95 Counties · 1,002 Public Access Points · 78 Lakes and RiversTennessee state record fish

Boat Launch · Jefferson County

Inspiration Point, Inc., Douglas Lake

1 ramp, >3 lanes, canoe / kayak landing, restrooms. 4 miles from Dandridge.

With a guide

Guides and charters near Inspiration Point, Inc.

Captains who run Douglas Lake, 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 423-726-0240nathanmountainoutdoors.com

Capt. Jim Durham · Multi-base TN/KY

StriperFun Guide Service

Cherokee Lake stripersCall 931-403-2501striperfun.com

What to bring

Tackle for Inspiration Point, Inc.

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

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

How to get there

Getting to Inspiration Point, Inc.

Inspiration Point, Inc. is a public boat launch on Douglas Lake in Jefferson County, Tennessee, run by Private Land.

I-40, exit 417, TN 92 2.1 mi, right on Gay St, over bridge 4.4 mi, right on Muddy Creek Rd, 1 mi, left on Childress Rd, 0.2 mi, right on Inspiration Point Rd

Inspiration Point, Inc. is 3.9 miles south of Dandridge, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Moon Hill Bridge, 2.6 miles to the east on the same water. For bait, Lakeview Market & Deli in Dandridge is about 1 mile away.

Coordinates 35.95870, -83.41290

Aerial view of Inspiration Point, Inc.
Inspiration Point, Inc. from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Inspiration Point, Inc.

Pay to enter: launch fee charged 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 Inspiration Point, Inc.. It is the same data the state uses, not a guess from a photograph.

Boat ramp

You can launch a trailered boat here.

Canoe and kayak

A landing shallow enough to carry a paddle craft in and out.

Restrooms

Toilets on site, which is rarer than you would think.

Accessible parking

Marked accessible parking at the access point.

Open 24 hours

TWRA records round the clock access, so early starts are fine.

Not recorded here: fishing pier, camping. Worth knowing before a long drive with the family.

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Inspiration Point, Inc.

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

TWRA calls it flatly the best crappie reservoir in East Tennessee, drawing thousands of anglers a year, and also one of the best largemouth fisheries in the region. The defining feature is the drawdown, elevation swings 60 feet between a 1,000 ft summer pool and a 940 ft winter pool, and the lake can rise 15 to 20 feet in a day or two after heavy rain.

Write the seasons honestly: spring and fall, not summer, when stratification and low dissolved oxygen make it hard.

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Inspiration Point, Inc.

What you can keep from Douglas Lake at Inspiration Point, Inc.. TWRA sets 5 rules just for Douglas Lake. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Black bass (combined)5No length limit Oct 1–May 31; Jun 1–Sep 30 only one largemouth or smallmouth over 16 inSpotted bass: no length limit year-round. Reservoir rules extend up to ENKA Dam (Nolichucky) and the Hwy 321 bridges on the Pigeon and French Broad
White bass15 white/striped/hybrid combinedNo length limitWhite bass, striped bass and hybrids count together
Striped bass15 white/striped/hybrid combinedNo length limitDouglas Lake rule
Walleye5 walleye/sauger combined15 in minimumAlso applies on the Pigeon and French Broad upstream to the NC line
Sauger5 walleye/sauger combinedNo minimum, only one over 16 inIncludes sauger/walleye hybrids
Crappie1510 in minimumStatewide
BluegillNo limitNo minimumStatewide
Channel catfishNo limit under 34 inOnly one over 34 inStatewide

Other rules on Douglas Lake

  • Henderson Island WMA rearing pond closed to fishing year-round.

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.

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

Inspiration Point, Inc. water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Inspiration Point, Inc.

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Inspiration Point, Inc., including French Broad River and Pigeon River. Handy when the wind is wrong on Douglas Lake or the ramp is busy.

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Common questions

Questions about Inspiration Point, Inc.

Can you launch a boat at Inspiration Point, Inc.?

Yes. TWRA records Inspiration Point, Inc. as having a boat ramp. There is a launch fee here, so bring money.

Do you need a fishing licence at Inspiration Point, Inc.?

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 Inspiration Point, Inc.?

Douglas Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, white 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 Inspiration Point, Inc.?

Lakeview Market & Deli in Dandridge is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 1 mile from Inspiration Point, Inc.. Nathan Mountain Outdoors in Dandridge is next, about 4 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Inspiration Point, Inc.?

Yes, TWRA records restrooms at this access point.

Who runs Inspiration Point, Inc.?

Inspiration Point, Inc. is listed under Private Land 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.

Keep going

Fishing around Inspiration Point, Inc., 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 Douglas Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.