Boat Launch · Hawkins County

Christian Bend, Holston River

1 ramp, 1 lane, canoe / kayak landing. 13 miles from Kingsport.

Get driving directions All Hawkins County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Christian Bend

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

Capt. Skylar Hamilton · Dandridge

Skylar Hamilton Guide Service

Bassskylarhamiltonfishing.com

Capt. Nathan Mountain · Dandridge / Gatlinburg

Nathan Mountain Outdoors

Largemouth, smallmouth, crappie, bluegill, troutCall 423-726-0240 nathanmountainoutdoors.com

Capt. Jim Durham · Multi-base TN/KY

StriperFun Guide Service

Cherokee Lake stripersCall 931-403-2501 striperfun.com

Every Tennessee guide by water

What to bring

Tackle for Christian Bend

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 checklist Walleye and Sauger checklist Catfish checklist Fish Finders compared Trolling Motors compared Lithium Marine Batteries compared Shallow Water Anchors compared

How to get there

Getting to Christian Bend

Christian Bend is a public boat launch on Holston River in Hawkins County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

Hwy 11W to Long Bend Rd. to Millers Bluff Rd to Christian Bend Rd., Churchill, TN

Christian Bend is 13 miles south-west of Kingsport, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Surgoinsville Bridge, 4.5 miles to the west on the same water. For bait, Academy Sports + Outdoors in Kingsport is about 16 miles away.

Coordinates 36.47335, -82.77054

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

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

What is there

What you will find at Christian Bend

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 Christian Bend. 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 Christian Bend

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

smallmouth bass sunfish rock bass walleye sauger catfish

This is the warm-water Holston above the lake, not the Cherokee Dam trout tailwater downstream in Jefferson County, a distinction almost every competing page gets wrong.

Everything on Holston River Find a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Christian Bend

What you can keep from Holston River at Christian Bend. TWRA sets 1 rule just for Holston River. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

Fish	Daily limit	Length	Where or when
Smallmouth bass	5 black bass combined	13–17 in protected slot, one over 17 in	I-40 bridge upstream to Cherokee Dam, and John Sevier Dam upstream to the North Fork
Bluegill	No limit	No minimum	Statewide
Rock bass	20	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

Other rules on Holston River

Hwy 344 (Malinda Ferry Rd) bridge up to John Sevier Dam closed to snagging Mar 1–31 and Apr 16–May 31.

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

11 public boat launches in Hawkins County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Holston River around Christian Bend

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

Holston RiverOpen the Holston River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Cherokee LakeOpen the Cherokee Lake page →TVA Web Team / CC BY 2.0

Holston RiverOpen the Holston River page →Dacoshi / CC BY-SA 3.0

Cherokee LakeOpen the Cherokee Lake page →Dwight Burdette / CC BY 3.0

Holston RiverOpen the Holston River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Cherokee LakeOpen the Cherokee Lake page →WorldIslandInfo.com / CC BY 2.0

Next one along

More Holston River access near Christian Bend

The closest other public access points on Holston River, measured straight line from Christian Bend. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRASurgoinsville Bridge4.5 miles westHwy 11W to Long Bend Rd in Surgoinsville1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.46893, -82.85096 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityLaurel Run Park4.9 miles eastHwy. 11W to Goshen Valley Rd. to River Rd. to Laurel Run Park Rd.1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.49595, -82.68752 Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityChurch Hill City Park Access6.0 miles north-eastHwy 11W to Church Hill. Take Silver Lake Rd. to ramp1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.52434, -82.68269 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVABeech Creek #210 miles south-westTunnel Hill Rd, Rogersville1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.39825, -82.92871 Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVABeech Creek #110 miles south-westTunnell Hill Rd, Rogersville, TN1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.39759, -82.92907 Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAJohn Sevier Steamplant14 miles south-westSR 66 to SR 70 to Steamplant Rd (TVA Rd)1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.37130, -82.98220

All 12 access points on Holston River

Christian Bend water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Christian Bend

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Christian Bend, including South Fork Holston River, Patrick Henry Lake and Ft Patrick Henry Reservoir. Handy when the wind is wrong on Holston River or the ramp is busy.

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityCity of Kingsport AccessSouth Fork Holston River · 10 miles north-eastHwy 11W to Netherland Inn Rd1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.55038, -82.61004 Free2 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TVAFt. Patrick Henry DamSouth Fork Holston River · 14 miles eastI-81 to Hwy. 36 (Fort Henry Drive) to Wesley Rd.canoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.50143, -82.51441 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVACooks ValleyPatrick Henry Lake · 16 miles east1899 Cooks Valley Rd, Kingsport, TN1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.51129, -82.49397 Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TDECWarriors Path State ParkFt Patrick Henry Reservoir · 16 miles eastDirections and detail →36.49124, -82.47701 Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAKyle’s FordClinch River · 17 miles north-westKyles Ford Rd off of Hwy 70, Kyles Ford, TN 37765Directions and detail →36.57127, -83.03975 Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TWRAKyles FordClinch River · 17 miles north-westHwy 33 and Hwy 70 intersection off Hwy 33canoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.56991, -83.04139

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Christian Bend

The closest shops to Christian Bend that this site has checked. Academy Sports + Outdoors in Kingsport is nearest, about 16 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Kingsport · about 16 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Johnson City · about 23 milesFly Shop of TennesseeFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Piney Flats · about 26 milesThe South Holston River CompanyTackle and bait for Sullivan County water. Call ahead out of season, winter hours are short.Directions and phone →

All bait and tackle in Hawkins County

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Common questions

Questions about Christian Bend

Can you launch a boat at Christian Bend?

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

Do you need a fishing licence at Christian Bend?

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 Christian Bend?

Holston River holds smallmouth bass, sunfish, rock 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 Christian Bend?

Academy Sports + Outdoors in Kingsport is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 16 miles from Christian Bend. Fly Shop of Tennessee in Johnson City is next, about 23 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Christian Bend?

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

Who runs Christian Bend?

Christian Bend 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 Christian Bend

Christian Bend is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing Holston River12 public access points across 4 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Hawkins CountyEvery public spot in Hawkins County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listHawkins County spot listAll 12 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near RogersvilleShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near KingsportEverything within about 30 miles of Kingsport, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Christian Bend, 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 Holston River rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by water Licence and limits