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Boat Launch · Giles County

James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek

1 ramp, 1 lane. 14 miles from Lawrenceburg.

Get driving directionsAll Giles County spots

What to bring

Tackle for James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek

Three picks from the smallmouth 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.

RodSt. Croix Bass X 7 ft medium spinning rodLight enough for a Ned rig, with enough backbone for a 5 lb fish in current.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
ReelPflueger President 30 spinning reelSmooth drag at a fair price. Fill it with braid and a leader.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
FinesseZ-Man Finesse TRD and Ned rig jigheadsThe single most reliable smallmouth bait on Tennessee rock. Drag it slowly.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
Full smallmouth bass checklist (10 items)All gear checklists

Spending more? The bigger purchases, compared side by side:

Bluegill and Panfish checklistCatfish checklistFish Finders comparedTrolling Motors comparedLithium Marine Batteries comparedShallow Water Anchors compared

How to get there

Getting to James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek

James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek is a public boat launch on Richland Creek in Giles County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

Hwy 166 N at Annie Wade Rd

James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek is 14 miles east of Lawrenceburg, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Jim Potts Access Area Richland Creek, 3.0 miles to the south on the same water. For bait, Academy Sports in Columbia is about 25 miles away.

Coordinates 35.25161, -87.08434

Open in Google MapsSee nearby spots on the mapFishing near Lawrenceburg
Aerial view of James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek
James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek

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 James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek. 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.

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 James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek

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

smallmouth basssunfishrock basscatfish

Runs through Maury and Giles counties and past Pulaski before joining the Elk below the Tennessee–Alabama line

Everything on Richland CreekFind a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek

What you can keep from Richland Creek at James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek. Richland Creek has no limits of its own, so the statewide limits apply. These are the ones for the fish it holds.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Smallmouth bass5 black bass combinedNo minimumStatewide
BluegillNo limitNo minimumStatewide
Rock bass20No 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

5 public boat launches in Giles County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Richland Creek around James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek

What the water at James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek actually looks like. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.

Richland Creek, TennesseeRichland CreekOpen the Richland Creek page →Snyder, Frank R. Flickr: Miami U. Libraries, Digital Collec / No restrictionsElk River, TennesseeElk RiverOpen the Elk River page →dmtilley / CC BY 3.0Richland Creek, TennesseeRichland CreekOpen the Richland Creek page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Elk River, TennesseeElk RiverOpen the Elk River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Richland Creek, TennesseeRichland CreekOpen the Richland Creek page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Elk River, TennesseeElk RiverOpen the Elk River page →Michael Barera / CC BY-SA 4.0

Next one along

More Richland Creek access near James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek

The closest other public access points on Richland Creek, measured straight line from James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · OtherJim Potts Access Area Richland Creek3.0 miles south1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.21055, -87.10137Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAVales Mill Access Area4.1 miles southTurn east on Chicken Creek Rd off Hwy 64,.3 mil to Vales Mill Rd1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.19411, -87.06300
All 3 access points on Richland Creek

James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, sunfish, rock bass.

Other water close by

Other fishing near James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek

Public access on other water within 20 miles of James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek, including Shoal Creek, Lake Lindsey and New Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Richland Creek or the ramp is busy.

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityHope Springs ParkShoal Creek · 15 miles westHwy 64 West on north side of Shoal Creek Bridge1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.24413, -87.35199Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TDECState Park lakeLake Lindsey · 16 miles westHwy 64 west of LawrenceburgDirections and detail →35.26916, -87.36161Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityNew LakeNew Lake · 17 miles north-eastFrom Lewisburg- Hwy 31A south 1.5 mi. to New Lake Rd on right, 3 miles to New Lake1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingtrolling motors onlyDirections and detail →35.40299, -86.84125Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAVeto Access AreaElk River · 17 miles south1 mile south of Prospect, TN where Veto Rd crosses Elk River1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.01350, -86.99527Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAMatt Gardner Elk River Access AreaElk River · 18 miles south-east1 ramp, 1 laneaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.04671, -86.88817

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek

The closest shops to James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek that this site has checked. Academy Sports in Columbia is nearest, about 25 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Columbia · about 25 milesAcademy SportsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Waynesboro · about 38 milesDuren’s Sporting GoodsSporting goods. Rods, reels, line and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Centerville · about 42 milesPinewood Canoe & CampPaddle outfitter. Canoe and kayak rental, shuttles and life jackets.Directions and phone →
All bait and tackle in Giles County

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Common questions

Questions about James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek

Can you launch a boat at James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek?

Yes. TWRA records James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek as having a boat ramp. It has 1 lane. TWRA records it as free to launch.

Do you need a fishing licence at James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek?

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 James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek?

Richland Creek holds smallmouth bass, sunfish, rock bass 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 James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek?

Academy Sports in Columbia is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 25 miles from James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek. Duren’s Sporting Goods in Waynesboro is next, about 38 miles away.

Is there a restroom at James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek?

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

Who runs James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek?

James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek 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 James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek

James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing Richland Creek3 public access points across 1 county.See the spots →County guideFishing in Giles CountyEvery public spot in Giles County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listGiles County spot listAll 5 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near PulaskiShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near LawrenceburgEverything within about 30 miles of Lawrenceburg, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around James R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek, 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 Richland Creek rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits