East Tennessee · County seat Crossville

Fishing in Cumberland County, Tennessee

Q: Where can I buy bait and tackle in Cumberland County?

Meadow Park Lake park office doubles as a bait shop — 931-788-2034 (City of Crossville Leisure Services). Tansi Bait Shop, Crossville (Lake Tansi area) — listed in directories. Walmart Supercenter, Crossville (Store 687) sells tackle, bait and fishing licenses. Nearest Academy Sports: Cookeville (~35 min). Nearest Bass Pro: Sevierville or Nashville, roughly 2 hours either way.. There is a fuller list on the Cumberland County gear page, including anywhere renting boats or kayaks and the nearest big-box store.

Meadow Park Lake. Where to launch, where to fish from the bank, and where to buy what you forgot.

Find fishing spots2 public access points Find gear & baitBait shops, tackle, rentals, licences

Every public access point

Fishing access in Cumberland County

2 public access points in Cumberland County: 1 boat launch, 2 fishing piers and 1 designated fishing site. 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.

Meadow Park Lake 1 in Cumberland County

Launch fee5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityMeadow Park Lake1 ramp, 1 lanefishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.90196, -85.09644

Bryd Lake 1 in Cumberland County

Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TDECCumberland Mountain State Parkfishing pierrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingtrolling motors onlyDirections and detail →35.89856, -85.00049

What to bring

What to bring fishing in Cumberland 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 checklist Crappie checklist Bluegill and Panfish checklist Fish Finders compared Trolling Motors compared Lithium Marine Batteries compared Shallow Water Anchors compared

Cumberland County at a glance

Cumberland County boat ramps and fishing access

Cumberland County has 2 public fishing access points: 1 boat ramp and 2 fishing piers, on 2 lakes, rivers and creeks.

1boat ramp

2fishing piers

2lakes, rivers and creeks

The big water in Cumberland

Main fishing waters in Cumberland County

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

municipal impoundment · approx. 269 surface acres, 2–24 ft deep · City of Crossville Leisure…

Meadow Park Lake

The largest genuinely public lake in the county and the one most locals fish; a $5 daily permit covers motorized boats and non-motorized launching is free.

largemouth basscatfishcrappiebream

What it looks like

Cumberland County water

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

Norris LakeOpen the Norris Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Cherokee LakeOpen the Cherokee Lake page →TVA Web Team / CC BY 2.0

Watauga LakeOpen the Watauga Lake page →Mark Larson from Atlanta, GA / CC BY-SA 2.0

Clinch RiverOpen the Clinch River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

French Broad RiverOpen the French Broad River page →Pollinator at en.wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0

Hiwassee RiverOpen the Hiwassee River page →ChristopherM at English Wikipedia / CC BY 2.5

The ones nobody writes about

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

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

state park lake · approx. 50 acres

Byrd Lake

Impounded by the CCC-built Byrd Creek Dam (1935–38), the largest masonry project the CCC ever completed; it is on TWRA’s winter rainbow trout stocking list, which makes it a genuine cold-season option on the plateau.

largemouth bassbluegillcatfish

small impoundment

Lake Holiday

Small plateau lake near Crossville; public access status not confirmed.

largemouth bassbreamcatfish

impoundment

Lake Tansi

Treat as private/POA-controlled unless the client confirms otherwise, it sits inside a residential resort development.

bassbreamcrappie

creek

Daddys Creek

Tributary of the Obed with its own gorge; note the precautionary fish consumption advisory below.

smallmouthrock bass

creeks and small ponds

Catoosa WMA waters (Cumberland/Morgan/Fentress)

Seasonal access closures tied to hunting seasons.

sunfishbass

No boat, or your own boat

Bank fishing and launching in Cumberland County

Fishing from the bank in Cumberland County

Meadow Park Lake fishing pier and shoreline (open park hours); Byrd Lake shoreline and dam area at Cumberland Mountain State Park; Obed River access at the US-70 crossing between downtown Crossville and the airport, the US-127 crossing, and the SR-298 (Genesis Road) crossing; Nemo Picnic Area and Rock Creek Campground (NPS, Morgan Co. side but the standard Obed access)

Getting a boat on the water in Cumberland County

Trailered boating is limited to Meadow Park Lake and Byrd Lake. Meadow Park prohibits skiing, towing, tubing and jet skis, and rents canoes and kayaks seasonally (Memorial Day through Oct 30, 2-hour minimum). Byrd Lake is paddle/electric water.

The Obed, Daddys Creek and Clear Creek are nationally known whitewater paddling runs at high flow, Class III–IV, not fishing floats, and dangerous for anglers who misjudge them.

Two different trips

Visiting Cumberland County versus fishing it like a local

Where visitors get pointed in Cumberland County

Cumberland Mountain State Park (Byrd Lake, cabins, campground, CCC dam, restaurant); Obed Wild and Scenic River (NPS visitor center at 208 North Maiden St., Wartburg, Morgan Co.); Meadow Park Lake and Campground; Cumberland Trail State Scenic Trail

Where Cumberland County locals actually go

The Byrd Lake dam pool and the upper Byrd Creek arm above the lake; the Obed at the Genesis Road (SR-298) crossing, which gets a fraction of the traffic the US-70 bridge does; Daddys Creek at Devil’s Breakfast Table (a known local swimming and fishing hole, subject to the advisory below)

Rules and record fish

Limits and records for Cumberland County water

Creel and length limits in Cumberland County

A precautionary fish consumption advisory is in effect on Daddys Creek, with an extended advisory on the downstream Emory River, the NPS posts this and it should be stated plainly on any Obed page. Catoosa WMA has seasonal access closures.

1 public boat launches in Cumberland County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Questions people actually ask

Cumberland County fishing questions

Where can I fish from the bank in Cumberland County?

Meadow Park Lake fishing pier and shoreline (open park hours). Also byrd lake shoreline and dam area at cumberland mountain state park, and obed river access at the us-70 crossing between downtown crossville and the airport, the us-127 crossing, and the sr-298 (genesis road) crossing. Cumberland County has 2 public fishing piers listed in TWRA’s access database.

How many public boat ramps are in Cumberland County?

TWRA’s access database lists 1 boat launch in Cumberland County. Most of them are on Bryd Lake. Every one is listed further up this page with its owner and lane count.

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

The main species across Cumberland County water are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, rock bass, catfish and rainbow 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 Cumberland 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 Cumberland County, because there is trout water here.

What are the creel limits in Cumberland County?

Byrd Lake at Cumberland Mountain State Park is on TWRA’s winter rainbow trout stocking schedule, trout regulations and a trout licence requirement apply there seasonally. Meadow Park Lake is a city water with its own permit structure ($5/day motorized, free non-motorized) on top of the state fishing licence A precautionary fish consumption advisory is in effect on Daddys Creek, with an extended advisory on the downstream Emory River, the NPS posts this and it should be stated plainly on any Obed page Always check the current TWRA guide before you keep anything, because water-specific exceptions change.

Where can I buy bait and tackle in Cumberland County?

Meadow Park Lake park office doubles as a bait shop, 931-788-2034 (City of Crossville Leisure Services). Tansi Bait Shop, Crossville (Lake Tansi area), listed in directories. Walmart Supercenter, Crossville (Store 687) sells tackle, bait and fishing licenses. Nearest Academy Sports: Cookeville (~35 min). Nearest Bass Pro: Sevierville or Nashville, roughly 2 hours either way.. There is a fuller list on the Cumberland County gear page, including anywhere renting boats or kayaks and the nearest big-box store.

Where do locals fish in Cumberland County?

The Byrd Lake dam pool and the upper Byrd Creek arm above the lake. the Obed at the Genesis Road (SR-298) crossing, which gets a fraction of the traffic the US-70 bridge does. Daddys Creek at Devil’s Breakfast Table (a known local swimming and fishing hole, subject to the advisory below).

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

Conditions

Cumberland County river levels and trout stocking

River levelsObed River level todayUSGS flow, gauge height and the seven-day trend.Open →River levelsDaddys Creek level todayUSGS flow, gauge height and the seven-day trend.Open →TroutTrout stocking in Cumberland CountyTWRA stocks Cumberland Mountain State Park, Sequatchie 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 Cumberland County access list comes from

The 2 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 Cumberland 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 CrossvilleWatts Bar Lake, Clear CreekSee the spots →

2 public fishing piers in Cumberland County, no boat needed.

Keep looking

Counties next to Cumberland

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

Next county overRhea CountyWatts Bar Lake, Chickamauga LakeSee the spots →Next county overBledsoe CountySequatchie RiverSee the spots →Next county overMorgan CountyClear Creek, Emory RiverSee the spots →Next county overRoane CountyWatts Bar Lake, Clinch RiverSee the spots →Next county overVan Buren CountyGreat Falls LakeSee the spots →

Keep going

More Cumberland 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 water Licence and limits

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