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Boat Launch · Monroe County

Citico, Tellico Lake

1 ramp, 1 lane, canoe / kayak landing. 16 miles from Maryville.

Get driving directionsAll Monroe County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Citico

Captains who run Hiwassee and the Smokies, with their own phone numbers. You call and book with them directly.

Reliance

Southeastern Anglers

Rainbow and brown trout, stripersCall 866-558-7688southeasternanglers.com

Townsend

R and R Fly Fishing

Rainbow, brown and brook trout, smallmouthCall 865-448-0467randrflyfishing.com

Every Tennessee guide by water

What to bring

Tackle for Citico

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 checklistCrappie checklistBluegill and Panfish checklistFish Finders comparedTrolling Motors comparedLithium Marine Batteries comparedShallow Water Anchors compared

How to get there

Getting to Citico

Citico is a public boat launch on Tellico Lake in Monroe County, Tennessee, run by Other.

TWRA holds no written directions for Citico. 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.

Citico is 16 miles south-west of Maryville, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Harrison Branch, 1.0 miles to the north-west on the same water. For bait, Tellico Outfitters in Tellico Plains is about 17 miles away.

Coordinates 35.53920, -84.08350

Open in Google MapsSee nearby spots on the mapFishing near Maryville
Aerial view of Citico
Citico from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Citico

Free to launch 2.5 out of 5 Facilities 2.5 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 Citico. 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.

Open 24 hours

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

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 Citico

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

largemouth basssmallmouth basscrappiebluegillstriped basswalleyerainbow trout

It extends 33 miles up the Little Tennessee to Chilhowee Dam and 20 miles up the Tellico River, and it is a cool-water, relatively infertile impoundment because Chilhowee and the Tellico River push cold water into it, so it holds quality-sized largemouth and a strong walleye fishery rather than high fish densities.

Everything on Tellico LakeFind a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Citico

What you can keep from Tellico Lake at Citico. TWRA sets 3 rules just for Tellico Lake. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Black bass (combined)515 in minimumAll black bass species. Reservoir rules extend up the Tellico River to Big Creek boat ramp
Walleye10 walleye/sauger combined, max 5 walleye15 in minimum; one walleye may be 24 in or longerIncludes tributaries
Sauger10 walleye/sauger combined15 in minimumTellico Lake rule
Crappie1510 in minimumStatewide
BluegillNo limitNo minimumStatewide
Striped bass2 striped and hybrid combined15 in minimumStatewide
Rainbow trout7 trout combinedNo minimumStatewide

Other rules on Tellico Lake

  • Chota Refuge Unit (LTRM 26.0 up to the Hiwassee–Alcoa powerline at LTRM 29.7) closed to all use Nov 15–Feb 28, except observation areas.

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

7 public boat launches in Monroe County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Tellico Lake around Citico

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

Tellico Lake, TennesseeTellico LakeOpen the Tellico Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Tellico River, TennesseeTellico RiverOpen the Tellico River page →ChristopherM / CC BY 2.5Tellico Lake, TennesseeTellico LakeOpen the Tellico Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Tellico River, TennesseeTellico RiverOpen the Tellico River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Tellico Lake, TennesseeTellico LakeOpen the Tellico Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Tellico River, TennesseeTellico RiverOpen the Tellico River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Next one along

More Tellico Lake access near Citico

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

Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TRDAHarrison Branch1.0 miles north-westUS 1291 ramp, 2 lanesDirections and detail →35.55210, -84.09210Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TRDATallassee Access1.1 miles north-eastUS 1291 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.54710, -84.06600Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · OtherBallplay Creek Access Area6.3 miles west1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.52010, -84.19290Launch fee5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TRDAToqua Campground6.3 miles westHWY 360 approximately 3 miles out of Vonore1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →35.56180, -84.19220Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · OtherToqua6.6 miles west1 ramp, More Than 3 lanescanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.56800, -84.19680Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaTellico Marina7.9 miles north-west2 ramps, 2 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingtrolling motors onlyDirections and detail →35.60570, -84.19730
All 16 access points on Tellico Lake

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

Other water close by

Other fishing near Citico

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Citico, including Chilhowee Lake, Tellico River and Fort Loudoun Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Tellico Lake or the ramp is busy.

Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · Private LandAbram’s Creek RampChilhowee Lake · 4.2 miles eastFoothills Parkway to right on US 1291 ramp, 1 lanefishing pierDirections and detail →35.55670, -84.01140Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · ALCOATabcat CreekChilhowee Lake · 5.1 miles east1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.52470, -83.99360Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRABig CreekTellico River · 12 miles south-west1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.45700, -84.27290Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAUnitaFort Loudoun Lake · 16 miles north10000 Unitia Rd, Friendsville, TN1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.75214, -84.17298Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaInternational HarborFort Loudoun Lake · 17 miles northDirections and detail →35.77520, -84.13780Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAGallagher CreekFort Loudoun Lake · 17 miles northCedar Crest, Friendsville, TN1 ramp, 1 laneaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.77550, -84.13700

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Citico

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

Tellico Plains · about 17 milesTellico OutfittersFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Lenoir City · about 20 milesLane’s Landing Bait & TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Louisville · about 20 milesDunmore Bait & TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →
All bait and tackle in Monroe County

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Common questions

Questions about Citico

Can you launch a boat at Citico?

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

Do you need a fishing licence at Citico?

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 Citico?

Tellico Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, striped bass, walleye and rainbow trout. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Citico?

Tellico Outfitters in Tellico Plains is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 17 miles from Citico. Lane’s Landing Bait & Tackle in Lenoir City is next, about 20 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Citico?

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

Who runs Citico?

Citico is listed under Other 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 Citico

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

The whole waterFishing Tellico Lake16 public access points across 3 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Monroe CountyEvery public spot in Monroe County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listMonroe County spot listAll 8 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near MadisonvilleShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near MaryvilleEverything within about 30 miles of Maryville, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Citico, 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 Tellico Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits