Carthage · Smith County

Fishing Near Carthage, Tennessee

Cordell Hull Lake, Caney Fork River, Cumberland River. Every public launch and pier within about 30 minutes of Carthage, and where to buy what you forgot on the way.

Find fishing spots125 public access points within 35 miles Find gear & bait11 bait and tackle shops within 40 miles

Closest first

Every public access within reach of Carthage

From TWRA’s own access database, with a directions link on each one. Distances are straight-line from Carthage, so the drive is always a bit longer.

Tap a pin for the spot page and directions. Open the full Tennessee fishing map.

Cumberland River

Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACESouth Carthage Boat Ramp1 mi from Carthage · Smith Co.1/4 mile west of bridge on Hwy 25 W (Carthage bypass)1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →36.24317, -85.94558 Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACECordell Hull Dam Lock Side River Boat Ramp2 mi from Carthage · Smith Co.Located at the end of Horseshoe Bend Rd. off Hwy 70 at lock side of Cordell Hull Dam.1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsDirections and detail →36.27948, -85.93917 Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACECordell Hull Dam Generator Side Boat Ramp2 mi from Carthage · Smith Co.Turn off Dixon Springs Hwy onto Hwy 263 Turkey Creek Hwy. Then turn onto Corps Lane, ramp is located behind playground on the right.1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →36.28236, -85.93692 Fee not listed3 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · USACECordell Hull Dam Access Area2 mi from Carthage · Smith Co.fishing pierrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.28789, -85.94260 Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACERome Boat Ramp7 mi from Carthage · Smith Co.Hwy 70 between Rock City/Rome and Wilson County Line west of Carthage1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.26158, -86.07003

Caney Fork River

Old Hickory Lake

Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesFishing SiteOld Hickory Lake Fishing Access3 mi from Carthage · Smith Co.Directions and detail →36.28966, -85.94077 Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat LaunchTaylor’s Landing15 mi from Carthage · Trousdale Co.1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.37233, -86.16785 Fee not listed1.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat LaunchDickerson Chapel16 mi from Carthage · Wilson Co.Directions and detail →36.30490, -86.23381 Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CountySecond Creek17 mi from Carthage · Trousdale Co.1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.38830, -86.20860 Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEHunters Point18 mi from Carthage · Wilson Co.231 to Old Hunters Point Pike, right onto Orian1 ramp, 1 laneaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.29940, -86.26540

Cordell Hull Lake

Center Hill Lake

Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · USACECenter Hill Marina13 mi from Carthage · DeKalb Co.From I-40, exit 269 S-go approx. 3 miles-turn right-go approx 2.5 miles-marina on left2 ramps, 2 lanesrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.07690, -85.86000 Free4 out of 5facilitiesMarina · USACEEdgar Evins Marina14 mi from Carthage · DeKalb Co.From I-40, exit 269S, go about 3 miles to 4-way stop, continue 2 miles straight ahead1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.08360, -85.82620 Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEEdgar Evins Sp Ramp 114 mi from Carthage · DeKalb Co.1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.07416, -85.83979 Free5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEEdgar Evins SP Ramp 214 mi from Carthage · DeKalb Co.1 ramp, 3 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.07100, -85.83870 Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEFloating Mill Recreation Area18 mi from Carthage · DeKalb Co.1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.04560, -85.76260 Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · USACEHurricane Marina18 mi from Carthage · DeKalb Co.1 ramp, 3 lanesrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.03930, -85.75950

Goose Creek

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat LaunchGoose Creek13 mi from Carthage · Trousdale Co.1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.37422, -86.13631

What to bring

What to bring fishing near Carthage

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:

Crappie checklist Bluegill and Panfish checklist Striper and Hybrid checklist Fish Finders compared Trolling Motors compared Lithium Marine Batteries compared Shallow Water Anchors compared

Measured from town

Where to fish near Carthage

The water within reach of Carthage is Cordell Hull Lake, Caney Fork River, Center Hill Lake and 3 more.

Everything on this page is sorted by straight-line distance from Carthage, not by which county it sits in. Several of the closest spots to Carthage are across a county line, which is exactly the kind of thing a county-by-county list hides.

What it looks like

The water around Carthage

Photographs of the lakes and rivers on this page. Drag or swipe for more. Every picture opens that water’s own page.

Cordell Hull LakeOpen the Cordell Hull Lake page →United States Army Corps of Engineers image / Public domain

Caney Fork RiverOpen the Caney Fork River page →U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not s / Public domain

Center Hill LakeOpen the Center Hill Lake page →Tyler White / Public domain

Cumberland RiverOpen the Cumberland River page →U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not s / Public domain

Old Hickory LakeOpen the Old Hickory Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Caney Fork RiverOpen the Caney Fork River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

No boat

Bank fishing near Carthage

4 public fishing piers within reach of Carthage. No boat needed for any of them.

Fee not listed3 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · USACECordell Hull Dam Access AreaCumberland River · 2 mi from Carthagefishing pierrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.28789, -85.94260 Free3 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · USACECenter Hill Tailwater Fishing PierCaney Fork River · 12 mi from Carthagefishing pierrestroomsDirections and detail →36.10337, -85.83583 Free4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEBuffalo Valley Boat RampCaney Fork River · 13 mi from Carthage1 ramp, 1 lanefishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.10125, -85.82938 Free5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEEdgar Evins SP Ramp 2Center Hill Lake · 14 mi from Carthage1 ramp, 3 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.07100, -85.83870

Shoreline access in Smith County

The Caney Fork below Center Hill Dam has the best wade and bank access in the county, with roadside pull-offs along Highway 141 and the Lancaster and Happy Hollow access points; Betty’s Island. Defeated Creek Recreation Area on Cordell Hull. The Cordell Hull dam tailwater at Carthage. Carthage riverfront at the Caney Fork confluence. Corps shoreline around the Cordell Hull recreation areas.

What is in there

Fish and limits around Carthage

Water around Carthage holds largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, striped bass, sauger, catfish and trout.

Caney Fork River, from Center Hill Dam downstream to the Cumberland River, the total daily trout creel is five fish. Rainbow, brook and cutthroat trout are on a 14–20 inch protected length range with only one over 20 inches. Brown trout are 1 per day with a 24-inch MINIMUM, which is an explicit trophy-brown rule and the most distinctive trout regulation in Middle Tennessee. Stocked March through December. Note that the single-hook walleye rule on the Caney Fork applies to the reach above Center Hill Lake, from the Rock Island State Park ramp up to Great Falls Dam, and not to this tailwater, those two reaches share a river name and have completely different rules, which is an easy and consequential mistake to make on a county page. Cordell Hull falls under Region 2 reservoir rules; confirm the current crappie, bass and striped bass limits against the printed guide, as TWRA’s regional summary page did not enumerate Cordell Hull separately. Statewide trout creel elsewhere is seven per day.

From TWRA’s statewide creel and length limits, last updated 4 August 2026. Water-specific exceptions change, so check the current guide before keeping a fish.

Weather

Carthage fishing weather and wind forecast

Thu, Oct 1 night

62°F

Partly Cloudy

Wind SSE 5 mph

0% chance of rain

Thu, Oct 1

93°F

Mostly Sunny

Wind S 5 to 10 mph

0% chance of rain

Thu, Oct 1 night

70°F

Partly Cloudy

Wind S 5 mph

4% chance of rain

Fri, Oct 2

87°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Wind SW 5 mph

71% chance of rain

Fri, Oct 2 night

64°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Areas Of Fog

Wind NNE 0 to 5 mph

59% chance of rain

Sat, Oct 3

77°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Wind NE 5 mph

66% chance of rain

National Weather Service forecast, updated 6:51 PM, Wed, Sep 30.

Sun and moon, Thu, Oct 8

Sunrise6:45 AMCDT

Sunset6:19 PMCDT

First light6:20 AMLast light 6:44 PM

Daylight11 hr 33 minSunrise to sunset

MoonWaning crescent8% lit. New moon in 3 days

12 public boat launches in Smith County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Questions people ask

Fishing near Carthage: common questions

Where is the closest place to fish to Carthage?

South Carthage Boat Ramp on Cumberland River, about a mile from Carthage in Smith County. It is a boat launch.

How many fishing spots are near Carthage?

There are 40 public access points within about 30 miles of Carthage, 30 of them boat launches, across 6 named waters.

Can I fish near Carthage without a boat?

Yes. Cordell Hull Dam Access Area on Cumberland River has a fishing pier and is about 2 miles from Carthage. There are 4 piers within range in total.

Do I need a license to fish near Carthage?

Yes, anyone 13 and over. 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 sells no non-resident one-day license. Note the $33 combination license does not cover trout, that needs the $21 supplemental.

What is the best lake near Carthage?

Cordell Hull Lake carries the most public access within reach of Carthage, followed by Caney Fork River. Which one fishes best depends entirely on the season and what you are after.

Where can I buy bait near Carthage?

Carthage is small. The Carthage gear page has the rest, plus rental and licenses.

What fish can you catch near Carthage?

Mainly largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, striped bass, sauger, catfish and trout.

Towns near here

Towns near Carthage

The nearest towns to Carthage with pages of their own. If nothing near Carthage suits, one of these usually does.

19 miles from Carthage · Wilson CountyFishing near LebanonOld Hickory Lake, Cumberland RiverSee the spots →22 miles from Carthage · DeKalb CountyFishing near SmithvilleCenter Hill Lake, Caney Fork RiverSee the spots →26 miles from Carthage · Putnam CountyFishing near CookevilleCenter Hill Lake, Cordell Hull LakeSee the spots →29 miles from Carthage · Sumner CountyFishing near GallatinOld Hickory LakeSee the spots →32 miles from Carthage · Wilson CountyFishing near Mount JulietOld Hickory Lake, J. Percy Priest LakeSee the spots →

Carthage water holds largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, striped bass.

Wider net

Smith County beyond Carthage

Carthage is one town in Smith County. The county page covers every water inside the county line, including the ones nowhere near Carthage.

Fishing in Smith County

With a guide

Fishing near Carthage with a guide

Local captains who run the water near Carthage are listed on the guides page with their own phone numbers. You call and book with them directly.

Tennessee guides by water

Keep going

More Carthage 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 water Licence and limits