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Boat Launch · Wilson County

Ciaro Bend, Old Hickory Lake

1 ramp, 1 lane. 5 miles from Gallatin.

Get driving directionsAll Wilson County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Ciaro Bend

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

All 6 guides on Nashville lakes and the Cumberland

What to bring

Tackle for Ciaro Bend

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 Ciaro Bend

Ciaro Bend is a public boat launch on Old Hickory Lake in Wilson County, Tennessee, run by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

TWRA holds no written directions for Ciaro Bend. 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.

Ciaro Bend is 5.3 miles south-east of Gallatin, the nearest town with its own page here. The county seat, Lebanon, is 10 miles to the south-east. The closest other public access is Cairo Boat Ramp, 1.4 miles to the north-east on the same water. For bait, Poindexter Bait Shop in Gallatin is about 4 miles away.

Coordinates 36.34060, -86.37370

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

What is there

What you will find at Ciaro Bend

Free to launch 3 out of 5 Facilities 3 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 Ciaro Bend. 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.

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 Ciaro Bend

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

largemouth basssmallmouth basscrappiestriped basswhite basswalleyesaugercatfish

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.

Everything on Old Hickory LakeFind a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Ciaro Bend

What you can keep from Old Hickory Lake at Ciaro Bend. 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.

Statewide limits and licenses

16 public boat launches in Wilson County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Old Hickory Lake around Ciaro Bend

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

Old Hickory Lake, TennesseeOld Hickory LakeOpen the Old Hickory Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0J. Percy Priest Lake, TennesseeJ. Percy Priest LakeOpen the J. Percy Priest Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Old Hickory Lake, TennesseeOld Hickory LakeOpen the Old Hickory Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0J. Percy Priest Lake, TennesseeJ. Percy Priest LakeOpen the J. Percy Priest Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0J. Percy Priest Lake, TennesseeJ. Percy Priest LakeOpen the J. Percy Priest Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0J. Percy Priest Lake, TennesseeJ. Percy Priest LakeOpen the J. Percy Priest Lake page →Billferguson / CC BY 3.0

Next one along

More Old Hickory Lake access near Ciaro Bend

The closest other public access points on Old Hickory Lake, measured straight line from Ciaro Bend. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACECairo Boat Ramp1.4 miles north-east1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.35930, -86.36250Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAGallatin Steam Plant Ramp1.5 miles south-west1 ramp, 1 lanefishing pierDirections and detail →36.32420, -86.39200Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TDECZiegler’s Fort Ramp2.5 miles north1 ramp, 1 laneaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.37440, -86.35880Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TDECBledsoe Creek State Park Ramp2.7 miles north-eastZieglers Fort Rd1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.37610, -86.35230Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEColes Ferry2.9 miles south-westHWY 231 to Coles Ferry Pike1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.30520, -86.40280Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaCherokee Marina3.1 miles westDirections and detail →36.33562, -86.42926
All 54 access points on Old Hickory Lake

Ciaro Bend water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, sunfish.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Ciaro Bend

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Ciaro Bend, including Goose Creek, Cheatham Lake and J. Percy Priest Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Old Hickory Lake or the ramp is busy.

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat LaunchGoose CreekGoose Creek · 13 miles east1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.37422, -86.13631Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · USACEOld Hickory DamCheatham Lake · 16 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 · 16 miles westI-40 to exit 221, OH Blvd to OH Dam1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.29828, -86.66279Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEVivrett Creek Recreation AreaJ. Percy Priest Lake · 17 miles south-west1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.14076, -86.54348Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACERome Boat RampCumberland River · 18 miles eastHwy 70 between Rock City/Rome and Wilson County Line west of Carthage1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.26158, -86.07003Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACESeven Points Boat RampJ. Percy Priest Lake · 18 miles south-west1 ramp, 2 lanesaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.13170, -86.56510

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Ciaro Bend

The closest shops to Ciaro Bend that this site has checked. Poindexter Bait Shop in Gallatin is nearest, about 4 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Gallatin · about 4 milesPoindexter Bait ShopLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Hartsville · about 12 milesWalmart SupercenterOpen late, sells licences at the counter, and carries terminal tackle and line.Directions and phone →Mount Juliet · about 13 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Directions and phone →
All bait and tackle in Wilson County

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Common questions

Questions about Ciaro Bend

Can you launch a boat at Ciaro Bend?

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

Do you need a fishing licence at Ciaro Bend?

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 Ciaro Bend?

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 Ciaro Bend?

Poindexter Bait Shop in Gallatin is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 4 miles from Ciaro Bend. Walmart Supercenter in Hartsville is next, about 12 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Ciaro Bend?

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

Who runs Ciaro Bend?

Ciaro Bend 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.

Where to next

Around Ciaro Bend

Ciaro Bend is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing Old Hickory Lake54 public access points across 5 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Wilson CountyEvery public spot in Wilson County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listWilson County spot listAll 22 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near LebanonShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near GallatinEverything within about 30 miles of Gallatin, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Ciaro Bend, 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.

Guides by waterLicence and limits