Boat Launch · Marion County

Sullivans Boat Ramp, Nickajack Lake

3 ramps, 2 lanes, accessible parking. 9 miles from Chattanooga.

Get driving directions All Marion County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Sullivans Boat Ramp

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

Capt. Paul Johnson · Chattanooga

Paul Johnson Guide Service

Largemouth, spotted, smallmouthCall 423-598-9083 pauljohnsonguideservice.com

Steve Kite and Chris Coleman · Chattanooga

Chattanooga Fishing Guides

BassCall 423-240-5389 chattanoogafishingguides.com

Richard Simms and six guides · Chattanooga

Scenic City Fishing Charters

Trophy catfish, walleye, crappie, bass, striper, saugersceniccityfishing.com

All 4 guides on Chickamauga and Nickajack

What to bring

Tackle for Sullivans Boat Ramp

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 Sullivans Boat Ramp

Sullivans Boat Ramp is a public boat launch on Nickajack Lake in Marion County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Valley Authority.

TWRA holds no written directions for Sullivans Boat Ramp. Use the coordinates below, which come straight from the state’s access record and drop you on the access point itself rather than on the nearest town.

Sullivans Boat Ramp is 8.6 miles west of Chattanooga, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Raccoon Mountain, 3.6 miles to the north-east on the same water. For bait, The Hatch Outfitters in Chattanooga is about 9 miles away.

Coordinates 35.02060, -85.46050

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

Aerial view of Sullivans Boat Ramp — Sullivans Boat Ramp from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Sullivans Boat Ramp

Free to launch 4 out of 5 Facilities 4 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 Sullivans Boat Ramp. 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.

Accessible parking

Marked accessible parking at the access point.

Courtesy dock

A dock beside the ramp to tie off while you park the trailer.

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 Sullivans Boat Ramp

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

largemouth bass smallmouth bass crappie bluegill redear sunfish striped bass white bass channel catfishfreshwater drum

Held at full pool 633.5 ft year-round with no meaningful winter drawdown, which is genuinely distinctive among TVA lakes; the upper two-thirds is riverine with riprap both banks, and the black bass and crappie fishing concentrates in the coves at the lower end through the Tennessee River Gorge.

Everything on Nickajack Lake Find a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Sullivans Boat Ramp

What you can keep from Nickajack Lake at Sullivans Boat Ramp. TWRA sets 2 rules just for Nickajack 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	Nickajack Lake rule
Smallmouth bass	5 black bass combined	No minimum, only one over 16 in	Same rule for spotted, Alabama and hybrid bass
Crappie	15	10 in minimum	Statewide
Bluegill	No limit	No minimum	Statewide
Redear sunfish	20	No minimum	Statewide
Striped bass	2 striped and hybrid combined	15 in minimum	Statewide
White bass	15	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

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

What it looks like

Nickajack Lake around Sullivans Boat Ramp

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

Nickajack LakeOpen the Nickajack Lake page →Bryce Edwards from San Jose, CA, USA / CC BY 2.0

Nickajack LakeOpen the Nickajack Lake page →RebelCowboySnB Marlon N Weldon / CC BY-SA 3.0

Nickajack LakeOpen the Nickajack Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 4.0

Next one along

More Nickajack Lake access near Sullivans Boat Ramp

The closest other public access points on Nickajack Lake, measured straight line from Sullivans Boat Ramp. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Free5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TDARaccoon Mountain3.6 miles north-east1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.05980, -85.41680 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAAnchor Inn Bait & Tackle4.4 miles westI-24 to HWY 41 (Memorial Bridge)1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.02820, -85.53900 Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVATVA Seredino Ramp4.4 miles west1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.03774, -85.53691 Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaHales Bar Resort & Marina4.6 miles westDirections and detail →35.04603, -85.53724 Free5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CountyMarion County Park5.8 miles west2 ramps, 2 lanesfishing pierrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.02870, -85.56320 Free4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRABennett’s Lake5.9 miles north-west2 ramps, 2 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.07910, -85.53680

All 18 access points on Nickajack Lake

Sullivans Boat Ramp water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Sullivans Boat Ramp

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Sullivans Boat Ramp, including Guntersville Lake, Chickamauga Lake and North Chickamauga Creek. Handy when the wind is wrong on Nickajack Lake or the ramp is busy.

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVABlue Bridge RampGuntersville Lake · 13 miles west1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.01603, -85.69135 Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityJC Ramp in South PittsburgGuntersville Lake · 13 miles westSouth Pittsburg, TN at Blue Bridge near HWY 72 and HWY 156 intersection1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.01570, -85.69540 Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaChickamauga MarinaChickamauga Lake · 14 miles eastDirections and detail →35.09439, -85.21877 Free3 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaLakeshore MarinaChickamauga Lake · 15 miles north-eastrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.10910, -85.21620 Fee not listed1.5 out of 5facilitiesPaddling · TWRANorth Chickamauga Creek Paddle LaunchNorth Chickamauga Creek · 15 miles north-eastcanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.14078, -85.22928 Launch fee1.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · Private LandGold Point MarinaChickamauga Lake · 16 miles north-eastDirections and detail →35.11330, -85.20400

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Sullivans Boat Ramp

The closest shops to Sullivans Boat Ramp that this site has checked. The Hatch Outfitters in Chattanooga is nearest, about 9 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Chattanooga · about 9 milesThe Hatch OutfittersFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Chattanooga · about 9 milesLake Chickamauga Tackle & OutdoorsSporting goods. Rods, reels, line and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Chattanooga · about 14 milesJack’s Bait & Tackle ShopLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →

All bait and tackle in Marion County

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Common questions

Questions about Sullivans Boat Ramp

Can you launch a boat at Sullivans Boat Ramp?

Yes. TWRA records Sullivans Boat Ramp as having a boat ramp. It has 2 lanes. TWRA records it as free to launch.

Do you need a fishing licence at Sullivans Boat Ramp?

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 Sullivans Boat Ramp?

Nickajack Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, striped bass, white bass, channel catfish and freshwater drum. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Sullivans Boat Ramp?

The Hatch Outfitters in Chattanooga is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 9 miles from Sullivans Boat Ramp. Lake Chickamauga Tackle & Outdoors in Chattanooga is next, about 9 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Sullivans Boat Ramp?

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

Who runs Sullivans Boat Ramp?

Sullivans Boat Ramp is listed under the Tennessee Valley Authority 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 Sullivans Boat Ramp

Sullivans Boat Ramp is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing Nickajack Lake18 public access points across 2 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Marion CountyEvery public spot in Marion County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listMarion County spot listAll 12 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near JasperShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near ChattanoogaEverything within about 30 miles of Chattanooga, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Sullivans Boat Ramp, 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 Nickajack Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by water Licence and limits