Boat Launch · Marion County

Shellmound, Nickajack Lake

1 ramp, 2 lanes, fishing pier, canoe / kayak landing. 17 miles from Chattanooga.

Get driving directions All Marion County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Shellmound

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 Shellmound

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 Shellmound

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

0.5 mile prior to Nickajack Dam on Nickajack access road

Shellmound is 17 miles west of Chattanooga, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Nickajack Dam, 0.7 miles to the west on the same water. For bait, The Hatch Outfitters in Chattanooga is about 17 miles away.

Coordinates 35.00760, -85.60600

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

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

What is there

What you will find at Shellmound

Free to launch 5 out of 5 Facilities 5 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 Shellmound. 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.

Fishing pier

A built pier, so you can fish deep water without a boat.

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.

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: camping. Worth knowing before a long drive with the family.

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Shellmound

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 Shellmound

What you can keep from Nickajack Lake at Shellmound. 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 Shellmound

What the water at Shellmound 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 Shellmound

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

Free4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVANickajack Dam0.7 miles west1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.00818, -85.61916 Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAMaple View Day Use Area1.1 miles south1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →34.99330, -85.61270 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TVAMacedonia Church1.2 miles south-eastaccessible parkingDirections and detail →34.99140, -85.59780 Free5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CountyMarion County Park2.8 miles north-east2 ramps, 2 lanesfishing pierrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.02870, -85.56320 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAAnchor Inn Bait & Tackle4.0 miles eastI-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 north-east1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.03774, -85.53691

All 18 access points on Nickajack Lake

Shellmound water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Shellmound

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Shellmound, including Guntersville Lake and Grundy Lake #4. Handy when the wind is wrong on Nickajack Lake or the ramp is busy.

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVABlue Bridge RampGuntersville Lake · 4.8 miles west1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.01603, -85.69135 Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityJC Ramp in South PittsburgGuntersville Lake · 5.0 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 Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TDECGrundy Lakes #4Grundy Lake #4 · 19 miles northHWY 41 south towards Jasper, left on Grundy Lakes Rd, 1st left past the same, parthing lot near bathroom1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingtrolling motors onlyDirections and detail →35.27084, -85.71312

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Shellmound

The closest shops to Shellmound that this site has checked. The Hatch Outfitters in Chattanooga is nearest, about 17 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Chattanooga · about 17 milesThe Hatch OutfittersFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Chattanooga · about 17 milesLake Chickamauga Tackle & OutdoorsSporting goods. Rods, reels, line and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Chattanooga · about 22 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 Shellmound

Can you launch a boat at Shellmound?

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

Do you need a fishing licence at Shellmound?

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 Shellmound?

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 Shellmound?

The Hatch Outfitters in Chattanooga is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 17 miles from Shellmound. Lake Chickamauga Tackle & Outdoors in Chattanooga is next, about 17 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Shellmound?

Yes, TWRA records restrooms at this access point.

Who runs Shellmound?

Shellmound 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 Shellmound

Shellmound 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 Shellmound, 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