Paddling · Fayette County

Bateman Bridge, Wolf River

1 ramp, 1 lane. 18 miles from Collierville.

Get driving directions All Fayette County spots

What to bring

Tackle for Bateman Bridge

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 Bateman Bridge

Bateman Bridge is a public access point on Wolf River in Fayette County, Tennessee, run by the county.

2 miles S of HWY 57 on Bateman Rd

Bateman Bridge is 18 miles east of Collierville, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Wolf River at Yager Rd, 5.8 miles to the east on the same water. For bait, Bill Dance Lake in Somerville is about 15 miles away.

Coordinates 35.02760, -89.35010

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

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

What is there

What you will find at Bateman Bridge

Free to launch 2 out of 5 Facilities 2 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 Bateman Bridge. 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 Bateman Bridge

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

largemouth bass spotted bass crappie bluegill catfishbowfingar

The Wolf through Fayette County is unchannelized and genuinely wild, it meanders through bottomland hardwood forest, cypress-tupelo swamp and open marsh, and the Ghost River section is where the channel disappears into the swamp entirely and reappears downstream, which is how it got the name

Everything on Wolf River Find a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Bateman Bridge

What you can keep from Wolf River at Bateman Bridge. Wolf 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
Spotted bass	5 black bass combined	No minimum	Statewide
Crappie	30	No minimum	Statewide (West Tennessee)
Bluegill	No limit	No 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

1 public boat launches in Fayette County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Wolf River around Bateman Bridge

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

Wolf RiverOpen the Wolf River page →U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domain

Wolf RiverOpen the Wolf River page →Thomas R Machnitzki / CC BY 3.0

Next one along

More Wolf River access near Bateman Bridge

The closest other public access points on Wolf River, measured straight line from Bateman Bridge. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Free2 out of 5facilitiesPaddling · TDECWolf River at Yager Rd5.8 miles east0.5 mile south of Lagrange on Yager Rd1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.03300, -89.24723 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesPaddling · TWRARossville11 miles west1 mile N or HWY 57 on HWY 1941 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.05491, -89.53949 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesPaddling · City / CountyShelby Farms29 miles westExit Walnut Grove Rd East Bound, go under bridge at Wolf River1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.13295, -89.85435

All 4 access points on Wolf River

Bateman Bridge water holds largemouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, bluegill.

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Bateman Bridge

The closest shops to Bateman Bridge that this site has checked. Bill Dance Lake in Somerville is nearest, about 15 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Somerville · about 15 milesBill Dance LakeLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Memphis · about 40 milesBass Pro Shops at the PyramidFull outdoor superstore. Rods, reels, boats, licences and a tackle wall.Directions and phone →Covington · about 41 milesWalmartOpen late, sells licences at the counter, and carries terminal tackle and line.Directions and phone →

All bait and tackle in Fayette County

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Common questions

Questions about Bateman Bridge

Can you launch a boat at Bateman Bridge?

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

Do you need a fishing licence at Bateman Bridge?

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 Bateman Bridge?

Wolf River holds largemouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, bluegill, catfish, bowfin and gar. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Bateman Bridge?

Bill Dance Lake in Somerville is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 15 miles from Bateman Bridge. Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid in Memphis is next, about 40 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Bateman Bridge?

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

Who runs Bateman Bridge?

Bateman Bridge is listed under the county 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 Bateman Bridge

Bateman Bridge is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing Wolf River4 public access points across 2 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Fayette CountyEvery public spot in Fayette County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listFayette County spot listAll 4 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near SomervilleShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near ColliervilleEverything within about 30 miles of Collierville, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Bateman Bridge, 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 Wolf River rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by water Licence and limits