Boat Launch · Decatur County

Old Clifton Ferry, Kentucky Lake

1 ramp, 2 lanes. 18 miles from Savannah.

Get driving directions All Decatur County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Old Clifton Ferry

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

Steve McCadams · Paris Landing

Steve McCadams Professional Guide Service

Crappie, bass, bluegill, catfish, white bassCall 731-642-0360 stevemccadams.com

Terry Elliott · Greenfield

Elliott’s Guide Service

Crappie, bassCall 731-234-8817 elliottsguideservice.com

Multiple guides · Springville

KY Lake Crappie Fishing

Crappiekylakecrappiefishing.com

All 4 guides on Kentucky Lake

What to bring

Tackle for Old Clifton 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 Old Clifton Ferry

Old Clifton Ferry is a public boat launch on Kentucky Lake in Decatur County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

From Decaturville, take HWY 69/641 S to Old Ferry Rd.

Old Clifton Ferry is 18 miles north-east of Savannah, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Clifton Marina, 0.8 miles to the south-west on the same water. For bait, Duren’s Sporting Goods in Waynesboro is about 14 miles away.

Coordinates 35.39110, -87.99370

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

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

What is there

What you will find at Old Clifton Ferry

Free to launch 3 out of 5 Facilities 3 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 Old Clifton Ferry. It is the same data the state uses, not a guess from a photograph.

Boat ramp

You can launch a trailered boat here. 2 lanes.

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 Old Clifton Ferry

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

largemouth bass smallmouth bass spotted bass crappie bluegill white bass sauger channel catfish

Bassmaster has called Kentucky Lake the crappie capital of America, and the Henry County reach, Paris Landing, the Big Sandy arm, Blood River and West Sandy, is the heart of that fishery. Ledge fishing over submerged ditches, creeks, islands and roadbeds in 6-14 ft is the defining technique.

Everything on Kentucky Lake Find a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Old Clifton Ferry

What you can keep from Kentucky Lake at Old Clifton Ferry. TWRA sets 3 rules just for Kentucky Lake. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

Fish	Daily limit	Length	Where or when
Largemouth bass	5 black bass combined	15 in minimum	Same for smallmouth; spotted bass no length limit
Smallmouth bass	5 black bass combined	15 in minimum	Kentucky Lake rule
Crappie	20	10 in minimum	Includes the dewatering areas
Spotted bass	5 black bass combined	No minimum	Statewide
Bluegill	No limit	No minimum	Statewide
White bass	15	No minimum	Statewide
Sauger	10	15 in minimum	Statewide
Channel catfish	No limit under 34 in	Only one over 34 in	Statewide

Other rules on Kentucky Lake

Dewatering areas (West Sandy, Big Sandy, Gin Creek, Camden Bottoms, Duck River Bottoms, Busseltown, Perryville, Gumdale) closed 5 days before and during late waterfowl season.

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

7 public boat launches in Decatur County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Kentucky Lake around Old Clifton Ferry

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

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

Kentucky LakeOpen the Kentucky Lake page →Thomas R Machnitzki / CC BY-SA 3.0

Next one along

More Kentucky Lake access near Old Clifton Ferry

The closest other public access points on Kentucky Lake, measured straight line from Old Clifton Ferry. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Free4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · Private LandClifton Marina0.8 miles south-westHWY 128 in Clifton City limits1 ramp, 1 lanefishing pierrestroomsrentalsDirections and detail →35.38610, -88.00660 Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CountyGlenkirk Landing1.9 miles north-eastGlenkirk Landing off HWY 128 NE of Clifton1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.40960, -87.96870 Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CountyBeech Creek Ramp2.2 miles northBeech Lake Road off HWY 128 N of Clinton1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.42130, -87.97970 Free4 out of 5facilitiesMarina · Private LandRiverstone Marina3.4 miles north-westBradley Lane at HWY 114 Bridge over TN River1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsDirections and detail →35.41200, -88.04800 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CountyWilkinson Ferry11 miles westWilkinson Ferry Drive, Savannah, Tn1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.37280, -88.19770 Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRASaltillo Landing12 miles westEnd of Main Street in Saltillo2 ramps, 2 lanesaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.37570, -88.20110

All 86 access points on Kentucky Lake

Old Clifton Ferry water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Old Clifton Ferry

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Old Clifton Ferry, including Kentucky, White oak canal and Lebanon Pond. Handy when the wind is wrong on Kentucky Lake or the ramp is busy.

Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAStewman CreekKentucky · 8.0 miles westHwy. 69 in Bath Springs1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.39403, -88.13737 Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesBoat LaunchSulphur Wells Road White Oak Canal Boat RampWhite oak canal · 15 miles westDirections and detail →35.34126, -88.26246 Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesBoat LaunchWhite oak boat rampWhite Oak Canal · 16 miles westDirections and detail →35.33844, -88.26485 Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesBoat LaunchLebanon PondLebanon Pond · 16 miles westDirections and detail →35.35309, -88.27773 Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TDOTHWY 412 at Buffalo RiverBuffalo River · 18 miles north-eastApproximately 200 yards East of HWY 13 on HWY 412canoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.62100, -87.83115 Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesBoat LaunchJones RunWhite Oak Canal · 19 miles westDirections and detail →35.34019, -88.32486

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Old Clifton Ferry

The closest shops to Old Clifton Ferry that this site has checked. Duren’s Sporting Goods in Waynesboro is nearest, about 14 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Waynesboro · about 14 milesDuren’s Sporting GoodsSporting goods. Rods, reels, line and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Savannah · about 17 milesWal-Mart SupercenterOpen late, sells licences at the counter, and carries terminal tackle and line.Directions and phone →Savannah · about 18 milesHurst-Young Wholesale Bait IncLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →

All bait and tackle in Decatur County

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Common questions

Questions about Old Clifton Ferry

Can you launch a boat at Old Clifton Ferry?

Yes. TWRA records Old Clifton Ferry as having a boat ramp. It has 2 lanes. TWRA records it as free to launch.

Do you need a fishing licence at Old Clifton 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 Old Clifton Ferry?

Kentucky Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, bluegill, white bass, sauger and channel catfish. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Old Clifton Ferry?

Duren’s Sporting Goods in Waynesboro is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 14 miles from Old Clifton Ferry. Wal-Mart Supercenter in Savannah is next, about 17 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Old Clifton Ferry?

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

Who runs Old Clifton Ferry?

Old Clifton Ferry is listed under the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency 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 Old Clifton Ferry

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

The whole waterFishing Kentucky Lake86 public access points across 7 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Decatur CountyEvery public spot in Decatur County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listDecatur County spot listAll 10 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near DecaturvilleShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near SavannahEverything within about 30 miles of Savannah, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Old Clifton 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 Kentucky Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by water Licence and limits