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Boat Launch · Clay County

Donaldson Park Boat Ramp, Obey River/Cumberland River

1 ramp, 1 lane, canoe / kayak landing. In Celina.

Get driving directionsAll Clay County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Donaldson Park Boat Ramp

Captains who run Dale Hollow, with their own phone numbers. You call and book with them directly.

Isaac Peavyhouse · Star Point Marina

Dale Hollow Bass Guide

BassCall 931-704-4642dalehollowbassguide.com

“Dale Hollow Dave” · Dale Hollow

Dale Hollow Trophy Troller

Trolling: smallmouth, walleye, musky, white bass, crappie, troutCall 615-477-7888trolldhl.com

Bobby Gentry · Dale Hollow

Reel Country with Bobby Gentry

SmallmouthCall 270-427-0419bobbygentry.com

All 4 guides on Dale Hollow

What to bring

Tackle for Donaldson Park Boat Ramp

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 Donaldson Park Boat Ramp

Donaldson Park Boat Ramp is a public boat launch on Obey River/Cumberland River in Clay County, Tennessee, run by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

TWRA holds no written directions for Donaldson Park Boat Ramp. Use the coordinates below, which come straight from the state’s access record and drop you on the access point itself rather than on the nearest town.

Donaldson Park Boat Ramp is in Celina. The closest other public access is Donaldson Park on Obey River, a few hundred yards to the north-west. For bait, Granville Marina in Gainesboro is about 17 miles away.

Coordinates 36.55565, -85.49523

Open in Google MapsSee nearby spots on the mapFishing near Celina
Aerial view of Donaldson Park Boat Ramp
Donaldson Park Boat Ramp from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Donaldson Park Boat Ramp

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 Donaldson Park Boat Ramp. 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.

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 Donaldson Park Boat Ramp

Obey River/Cumberland River holds these, according to the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes.

largemouth basssmallmouth basscrappiestriped basswalleyesaugercatfishrainbow trout
Everything on Obey River/Cumberland RiverFind a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Donaldson Park Boat Ramp

What you can keep from Obey River/Cumberland River at Donaldson Park Boat Ramp. TWRA sets 1 rule just for Obey River/Cumberland River. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Walleye516 in minimum, only one over 20 inEast Fork Obey (Dale Hollow headwaters), Compton boat ramp to Hwy 52 bridge, Jan 1–Apr 15: one single-point hook or lure, max 3 rods. The tailwater below Dale Hollow Dam follows statewide rules
Largemouth bass5 black bass combinedNo minimumStatewide
Smallmouth bass5 black bass combinedNo minimumStatewide
Crappie1510 in minimumStatewide
Striped bass2 striped and hybrid combined15 in minimumStatewide
Sauger1015 in minimumStatewide
Channel catfishNo limit under 34 inOnly one over 34 inStatewide
Rainbow trout7 trout combinedNo minimumStatewide

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

13 public boat launches in Clay County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Obey River/Cumberland River around Donaldson Park Boat Ramp

What the water at Donaldson Park Boat Ramp actually looks like. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.

Obey River, TennesseeObey River/Cumberland RiverOpen the Obey River/Cumberland River page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domainDale Hollow Lake, TennesseeDale Hollow LakeOpen the Dale Hollow Lake page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domainCumberland River, TennesseeCumberland RiverOpen the Cumberland River page →U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not s / Public domainObey River, TennesseeObey River/Cumberland RiverOpen the Obey River/Cumberland River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Dale Hollow Lake, TennesseeDale Hollow LakeOpen the Dale Hollow Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Cumberland River, TennesseeCumberland RiverOpen the Cumberland River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Donaldson Park Boat Ramp water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, striped bass.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Donaldson Park Boat Ramp

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Donaldson Park Boat Ramp, including Obey River and Dale Hollow Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Obey River/Cumberland River or the ramp is busy.

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEDonaldson ParkObey River · a few hundred yards north-west1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.55590, -85.49540Fee not listed2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAMoody Boat RampObey River · 1.7 miles south-eastDirections and detail →36.54222, -85.46978Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEDale Hollow Dam Boat RampObey River · 2.5 miles south-east1 ramp, 1 lanefishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.53729, -85.45674Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaDale Hollow MarinaDale Hollow Lake · 2.7 miles east1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.55365, -85.44711Launch fee5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaDale Hollow MarinaDale Hollow Lake · 2.7 miles eastFrom Celina, 53 N to Old HWY 53, turn right on Arlon Webb Road1 ramp, 1 lanefishing pierrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.55360, -85.44710Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEPleasant Grove Recreation AreaDale Hollow Lake · 3.3 miles east1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.53837, -85.44004

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Donaldson Park Boat Ramp

The closest shops to Donaldson Park Boat Ramp that this site has checked. Granville Marina in Gainesboro is nearest, about 17 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Gainesboro · about 17 milesGranville MarinaMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →Granville · about 27 milesWildwood Resort and MarinaMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →Jamestown · about 33 milesHall’s Sports and OutdoorsSporting goods. Rods, reels, line and a licence counter.Directions and phone →
All bait and tackle in Clay County

Your turn

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Common questions

Questions about Donaldson Park Boat Ramp

Can you launch a boat at Donaldson Park Boat Ramp?

Yes. TWRA records Donaldson Park Boat Ramp as having a boat ramp. It has 1 lane. TWRA records it as free to launch.

Do you need a fishing licence at Donaldson Park Boat Ramp?

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 Donaldson Park Boat Ramp?

Obey River/Cumberland River holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, striped bass, walleye, sauger, catfish and rainbow trout. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Donaldson Park Boat Ramp?

Granville Marina in Gainesboro is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 17 miles from Donaldson Park Boat Ramp. Wildwood Resort and Marina in Granville is next, about 27 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Donaldson Park Boat Ramp?

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

Who runs Donaldson Park Boat Ramp?

Donaldson Park Boat Ramp is listed under the US Army Corps of Engineers 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 Donaldson Park Boat Ramp

Donaldson Park Boat Ramp is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing Obey River/Cumberland River1 public access point across 1 county.See the spots →County guideFishing in Clay CountyEvery public spot in Clay County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listClay County spot listAll 25 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near CelinaShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near CelinaEverything within about 30 miles of Celina, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Donaldson Park Boat Ramp, 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 Obey River/Cumberland River rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits