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Williamson County, Tennessee

Where to Buy or Rent Fishing Gear in Williamson County

Bait, tackle, rental boats and licenses in and around Williamson County.

What to bring

Tackle for Williamson County water

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

Closest first

Bait and tackle shops in and near Williamson County

The nearest bait, tackle and marina stores to Williamson County’s water, each with its own page, directions and phone number.

Nashville · about 16 milesCumberland TransitTackle and bait for Davidson County water. Call ahead out of season, winter hours are short.Directions and phone →Nashville · about 17 milesFly SouthFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Nashville · about 21 milesStarkey’s Bait & TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Nashville · about 21 milesFinn’s Tackle ShopLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Columbia · about 23 milesAcademy SportsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Mount Juliet · about 27 milesWalmart SupercenterOpen late, sells licences at the counter, and carries terminal tackle and line.Directions and phone →Mount Juliet · about 27 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Centerville · about 35 milesPinewood Canoe & CampPaddle outfitter. Canoe and kayak rental, shuttles and life jackets.Directions and phone →Gallatin · about 38 milesPoindexter Bait ShopLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →

The big stores

Chain stores near Williamson County

You do not have to drive far for a full tackle wall. Distances here are straight line, so the drive is longer.

Franklin, TennesseeAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Open in maps →

Before you cast

Buying a Tennessee fishing license in Williamson County

Buy online at gooutdoorstennessee.com and the license is on your phone in a minute, nothing is mailed. Over the counter, the Williamson County Clerk in Franklin sells them, along with most Walmart stores and licensed agents in the county.

Anyone 13 and over needs a license to fish Williamson County water, and under 13 is free. If you live in Williamson County, the $10 county-of-residence license covers you on Williamson County water, though not for trout.

All license prices and rules

Gear questions

Buying and renting gear in Williamson County

Do I need a fishing license to fish in Williamson County?

Yes. Anyone 13 and over needs a Tennessee fishing license, and there is no license required for ages 12 and under. A resident annual combination hunt and fish license is $33, a resident one-day all-species license is $11, and a non-resident three-day all-species license is $40. Tennessee has no non-resident one-day license. Buy online at gooutdoorstennessee.com, from a county clerk or from a licensed agent. Licenses are digital, nothing arrives in the post.

Does my Tennessee license cover trout in Williamson County?

Not automatically. The $33 resident combination hunt and fish license does not cover trout, and neither does the county-of-residence license or the cheaper no-trout short-term options. Those need the $21 annual trout supplemental added on. The Sportsman licenses and every non-resident all-species license already include trout. There is no designated trout water in Williamson County, but it is worth knowing before you drive to a tailwater elsewhere in the state.

Where can I buy bait and tackle in Williamson County?

– Tennessee on the Fly, 7406 Libby Ln, Fairview, (406) 546-1463., Hooked and Hunted Outfitters, 1696 Fairview Blvd, Fairview, (615) 266-8188., Academy Sports + Outdoors, 1915 Mallory Ln, Franklin, (615) 435-8341., Dick’s Sporting Goods, 2000 Mallory Ln, Franklin, (615) 778-0595., REI, 261 Franklin Rd, Brentwood, (615) 376-4248., Sun & Ski Sports, 545 Cool Springs Blvd Ste 190, Franklin, (615) 628-0289., Clark Marine Sales LLC, 420 Old Peytonsville Rd, Franklin, (615) 259-3394., No dedicated live-bait shop was verified in Williamson County, a real gap worth stating. Nearest specialist tackle: Bar Tackle, 3203 Hillside Dr, Nashville, (615) 269-8226. There is a fuller list on the Williamson County gear page, including anywhere renting boats or kayaks and the nearest big-box store.

Can I buy a fishing license in Williamson County?

Yes. County clerks, most Walmart stores and licensed agents in Williamson County sell them over the counter, and gooutdoorstennessee.com sells them 24 hours a day. The license is digital or printable, nothing is mailed.

Do I need a boat to fish Williamson County?

Not necessarily, though Williamson County is short on developed bank access. The fishing spots page lists every road crossing and park shoreline that is genuinely public.

What it looks like

What Williamson County water looks like

The lakes and rivers you are buying gear for.

Center Hill Lake, TennesseeCenter Hill LakeOpen the Center Hill Lake page →Tyler White / Public domainOld Hickory Lake, TennesseeOld Hickory LakeOpen the Old Hickory Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Cumberland River, TennesseeCumberland RiverOpen the Cumberland River page →U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not s / Public domainDuck River, TennesseeDuck RiverOpen the Duck River page →SBaker43 / CC BY-SA 3.0Tims Ford Lake, TennesseeTims Ford LakeOpen the Tims Ford Lake page →Geobeedude / CC BY-SA 3.0Cordell Hull Lake, TennesseeCordell Hull LakeOpen the Cordell Hull Lake page →United States Army Corps of Engineers image / Public domain

Williamson County water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill.

Where to fish it

Now find the water in Williamson County

Got what you need? The Williamson County fishing spots page has every ramp, pier, creek and lake in the county, with directions to each one and the limits that apply on it.

Williamson County fishing spotsBack to the county page

Keep going

More Williamson County water, and who fishes it

Every guide and charter on this site is listed by the water they run, so you can call the captain direct. Licences, limits and the state record list are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits