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

Boat Launch · Sumner County

Stark Knob, Old Hickory Lake

1 ramp, 1 lane, accessible parking. 3 miles from Hendersonville.

With a guide

Guides and charters near Stark Knob

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

Billy Flatt · Nashville

Nashville Fishing Charters

Stripers, hybrids, crappie, largemouth, smallmouthCall 615-812-2091nashvillefishingcharters.com

Capt. Brian and two guides · Nashville

Fish Nashville

Striper, hybrid, catfish, crappie, bass, troutCall 615-200-0618fishnashville.com

Mark Travis · Nashville area

Crappie Guide Service

White and black crappieCall 615-542-9800crappieguideservice.com

What to bring

Tackle for Stark Knob

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 Stark Knob

Stark Knob is a public boat launch on Old Hickory Lake in Sumner County, Tennessee, run by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Anderson Lane to Cumberland Hills to Lake Park

Stark Knob is 2.9 miles south-east of Hendersonville, the nearest town with its own page here. The county seat, Gallatin, is 10 miles to the north-east. The closest other public access is Creekwood Marina, 1.8 miles to the west on the same water. For bait, Academy Sports + Outdoors in Mount Juliet is about 6 miles away.

Coordinates 36.28170, -86.57560

Aerial view of Stark Knob
Stark Knob from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Stark Knob

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 Stark Knob. 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.

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

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Stark Knob

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

The Cumberland forms Wilson County’s northern border with Trousdale and Sumner and that reach is Old Hickory; the Wilson side is the Cedar Creek and Hunters Point country, and TWRA rates the lake a world-class trophy striped bass fishery with regular catches over 50 lb.

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Stark Knob

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

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Largemouth bass5 black bass combined14 in minimumOld Hickory Lake rule
Smallmouth bass5 black bass combined18 in minimumOld Hickory Lake rule
Crappie3010 in minimumOld Hickory Lake rule
Striped bass2 striped and hybrid combined15 in minimumStatewide
White bass15No minimumStatewide
Walleye516 in minimumStatewide
Sauger1015 in minimumStatewide
Channel catfishNo limit under 34 inOnly one over 34 inStatewide

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.

20 public boat launches in Sumner County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Old Hickory Lake around Stark Knob

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

Stark Knob water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Stark Knob

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Stark Knob, including Cheatham Lake and Stones River. Handy when the wind is wrong on Old Hickory Lake or the ramp is busy.

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · USACEOld Hickory DamCheatham Lake · 4.8 miles westI-40 to exit 221, OH Blvd to OH Damrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.29657, -86.65942Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEOld Hickory Dam Boat RampCheatham Lake · 5.0 miles westI-40 to exit 221, OH Blvd to OH Dam1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.29828, -86.66279Fee not listed1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing SiteStones River Greenway, HermitageStones River · 7.4 miles south-westDirections and detail →36.18533, -86.63434Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACELock Two Park Boat RampCheatham Lake · 7.6 miles westI-40 to Briley Pkwy North, to McGavock pike exit, then to Pennington Bend River1 ramp, 1 laneaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.24392, -86.70346Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACENeely’s Bend Boat RampCheatham Lake · 7.7 miles south-westI-40 to exit 221, OH Blvd to Neely’s Bend Rd1 ramp, 1 laneaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.19458, -86.66078Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityHeartland RampStones River · 8.3 miles south-westFrom I40, take exit 215B for TN 155 N/Briley Pkwy. Take exit 10 for Two Rivers Pkwy. Turn right at Two Rivers Pkwy. Turn left at McGavock Pike. Take 2nd right onto Fernbrook…1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.18539, -86.66500

Your turn

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Common questions

Questions about Stark Knob

Can you launch a boat at Stark Knob?

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

Do you need a fishing licence at Stark Knob?

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 Stark Knob?

Old Hickory Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth 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 Stark Knob?

Academy Sports + Outdoors in Mount Juliet is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 6 miles from Stark Knob. Walmart Supercenter in Mount Juliet is next, about 8 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Stark Knob?

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

Who runs Stark Knob?

Stark Knob is listed under the US Army Corps of Engineers 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 Stark Knob, 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 Old Hickory Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.