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

Boat Launch · Roane County

Winton Chapel, Watts Bar Lake

1 ramp, 1 lane, canoe / kayak landing, accessible parking. 12 miles from Kingston.

With a guide

Guides and charters near Winton Chapel

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

What to bring

Tackle for Winton Chapel

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

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

How to get there

Getting to Winton Chapel

Winton Chapel is a public boat launch on Watts Bar Lake in Roane County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

Take 27 south of Rockwood. Turn left onto Abels Valley Rd, then right on Winton Chapel

Winton Chapel is 12 miles south-west of Kingston, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Hog Back Ridge, 2.1 miles to the south on the same water. For bait, Meadow Park Lake park office in Crossville is about 24 miles away.

Coordinates 35.79134, -84.69090

Aerial view of Winton Chapel
Winton Chapel from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Winton Chapel

Free to launch 3.5 out of 5 Facilities 3.5 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 Winton Chapel. 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.

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, restrooms, camping. Worth knowing before a long drive with the family.

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Winton Chapel

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

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.

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Winton Chapel

What you can keep from Watts Bar Lake at Winton Chapel. 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.

31 public boat launches in Roane County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Next one along

More Watts Bar Lake access near Winton Chapel

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

Winton Chapel water holds smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, rock bass.

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Common questions

Questions about Winton Chapel

Can you launch a boat at Winton Chapel?

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

Do you need a fishing licence at Winton Chapel?

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 Winton Chapel?

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 Winton Chapel?

Meadow Park Lake park office in Crossville is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 24 miles from Winton Chapel. Lane’s Landing Bait & Tackle in Lenoir City is next, about 24 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Winton Chapel?

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

Who runs Winton Chapel?

Winton Chapel is listed under the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency 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 Winton Chapel, 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.