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East Tennessee · County seat Elizabethton

Fishing in Carter County, Tennessee

Watauga Lake, Watauga River (below Wilbur Dam), Doe River. Where to launch, where to fish from the bank, and where to buy what you forgot.

Find fishing spots18 public access pointsFind gear & baitBait shops, tackle, rentals, licences

Every public access point

Fishing access in Carter County

18 public access points in Carter County: 10 boat launches, 1 fishing pier, 6 designated fishing sites and 2 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.

Watauga Lake 6 in Carter County

Launch fee5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSRat Branch (Bay View)1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.30486, -82.11890Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAButler Ramp1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.35499, -82.02841Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAWatauga Dam Access1 ramp, 1 laneaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.32104, -82.11715Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaWatauga Lakeshores Marina1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.31250, -82.09850Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaFish Springs MarinaDirections and detail →36.32061, -82.06500Fee not listed1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TDECWatauga Bluffscanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.36500, -82.29800

Watagua 1 in Carter County

Launch fee4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSLittle Milligan1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.32490, -82.00211

Watauga River 7 in Carter County

Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRABlevins Bend210 Blevins Rd, Johnson City, TN 376011 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.33402, -82.27062Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAHunter Bridge1699 Broad St, Elizabethton, TN 376431 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.36789, -82.16873Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityLovers Lane Access335 Lovers Ln, Elizabethton, TN1 ramp, 1 laneaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.35651, -82.22340Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAWagner Rd100 Wagner Rd, Watauga, TN 376941 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.36967, -82.29790Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAWilbur Dam Access1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.34104, -82.12702Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · CityCherokee City Parkrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.35500, -82.20650Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TDECSycamore Shoals State Parkaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.34447, -82.25122

Wilbur Reservoir 1 in Carter County

Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAWilbur Reservoir Boat Ramp1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.33747, -82.12155

Doe River 3 in Carter County

Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · CountyGreen River LandingDirections and detail →36.27769, -82.17816Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · CountyHappy Trails AccessDirections and detail →36.20663, -82.10493Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TDECRoan Mountain State ParkI-26 to US 321 to US 19E to Hwy. 143restroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.17768, -82.07934

What to bring

What to bring fishing in Carter 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 checklistWalleye and Sauger checklistTrout checklistFish Finders comparedTrolling Motors comparedLithium Marine Batteries comparedShallow Water Anchors compared

Carter County at a glance

Carter County boat ramps and fishing access

Carter County has 18 public fishing access points: 10 boat ramps, 1 fishing pier and 2 marinas, on 5 lakes, rivers and creeks.

10boat ramps
1fishing pier
2marinas
5lakes, rivers and creeks

The big water in Carter

Main fishing waters in Carter County

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

reservoir · 6,430 ac, ~106 mi shoreline (Carter and Johnson) · TVA (1948); adjoins Cherokee…

Watauga Lake

One of the clearest and coldest big lakes in Tennessee and the only one holding a genuine lake trout fishery; fish attractors include brush piles, stake beds and planted cypress, and drawdown reaches 44 ft.

smallmouthrainbowbrown and lake troutwalleye
tailwater · 18 mi before entering Boone Lake · TVA operates the dam, TWRA manages the fishery

Watauga River (below Wilbur Dam)

Water stays 40–65°F year-round and migratory browns run up from Boone; a Quality Trout Fishing Area from Smallings bridge down to the CSX railroad bridges is artificial-lures-only with a 14″ minimum and a two-trout creel.

wild brown troutrainbow
river · rises on Roan Mountain and joins the Watauga at Elizabethton · TWRA; TDEC in Roan…

Doe River

Heavily stocked along its whole length, TWRA lists 24 separate stocking points on the upper river alone, many inside Roan Mountain State Park.

stocked rainbow trout

What it looks like

Carter County water

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

Watauga River, TennesseeWatauga RiverOpen the Watauga River page →Ken Thomas / Public domainWatauga Lake, TennesseeWatauga LakeOpen the Watauga Lake page →Mark Larson from Atlanta, GA / CC BY-SA 2.0Norris Lake, TennesseeNorris LakeOpen the Norris Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Cherokee Lake, TennesseeCherokee LakeOpen the Cherokee Lake page →TVA Web Team / CC BY 2.0Clinch River, TennesseeClinch RiverOpen the Clinch River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0French Broad River, TennesseeFrench Broad RiverOpen the French Broad River page →Pollinator at en.wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0

The ones nobody writes about

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

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

small impoundment · small, between Watauga Dam and Wilbur Dam

Wilbur Lake (Wilbur Reservoir)

A shallow, quiet tailwater pond on Wilbur Dam Rd with two picnic areas and a ramp restricted to non-powered craft only, canoes, kayaks and paddleboards. The county’s best-kept small water.

stocked rainbow trout
creek · small

Stoney Creek

TWRA stocks roughly two dozen separate bridge and roadside points along it, Blue Springs Rd, Bill Lewis Rd, Peters Hollow, Liberty Hollow, Grindstaff Hollow and more. This is the densest stocked-creek network in the county.

stocked rainbow trout
creek · small

Laurel Fork

Five stocking points including the bridge at the Appalachian Trail parking lot and the bridge below the campground; runs through Cherokee National Forest near Hampton.

stocked rainbow trout
river stretch

Doe River (upper), Roan Mountain State Park reach

Stocking points at the welcome center, picnic shelters 1 and 2, campsites 18 and 35, Heaton Creek bridge and Herm Barnett Rd, genuinely walkable, family-friendly trout water.

stocked rainbow trout
river stretch

Doe River (lower), Elizabethton and Hampton reaches

Stocked at the Hwy 19E bridge above City Park, at Doe River Auto Sales, at Valley Forge/Edge Water bridge, and at the J.W. Street and Ralph Hathaway sites in Hampton. Green River Landing and Happy Trails are county-owned access points.

stocked rainbow trout
river stretch

Cherokee City Park, Watauga River

City bank access with restrooms and ADA provision.

troutsmallmouth
river stretch

Watauga Bluffs

A state-owned canoe-capable access on the Watauga.

troutsmallmouth

No boat, or your own boat

Bank fishing and launching in Carter County

Fishing from the bank in Carter County

Blevins Bend on Blevins Rd, a concrete wheelchair-accessible fishing ramp, the first of its kind on the Watauga; Rat Branch’s handicapped-accessible fishing pier on Watauga Lake; Cherokee City Park in Elizabethton (restrooms, ADA); Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area on the Watauga; Roan Mountain State Park along the upper Doe; Green River Landing and Happy Trails on the Doe (county-owned); Watauga Bluffs; Wilbur Lake’s two picnic areas, the upper one with a covered shelter and restrooms; the many stocked roadside bridges on Stoney Creek and Laurel Fork.

Getting a boat on the water in Carter County

Ten public ramps plus one marina. Watauga Lake launches: Rat Branch, Little Milligan, Butler and the dam access. Watauga Lakeshores Marina is the only full-service marina, with bait, fuel and rentals.

The Watauga River below Wilbur is a five-ramp float ladder, Wilbur Dam (put-in), Hunter Bridge, Lovers Lane under the 19E bridge, Blevins, and Wagner Rd/Persinger Bridge (final take-out), and is one of the best-organised drift-boat rivers in the state. Wilbur Lake is non-powered craft only, which makes it excellent quiet paddling water.

Two different trips

Visiting Carter County versus fishing it like a local

Where visitors get pointed in Carter County

Watauga Lake, marketed as one of the cleanest lakes in the country, with the Appalachian Trail along its shore; the Watauga River tailwater as a destination trout float; Roan Mountain State Park; Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area; Wilbur Lake; Cherokee National Forest.

Where Carter County locals actually go

Wilbur Lake, a small TVA tailwater pond on Wilbur Dam Rd, non-powered craft only, stocked with rainbows, with picnic areas and almost no traffic. Stoney Creek’s two dozen stocked bridge crossings, essentially a county-wide roadside trout fishery nobody writes about.

Laurel Fork at the Appalachian Trail parking lot bridge. Green River Landing and Happy Trails on the Doe, both county-owned and unsigned. The upper Doe inside Roan Mountain State Park, where campsites 18 and 35 are themselves stocking points.

Rules and record fish

Limits and records for Carter County water

Creel and length limits in Carter County

Watauga Reservoir, largemouth 12″ min; smallmouth 15″ min; walleye 5/day, 18″ min; trout 7/day with only two lake trout. A walleye-run regulation restricts anglers to one hook from January 1 through April 30 on sections of the Elk River, Doe Creek, Roan Creek and the Watauga River.

Watauga River, a Quality Trout Fishing Area runs from Smallings bridge downstream to the CSX railroad bridges: 14″ minimum, two-trout creel, artificial lures only, bait prohibited; stocked March through December. Elsewhere on the tailwater the standard seven-trout creel applies.

Doe River, Stoney Creek and Laurel Fork are spring-stocked under statewide trout rules with no delayed-harvest season and no daily permit required.

State record fish from Carter County water

State record lake trout, 22 lb 2 oz, Jack Forbes, 3 Jul 2008, Watauga Reservoir. State record Ohrid trout, 14 lb 5 oz, Richard Carter, 28 Mar 1986, Watauga Reservoir, and one of the most unusual records in the country.

Watauga Lake spans Carter and Johnson counties, so the exact county of each catch is unverified, though the bulk of the lake and all the developed access is on the Carter side.

10 public boat launches in Carter County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Questions people actually ask

Carter County fishing questions

Where can I fish from the bank in Carter County?

Blevins Bend on Blevins Rd, a concrete wheelchair-accessible fishing ramp, the first of its kind on the Watauga. Also rat branch’s handicapped-accessible fishing pier on watauga lake, and cherokee city park in elizabethton (restrooms, ada). Carter County has 1 public fishing pier listed in TWRA’s access database.

How many public boat ramps are in Carter County?

TWRA’s access database lists 10 boat launches in Carter County, plus 2 marinas. Most of them are on Watauga River. Every one is listed further up this page with its owner and lane count.

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

The main species across Carter County water are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, rainbow trout, brown trout and lake 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 Carter 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 Carter County, because there is trout water here.

What are the creel limits in Carter County?

Watauga Reservoir, largemouth 12″ min; smallmouth 15″ min; walleye 5/day, 18″ min; trout 7/day with only two lake trout. A walleye-run regulation restricts anglers to one hook from January 1 through April 30 on sections of the Elk River, Doe Creek, Roan Creek and the Watauga River Watauga River, a Quality Trout Fishing Area runs from Smallings bridge downstream to the CSX railroad bridges: 14″ minimum, two-trout creel, artificial lures only, bait prohibited; stocked March through December Always check the current TWRA guide before you keep anything, because water-specific exceptions change.

Where can I buy bait and tackle in Carter County?

Appalachian Outpost, 1432 Broad Street, Elizabethton, TN 37643, (423) 833-1338, appalachianoutposttn.com. Full fly shop with roughly three thousand fly patterns, rods, reels, waders, licences, casting lessons and a 100-ft casting pond. There is a fuller list on the Carter County gear page, including anywhere renting boats or kayaks and the nearest big-box store.

Where do locals fish in Carter County?

Wilbur Lake, a small TVA tailwater pond on Wilbur Dam Rd, non-powered craft only, stocked with rainbows, with picnic areas and almost no traffic. Stoney Creek’s two dozen stocked bridge crossings, essentially a county-wide roadside trout fishery nobody writes about. Laurel Fork at the Appalachian Trail parking lot bridge. Green River Landing and Happy Trails on the Doe, both county-owned and unsigned. The upper Doe inside Roan Mountain State Park, where campsites 18 and 35 are themselves stocking points.

The water itself

Lakes and rivers in Carter County

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

RiverWatauga River7 access points in Carter CountySee the spots →RiverDoe River3 access points in Carter CountySee the spots →LakeWatauga Lake6 access points in Carter County, 7 in totalSee the spots →

Carter County water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, rainbow trout.

Conditions

Carter County lake levels, river levels and trout stocking

Lake conditionsWatauga Lake level todayTVA’s current reading and the Watauga Dam generation schedule.Open →Lake conditionsWilbur Lake level todayTVA’s current reading and the Wilbur Dam generation schedule.Open →River levelsWatauga River level todayUSGS flow, gauge height and the seven-day trend.Open →River levelsDoe River level todayUSGS flow, gauge height and the seven-day trend.Open →TroutTrout stocking in Carter CountyTWRA stocks Doe River, Laurel Fork, Stony Creek and 1 more. 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 Carter County access list comes from

The 18 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 Carter 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 ElizabethtonWatauga River, Watauga LakeSee the spots →

1 public fishing pier in Carter County, no boat needed.

Keep looking

Counties next to Carter

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

Next county overWashington CountyBoone Lake, Nolichucky RiverSee the spots →Next county overSullivan CountySouth Fork Holston River, Boone LakeSee the spots →Next county overJohnson CountyBeaver Dam Creek, Doe CreekSee the spots →Next county overUnicoi CountyNolichucky River, Rocky Fork CreekSee the spots →Next county overGreene CountyNolichucky RiverSee the spots →

Keep going

More Carter 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 Carter County right now: Carter County conditions.