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

Boat Launch · Polk County

Nancy Ward Boat Ramp, Ocoee River

1 ramp, 1 lane, canoe / kayak landing. 11 miles from Cleveland.

With a guide

Guides and charters near Nancy Ward Boat Ramp

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

What to bring

Tackle for Nancy Ward Boat Ramp

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

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

How to get there

Getting to Nancy Ward Boat Ramp

Nancy Ward Boat Ramp is a public boat launch on Ocoee River in Polk County, Tennessee, run by TDEC.

TWRA holds no written directions for Nancy Ward 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.

Nancy Ward Boat Ramp is 11 miles east of Cleveland, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Old Patty Bridge on Hiwassee River, 3.1 miles to the north-east. For bait, FishTales Bait and Tackle in Cleveland is about 12 miles away.

Coordinates 35.16427, -84.67838

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

What is there

What you will find at Nancy Ward Boat Ramp

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 Nancy Ward 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. 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 Nancy Ward Boat Ramp

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

Better known as whitewater than as fishing water, Class III–V, host of the 1996 Olympic slalom, but it holds the state record Alabama bass and the state record yellow perch came from Ocoee No. 3.

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Nancy Ward Boat Ramp

What you can keep from Ocoee River at Nancy Ward Boat Ramp. Ocoee River has no limits of its own, so the statewide limits apply. These are the ones for the fish it holds.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Smallmouth bass5 black bass combinedNo minimumStatewide
Spotted bass5 black bass combinedNo minimumStatewide

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 Polk County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Ocoee River around Nancy Ward Boat Ramp

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

Next one along

More Ocoee River access near Nancy Ward Boat Ramp

The closest other public access points on Ocoee River, measured straight line from Nancy Ward Boat Ramp. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Nancy Ward Boat Ramp water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, Alabama bass.

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Common questions

Questions about Nancy Ward Boat Ramp

Can you launch a boat at Nancy Ward Boat Ramp?

Yes. TWRA records Nancy Ward Boat Ramp as having a boat ramp. It has 1 lane. TWRA records it as free to launch.

Do you need a fishing licence at Nancy Ward 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 Nancy Ward Boat Ramp?

Ocoee River holds smallmouth bass and Alabama bass. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Nancy Ward Boat Ramp?

FishTales Bait and Tackle in Cleveland is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 12 miles from Nancy Ward Boat Ramp. Tellico Outfitters in Tellico Plains is next, about 25 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Nancy Ward Boat Ramp?

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

Who runs Nancy Ward Boat Ramp?

Nancy Ward Boat Ramp is listed under TDEC 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 Nancy Ward 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 Ocoee River rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.