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Marina · Rhea County

Rhea Harbor, Watts Bar Lake

1 ramp, 2 lanes, restrooms, rentals. 16 miles from Dayton.

Get driving directionsAll Rhea County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Rhea Harbor

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

Capt. Billy Clabough · Knoxville / Kingston

Tennessee River Valley Fishing Guide Service

Catfish, striper, smallmouth, drumCall 865-690-5144tnrvg.com

Capt. Chadwick Ferrell · Knoxville

Fish On! Guided Tours

Striper, catfish, bass, trout, musky, sauger, crappieCall 865-455-0412fishontours.com

Capt. Brycen Roberts · Knoxville

Tennessee River Monsters

Stripers, catfish, largemouthCall 865-207-8741tennesseerivermonsters.com

All 4 guides on Watts Bar, Fort Loudoun and Melton Hill

What to bring

Tackle for Rhea Harbor

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 checklistStriper and Hybrid checklistFish Finders comparedTrolling Motors comparedLithium Marine Batteries comparedShallow Water Anchors compared

How to get there

Getting to Rhea Harbor

Rhea Harbor is a public marina on Watts Bar Lake in Rhea County, Tennessee, run by Marina.

TWRA holds no written directions for Rhea Harbor. 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.

Rhea Harbor is 16 miles north-east of Dayton, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Spring City Boat Dock, 0.7 miles to the south-west on the same water. For bait, Meadow Park Lake park office in Crossville is about 21 miles away.

Coordinates 35.67622, -84.85125

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

What is there

What you will find at Rhea Harbor

Pay to enter: launch fee charged 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 Rhea Harbor. 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.

Restrooms

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

Rentals

Boats or craft for hire at the access point itself.

Accessible parking

Marked accessible parking at the access point.

Courtesy dock

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

Fish cleaning station

Clean your catch on site before the drive home.

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

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Rhea Harbor

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

largemouth basssmallmouth bassspotted basscrappiestriped basswhite basswalleyesaugercatfish

Most of Roane County’s river mileage is Watts Bar. Its three arms, Tennessee, Clinch and Emory, fish as three separate lakes, which is the single most useful thing to tell an angler about it.

TVA rates it at or near the top of its system for crappie and black bass; Florida-strain largemouth have been stocked since 2015 and walleye since 2011.

Everything on Watts Bar LakeFind a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Rhea Harbor

What you can keep from Watts Bar Lake at Rhea Harbor. TWRA sets 3 rules just for Watts Bar 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
Striped bassApr 1–Oct 31: 2 combined with hybrids; Nov 1–Mar 31: 2 combined, only 1 striped15 in minimum Apr–Oct; 36 in minimum Nov–MarHybrids 15 in minimum year-round
Paddlefish1No length limitSeason May 1–15. Culling prohibited
Crappie1510 in minimumStatewide
White bass15No minimumStatewide
Walleye516 in minimumStatewide
Sauger1015 in minimumStatewide
Channel catfishNo limit under 34 inOnly one over 34 inStatewide

Other rules on Watts Bar Lake

  • US-321 bridge up to Fort Loudoun Dam closed to snagging Mar 15–Apr 30 and May 16–31. Emory River rules also apply.

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

9 public boat launches in Rhea County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Watts Bar Lake around Rhea Harbor

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

Watts Bar Lake, TennesseeWatts Bar LakeOpen the Watts Bar Lake page →ChristopherM / CC BY 2.5Chickamauga Lake, TennesseeChickamauga LakeOpen the Chickamauga Lake page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domainWatts Bar Lake, TennesseeWatts Bar LakeOpen the Watts Bar Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 4.0Chickamauga Lake, TennesseeChickamauga LakeOpen the Chickamauga Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domainWatts Bar Lake, TennesseeWatts Bar LakeOpen the Watts Bar Lake page →Lee Ann Ratledge / CC BY 4.0Chickamauga Lake, TennesseeChickamauga LakeOpen the Chickamauga Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domain

Next one along

More Watts Bar Lake access near Rhea Harbor

The closest other public access points on Watts Bar Lake, measured straight line from Rhea Harbor. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CitySpring City Boat Dock0.7 miles south-west1 ramp, 1 lanefishing pieraccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.66738, -84.85583Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVARhea Springs1.4 miles east1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.68249, -84.82783Launch fee3.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · Private LandPiney Point Resort2.2 miles east1 ramp, 1 lanefishing pierrestroomsrentalsDirections and detail →35.68060, -84.81240Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAWatts Bar Dam5.3 miles south-east1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.62703, -84.77839Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAFooshee5.7 miles east1 ramp, 1 laneaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.66283, -84.75131Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRARector Branch6.9 miles north-east1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.73469, -84.75066
All 52 access points on Watts Bar Lake

Rhea Harbor water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Rhea Harbor

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Rhea Harbor, including Chickamauga Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Watts Bar Lake or the ramp is busy.

Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TVAWatts Bar DamChickamauga Lake · 5.6 miles south-eastDirections and detail →35.62062, -84.77736Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAPinhookChickamauga Lake · 6.5 miles south-east1 ramp, 1 laneaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.60512, -84.77424Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRASewee CreekChickamauga Lake · 7.4 miles south-eastHwy 68 east of Watts Bar Dam to Hwy 304 south approx. 4 miles to Hornsby Rd; ramp on left1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.58011, -84.79366Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAGoodfield CreekChickamauga Lake · 12 miles southHwy 30 west 2.75 miles from Decatur; turn left on Cottonport Rd, ramp is 1.5 miles on right across bridge.1 ramp, 2 lanesDirections and detail →35.49740, -84.85270Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRACottonport WMA / Access AreaChickamauga Lake · 13 miles south1 ramp, 2 lanesDirections and detail →35.48831, -84.88183Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAFrazier ParkChickamauga Lake · 15 miles south-west1 rampfishing pieraccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.47640, -84.95840

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Rhea Harbor

The closest shops to Rhea Harbor that this site has checked. Meadow Park Lake park office in Crossville is nearest, about 21 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Crossville · about 21 milesMeadow Park Lake park officeLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Cleveland · about 31 milesFishTales Bait and TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Lenoir City · about 34 milesLane’s Landing Bait & TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →
All bait and tackle in Rhea County

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Common questions

Questions about Rhea Harbor

Can you launch a boat at Rhea Harbor?

Yes. TWRA records Rhea Harbor as having a boat ramp. It has 2 lanes. There is a launch fee here, so bring money.

Do you need a fishing licence at Rhea Harbor?

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 Rhea Harbor?

Watts Bar Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, striped bass, 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 Rhea Harbor?

Meadow Park Lake park office in Crossville is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 21 miles from Rhea Harbor. FishTales Bait and Tackle in Cleveland is next, about 31 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Rhea Harbor?

Yes, TWRA records restrooms at this access point.

Who runs Rhea Harbor?

Rhea Harbor is listed under Marina 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 Rhea Harbor

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

The whole waterFishing Watts Bar Lake52 public access points across 4 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Rhea CountyEvery public spot in Rhea County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listRhea County spot listAll 15 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near DaytonShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near DaytonEverything within about 30 miles of Dayton, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Rhea Harbor, 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 Watts Bar Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits