Fort Loudoun Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by water Licence and limits