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East Tennessee · County seat Clinton

Fishing in Anderson County, Tennessee

Norris Reservoir, Melton Hill Reservoir, Clinch River (Norris tailwater). Where to launch, where to fish from the bank, and where to buy what you forgot.

Find fishing spots16 public access pointsFind gear & baitBait shops, tackle, rentals, licences

Every public access point

Fishing access in Anderson County

16 public access points in Anderson County: 9 boat launches, 3 fishing piers, 4 designated fishing sites and 3 marinas. Each one opens its own page with written directions, coordinates and a link straight to Google Maps.

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

Melton Hill Lake/Clinch River 1 in Anderson County

Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityClinton Lakefront ParkUnder Hwy 25W Bridge1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing pieraccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.09564, -84.13385

Clinch River 8 in Anderson County

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CountyHighway 61 BridgeI-75 to SR 611 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.12355, -84.11375Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAMiller Island AccessRiver Rd off US 4411 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.20424, -84.08831Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAMiller Island SFARiver Rd1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.20367, -84.09431Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAPeach OrchardI-75 to SR 61 to Hillvale Raod to Peach Orchard Road1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.19088, -84.11958Free2 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TVAClear CreekI-75 to Hwy. 61 to US 441fishing pieraccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.21203, -84.07441Free3 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TVAWeir DamI-75 to Hwy. 61 to US 441fishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.20900, -84.07394Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · Private LandLewellyn Island AccessPublic Safety Lane off Hwy 61 in Clintonaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.12759, -84.12545Free2 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TVASongbird Canoe AccessNorris Dam Rd off of US 441canoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.22187, -84.09051

Melton Hill Lake 3 in Anderson County

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVADismal BluffHWY 25 to East Wolf Valley to Mountain View Road1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.09397, -84.09287Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · CityOak Ridge MarinaTurn onto Melton Lake Drive from Edgemoor Road (170), turn right at Rowing Club1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.03380, -84.19300Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CitySolway RampOak Ridge Highway to Edgemoor Road, ramp on right1 ramp, 2 lanesDirections and detail →35.99560, -84.19280

Norris Lake 4 in Anderson County

Free4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CountyAnderson County ParkTurn onto Park Lane from Andersonville Highway (HWY 61) in Andersonville, go to end of Park Lane1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsDirections and detail →36.29290, -84.03080Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAFishermans CoveTurn on to Park Lane off HWY 61 in Andersonville, go several miles until see TWRA sign on left1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.26210, -84.04049Launch fee3.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaSequoyah Lodge & Marina, Inc.Turn onto Park Lane from Andersonville Highway (HWY 61) in Andersonville, left on Sequoyah Road, left on Lakeview Lane, marina will be on the right1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsDirections and detail →36.24831, -84.05486Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaStardust MarinaTurn onto Park Lane from Andersonville Highway (HWY 61) in Andersonville, right on Forgety Road, left on Mill Creek Road, left on Boyscout Road, right on Stardust Road1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsDirections and detail →36.26770, -84.01870

What to bring

What to bring fishing in Anderson County

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

Anderson County at a glance

Anderson County boat ramps and fishing access

Anderson County has 16 public fishing access points: 9 boat ramps, 3 fishing piers and 3 marinas, on 4 lakes, rivers and creeks.

9boat ramps
3fishing piers
3marinas
4lakes, rivers and creeks

The big water in Anderson

Main fishing waters in Anderson County

What each of these is actually known for, and what you can expect to catch.

reservoir · 34,200 ac total, ~800 mi shoreline (spans Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Grainger,…

Norris Lake

TVA’s first dam (1936); clear and infertile compared to neighbouring lakes, with smallmouth the headline fish November through April and drawdown up to 45 ft.

smallmouthlargemouthstriped basswalleye
reservoir · ~5,690 ac (Anderson/Knox/Loudon) · TVA; much of the northwest shore is US Dept. of…

Melton Hill Lake

Cold water released from Norris upstream keeps it cool and oxygen-rich, which suppresses largemouth but is exactly why musky and smallmouth thrive; musky is 1/day at a 50″ minimum.

muskellungesmallmouthstriped basscrappie
river · 12.5 mi of trout water from Norris Dam down to Clinton · TVA operates the dam, TWRA…

Clinch River (Norris tailwater)

Stocked at roughly 207,000 fish/yr with a 14–20″ protected range on all trout; wading is unsafe whenever generators run, so check TVA schedules (865-632-2264) before stepping in.

brown troutrainbowbrook

What it looks like

Anderson County water

Photographs of the water this page covers. Every picture opens that water’s own page. Drag or swipe to see the rest.

Clinch River, TennesseeClinch RiverOpen the Clinch River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Norris Lake, TennesseeNorris LakeOpen the Norris Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Melton Hill Lake, TennesseeMelton Hill LakeOpen the Melton Hill Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domain
Clear Creek, Tennessee
Clear Creek, TennesseeNPS staff / Public domain
Cherokee Lake, TennesseeCherokee LakeOpen the Cherokee Lake page →TVA Web Team / CC BY 2.0Watauga Lake, TennesseeWatauga LakeOpen the Watauga Lake page →Mark Larson from Atlanta, GA / CC BY-SA 2.0

The ones nobody writes about

Small and out-of-the-way water in Anderson County

County lakes, park ponds, creeks and river stretches in Anderson County that never make a best-of list. Several of them fish better than the famous water on a busy weekend.

creek · small

Clear Creek (Clinch tributary)

A named TWRA trout stocking site with a fishing pier and ADA parking; note it is closed to all fishing Nov 1–Mar 31 from Hwy 441 up to the second dam, and bait harvest there is prohibited.

stocked brook/brown/rainbow
river stretch

Miller’s Island / Llewelyn Island reaches, Clinch River

The classic wadeable tailwater islands; Miller Island has both a ramp and a state fishing area on River Rd off US-441.

trout
river stretch

Peach Orchard access, Clinch River

TWRA-owned launch and stocking point reached via SR-61, Hillvale Rd then Peach Orchard Rd.

trout
river stretch

Massengill Bridge, Norris tailwater

A named TWRA stocking site on the tailwater, useful as a bank/wade point between the dam and Clinton.

stocked trout
small impoundments

Coal Creek / Rocky Top area ponds

Unverified as public, confirm before publishing.

panfish

No boat, or your own boat

Bank fishing and launching in Anderson County

Fishing from the bank in Anderson County

Weir Dam site on the Clinch (TVA, fishing pier, restrooms, ADA); Clear Creek access (TVA, pier, ADA); Clinton Lakefront Park pier; Llewelyn Island access off Public Safety Lane in Clinton, known locally as “the jail” for the adjacent Anderson County Detention Facility, roughly a mile of public bank; about two miles of public bank immediately below Norris Dam; River Road near the town of Norris; Songbird Canoe Access (TVA, ADA); Norris Dam State Park shoreline.

Getting a boat on the water in Anderson County

Ramps listed above cover Norris, Melton Hill and the Clinch. Marinas: Sequoyah Lodge & Marina and Stardust Marina (both Norris, fuel onsite), Oak Ridge Marina and Clinton Marina (Melton Hill), Norris Dam Marina sits at the dam.

Melton Hill is a nationally recognised rowing course and hosts collegiate spring training, so expect crews on the Oak Ridge stretch. The Clinch below Norris Dam is a popular drift/canoe float, Songbird Canoe Access is the paddler put-in, and a canoe portage exists at the dam.

Two different trips

Visiting Anderson County versus fishing it like a local

Where visitors get pointed in Anderson County

Norris Dam State Park; Norris Dam itself; the Clinch River tailwater (a destination trout fishery); Anderson County Park on Norris; Melton Lake Park greenway and rowing venue in Oak Ridge; Clinton Lakefront Park.

Where Anderson County locals actually go

The Llewelyn Island stretch behind Second Baptist Church on Public Safety Lane, Clinton, a mile of public water locals call “the jail.” Peach Orchard access, a TWRA ramp most visitors never find. Dismal Bluff on Melton Hill (off Hwy 25 to East Wolf Valley to Mountain View Rd), a single-lane TVA ramp.

Clear Creek’s second-dam pool, subject to the winter closure. Massengill Bridge on the tailwater.

Rules and record fish

Limits and records for Anderson County water

Creel and length limits in Anderson County

Melton Hill, largemouth 14″ min; smallmouth 18″ min; striped bass 32–42″ protected range, only one over 42″; muskellunge 1/day at 50″ min with mandatory immediate release otherwise; crappie 15/day, 10″ min. Melton Hill restrictions extend up the Clinch to the Highway 61 bridge in Clinton.

Norris, smallmouth 1/day at 18″ min June 1–Oct 15, then 5/day at 15″ min Oct 16–May 31; largemouth 14″ min; striped bass 15″ min Apr 1–Oct 31 and 1/day at 36″ min Nov 1–Mar 31; musky 1/day 36″ min; paddlefish 2/day, season Apr 24–May 31. Clinch tailwater, 14–20″ protected length range on all trout, seven-trout creel, only one over 20″, no bait restrictions.

Clear Creek from Hwy 441 up to the second dam is closed to all fishing Nov 1–Mar 31, and possession of bait-harvesting gear there is prohibited. TDEC advises everyone against eating catfish from Melton Hill (PCBs).

State record fish from Anderson County water

State record brown trout, 28 lb 12 oz, Greg Ensor, 30 Aug 1988, Clinch River, which within Tennessee’s trout reach is Anderson County. State record muskellunge, 43 lb 14 oz, Steven Paul, 2 Mar 2017, Melton Hill Reservoir.

State record saugeye, 10 lb 12 oz, Chris Vittetoe, 18 Jul 1998, Melton Hill Reservoir. Melton Hill spans Anderson, Knox and Loudon counties, so the precise county of those two catches is unverified.

TWRA’s Norris page cites a 49.5 lb striped bass from 1978, that is a former record only, superseded by the 65 lb 6 oz Cordell Hull fish.

9 public boat launches in Anderson County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Questions people actually ask

Anderson County fishing questions

Where can I fish from the bank in Anderson County?

Weir Dam site on the Clinch (TVA, fishing pier, restrooms, ADA). Also clear creek access (tva, pier, ada), and clinton lakefront park pier. Anderson County has 3 public fishing piers listed in TWRA’s access database.

How many public boat ramps are in Anderson County?

TWRA’s access database lists 9 boat launches in Anderson County, plus 3 marinas. Most of them are on Clinch River. Every one is listed further up this page with its owner and lane count.

Do I need a fishing license to fish in Anderson 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.

What fish can you catch in Anderson County?

The main species across Anderson County water are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, sunfish, striped bass, walleye, saugeye, muskellunge and brown trout. Each water body on the fishing spots page lists what it is actually known for, which is not always the same thing.

Does my Tennessee license cover trout in Anderson 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. This matters in Anderson County, because there is trout water here.

What are the creel limits in Anderson County?

Melton Hill, largemouth 14″ min; smallmouth 18″ min; striped bass 32–42″ protected range, only one over 42″; muskellunge 1/day at 50″ min with mandatory immediate release otherwise; crappie 15/day, 10″ min. Melton Hill restrictions extend up the Clinch to the Highway 61 bridge in Clinton Norris, smallmouth 1/day at 18″ min June 1–Oct 15, then 5/day at 15″ min Oct 16–May 31; largemouth 14″ min; striped bass 15″ min Apr 1–Oct 31 and 1/day at 36″ min Nov 1–Mar 31; musky 1/day 36″ min; paddlefish 2/day, season Apr 24–May 31 Always check the current TWRA guide before you keep anything, because water-specific exceptions change.

Where can I buy bait and tackle in Anderson County?

No fly shop verified inside the county, the Clinch is mostly served by guide services and by shops in Knoxville. TWRA records bait “in proximity” (not onsite) at the Hwy 61 Bridge, Miller Island and Peach Orchard accesses, which points to convenience stores rather than a dedicated shop. Sequoyah Lodge & Marina and Stardust Marina (both Andersonville, Norris Lake) have fuel and marina stores. There is a fuller list on the Anderson County gear page, including anywhere renting boats or kayaks and the nearest big-box store.

Where do locals fish in Anderson County?

The Llewelyn Island stretch behind Second Baptist Church on Public Safety Lane, Clinton, a mile of public water locals call “the jail.” Peach Orchard access, a TWRA ramp most visitors never find. Dismal Bluff on Melton Hill (off Hwy 25 to East Wolf Valley to Mountain View Rd), a single-lane TVA ramp. Clear Creek’s second-dam pool, subject to the winter closure. Massengill Bridge on the tailwater.

The water itself

Lakes and rivers in Anderson County

Each of these has a page of its own covering the whole water, not just the Anderson County end of it, with every public access point on it and what it holds.

RiverClinch River8 access points in Anderson County, 14 in totalSee the spots →LakeNorris Lake4 access points in Anderson County, 61 in totalSee the spots →LakeMelton Hill Lake3 access points in Anderson County, 5 in totalSee the spots →RiverMelton Hill Lake/Clinch River1 access point in Anderson CountySee the spots →

Anderson County water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, sunfish.

Conditions

Anderson County lake levels and trout stocking

Lake conditionsNorris Lake level todayTVA’s current reading and the Norris Dam generation schedule.Open →Lake conditionsMelton Hill Lake level todayTVA’s current reading and the Melton Hill Dam generation schedule.Open →TroutTrout stocking in Anderson CountyTWRA stocks Norris Tailwater / Clinch River. Dates are on the stocking schedule.Open →

Statewide limits: 5 black bass, 15 crappie at 10 inches, 2 stripers at 15 inches, 7 trout.

About this list

Where the Anderson County access list comes from

The 16 access points above come from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s public access database, which is why each one names the agency that owns or manages it. A state or TVA ramp is usually free. A Corps of Engineers site, a state park ramp or a marina often is not.

The waters, species and local notes are researched separately, county by county, against TWRA’s own reservoir pages, TVA, the US Army Corps of Engineers and Tennessee State Parks.

Ramps close for repairs, gravel roads wash out and regulations change. Treat anything here as a starting point and call ahead if you are driving a long way for it.

By town instead

Towns near Anderson County

These pages measure from the middle of town rather than the county line, which is usually the number you actually care about.

24 access points within 30 milesFishing near Oak RidgeFort Loudoun Lake, Watts Bar LakeSee the spots →

3 public fishing piers in Anderson County, no boat needed.

Keep looking

Counties next to Anderson

Fish do not respect county lines. These are the nearest counties to Anderson with public water of their own. Each one opens its own page.

Next county overCampbell CountyNorris LakeSee the spots →Next county overUnion CountyNorris LakeSee the spots →Next county overKnox CountyFort Loudoun Lake, French Broad RiverSee the spots →Next county overScott CountyNew River, Huntsville LakeSee the spots →Next county overBlount CountyFort Loudoun Lake, Little RiverSee the spots →

Keep going

More Anderson 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

Weather alerts, power outages and road closures in Anderson County right now: Anderson County conditions.