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Boat Launch · Stewart County

Dry Fork, Kentucky Lake

1 ramp, 1 lane. 10 miles from Dover.

Get driving directionsAll Stewart County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Dry Fork

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

Steve McCadams · Paris Landing

Steve McCadams Professional Guide Service

Crappie, bass, bluegill, catfish, white bassCall 731-642-0360stevemccadams.com

Terry Elliott · Greenfield

Elliott’s Guide Service

Crappie, bassCall 731-234-8817elliottsguideservice.com

Multiple guides · Springville

KY Lake Crappie Fishing

Crappiekylakecrappiefishing.com

All 4 guides on Kentucky Lake

What to bring

Tackle for Dry Fork

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 Dry Fork

Dry Fork is a public boat launch on Kentucky Lake in Stewart County, Tennessee, run by USFS.

USFS LBL, Road 231

Dry Fork is 10 miles west of Dover, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Boswell Landing, 0.7 miles to the south-west on the same water. For bait, Cypress Bay Marina & Resort in Buchanan is about 5 miles away.

Coordinates 36.52650, -88.01480

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

What is there

What you will find at Dry Fork

Free to launch 2 out of 5 Facilities 2 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 Dry Fork. 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.

Open 24 hours

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

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

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Dry Fork

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

largemouth basssmallmouth bassspotted basscrappiebluegillwhite basssaugerchannel catfish

Bassmaster has called Kentucky Lake the crappie capital of America, and the Henry County reach, Paris Landing, the Big Sandy arm, Blood River and West Sandy, is the heart of that fishery. Ledge fishing over submerged ditches, creeks, islands and roadbeds in 6-14 ft is the defining technique.

Everything on Kentucky LakeFind a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Dry Fork

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

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Largemouth bass5 black bass combined15 in minimumSame for smallmouth; spotted bass no length limit
Smallmouth bass5 black bass combined15 in minimumKentucky Lake rule
Crappie2010 in minimumIncludes the dewatering areas
Spotted bass5 black bass combinedNo minimumStatewide
BluegillNo limitNo minimumStatewide
White bass15No minimumStatewide
Sauger1015 in minimumStatewide
Channel catfishNo limit under 34 inOnly one over 34 inStatewide

Other rules on Kentucky Lake

  • Dewatering areas (West Sandy, Big Sandy, Gin Creek, Camden Bottoms, Duck River Bottoms, Busseltown, Perryville, Gumdale) closed 5 days before and during late waterfowl season.

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

29 public boat launches in Stewart County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Kentucky Lake around Dry Fork

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

Kentucky Lake, TennesseeKentucky LakeOpen the Kentucky Lake page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domainLake Barkley, TennesseeLake BarkleyOpen the Lake Barkley page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domainKentucky Lake, TennesseeKentucky LakeOpen the Kentucky Lake page →Thomas R Machnitzki / CC BY-SA 3.0Lake Barkley, TennesseeLake BarkleyOpen the Lake Barkley page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domainKentucky Lake, TennesseeKentucky LakeOpen the Kentucky Lake page →Thomas R Machnitzki / CC BY-SA 3.0Lake Barkley, TennesseeLake BarkleyOpen the Lake Barkley page →United States. Army. Corps Of Engineers. Nashvil / Public domain

Next one along

More Kentucky Lake access near Dry Fork

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

Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSBoswell Landing0.7 miles south-westUSFS LBL, Road 2331 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsDirections and detail →36.51950, -88.02390Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSPiney Campground2.7 miles southUSFS LBL, Piney Campground2 ramps, 1 lanefishing pierrestroomsDirections and detail →36.49080, -88.03294Launch fee4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSPiney South3.4 miles south-west1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsDirections and detail →36.48188, -88.04057Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · Private LandCypress Bay Resort4.5 miles south-westHWY 79N, HWY 119, Cherry Island Road1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsrentalsDirections and detail →36.49360, -88.08470Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSGray’s Landing5.7 miles southEast of Paris Landing Bridge, HWY 791 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.44850, -88.04650Launch fee2.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaFat Daddy’s6.4 miles south1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.43400, -88.01383
All 86 access points on Kentucky Lake

Dry Fork water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, striped bass.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Dry Fork

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Dry Fork, including Lake Barkley. Handy when the wind is wrong on Kentucky Lake or the ramp is busy.

Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSGatlin PointLake Barkley · 6.5 miles north-eastForest Service Rd 229 USFS LBL1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsDirections and detail →36.56340, -87.90710Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSNeville BayLake Barkley · 8.2 miles north-eastForest Service Rd 214 USFS LBL1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsDirections and detail →36.61370, -87.91510Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEBlue CreekLake Barkley · 8.2 miles eastRiver Rd, Dover, TN1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.52600, -87.86790Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEHickman CreekLake Barkley · 8.7 miles eastHickman Creek Rd, Dover, TN1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.49470, -87.86440Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEDover LandingLake Barkley · 10.0 miles eastBehind Court House at corner of Forrest St and W Spring1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.49001, -87.84211Free4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEDyer’s CreekLake Barkley · 10 miles eastHWY 79, 0.80 mile North of Barkley Bridge1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.50010, -87.83120

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Dry Fork

The closest shops to Dry Fork that this site has checked. Cypress Bay Marina & Resort in Buchanan is nearest, about 5 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Buchanan · about 5 milesCypress Bay Marina & ResortMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →Dover · about 7 milesU S BassMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →Paris · about 10 milesParis Landing State Park MarinaMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →
All bait and tackle in Stewart County

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Common questions

Questions about Dry Fork

Can you launch a boat at Dry Fork?

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

Do you need a fishing licence at Dry Fork?

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 Dry Fork?

Kentucky Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, bluegill, white bass, sauger and channel catfish. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Dry Fork?

Cypress Bay Marina & Resort in Buchanan is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 5 miles from Dry Fork. U S Bass in Dover is next, about 7 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Dry Fork?

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

Who runs Dry Fork?

Dry Fork is listed under USFS 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 Dry Fork

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

The whole waterFishing Kentucky Lake86 public access points across 7 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Stewart CountyEvery public spot in Stewart County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listStewart County spot listAll 31 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near DoverShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near DoverEverything within about 30 miles of Dover, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Dry Fork, 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 Kentucky Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits