West Tennessee · County seat Paris

Fishing in Henry County, Tennessee

Kentucky Lake, Big Sandy River arm, West Sandy. Where to launch, where to fish from the bank, and where to buy what you forgot.

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

Every public access point

Fishing access in Henry County

16 public access points in Henry County: 14 boat launches, 5 fishing piers 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.

Kentucky Lake 15 in Henry County

Other water in the county 1 in Henry County

Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFWSBennett’s Creek Boat Ramp1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.37542, -88.03178

What to bring

What to bring fishing in Henry 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

Henry County at a glance

Henry County boat ramps and fishing access

Henry County has 16 public fishing access points: 14 boat ramps, 5 fishing piers and 2 marinas, on 1 lake or river.

14boat ramps

5fishing piers

2marinas

1lake, river or creek

The big water in Henry

Main fishing waters in Henry County

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

reservoir · TVA’s largest reservoir, 160,000+ acres total with over 2,000 miles of shoreline;…

Kentucky Lake

Bassmaster has called Kentucky Lake the crappie capital of America, and the Henry County reach, Paris Landing, the Big Sandy arm, Blood River and West Sandy, is the heart of that fishery. Ledge fishing over submerged ditches, creeks, islands and roadbeds in 6-14 ft is the defining technique.

crappie (white and black)largemouthsmallmouthspotted bass

reservoir arm · major Kentucky Lake tributary embayment · TVA / USFWS (Tennessee NWR Big Sandy…

Big Sandy River arm

Prime post-spawn ledge and stumpfield water.

crappielargemouthcatfishbluegill

reservoir arm / refuge unit · Tennessee NWR · USFWS

West Sandy

Refuge-managed water with seasonal closures.

crappiebasscatfish

What it looks like

Henry County water

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

Kentucky LakeOpen the Kentucky Lake page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domain

Reelfoot LakeOpen the Reelfoot Lake page →User:JeremyA / CC BY-SA 2.5

Mississippi RiverOpen the Mississippi River page →Ceptember / CC BY-SA 4.0

Pickwick LakeOpen the Pickwick Lake page →Kbh3rd / CC BY-SA 3.0

Obion RiverOpen the Obion River page →David.k.hochreiter / CC BY-SA 3.0

Forked Deer RiverOpen the Forked Deer River page →Malepheasant at en.wikipedia / Public domain

The ones nobody writes about

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

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

embayment · Kentucky Lake arm near Paris Landing

Eagle Creek

Boat ramp access, a classic spring crappie embayment.

crappielargemouthbluegill

embayment · Kentucky Lake arm

Cypress Creek

Served by Cypress Bay Resort on Cherry Island Road.

crappielargemouthcatfish

creek/embayment · river mile 71

Bennett’s Creek

One-lane USFWS ramp, one of the quietest accesses in the county.

crappiecatfishbass

creek/embayment · Tennessee NWR

Swamp Creek

Reached via Hwy 79N, Oak Grove South, Elkhorn Nobles Rd, Swayne Rd, Swamp Creek Rd, a genuinely obscure refuge access.

crappiecatfishbass

peninsula/embayment · Tennessee NWR Big Sandy Unit

Britton Ford

Two-lane refuge ramp off Old Springville Rd.

crappiebasscatfish

borrow pit / embayment · WMA and private land

Gravel Pit

Two-lane ramp with canoe access off Lakeview Manor Rd.

bassbreamcatfish

No boat, or your own boat

Bank fishing and launching in Henry County

Fishing from the bank in Henry County

Paris Landing State Park, fishing pier plus extensive public shoreline and the Hwy 79 causeway area, the county’s primary no-boat option; Springville Pumphouse fishing pier (TWRA); Pleasant View Resort fishing pier; Mansard Island pier; Buchanan Resort pier; Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge shorelines at Britton Ford and Swamp Creek, subject to refuge hours and seasonal closures.

Getting a boat on the water in Henry County

Paris Landing State Park Marina is the anchor, slips, fuel, bait, rental boats and a three-lane ramp. Cypress Bay Marina & Resort, 110 Cypress Resort Loop, Buchanan, 731-232-8221. Pleasant View Resort & Marina, 289 Pleasant View Resort Road, Springville, 731-593-5511.

Big Eagle and Mansard Island also operate as marinas. Kentucky Lake here is big, open water that builds a serious chop in wind. Land Between the Lakes NRA sits immediately east across the Hwy 79 bridge in Stewart County.

Two different trips

Visiting Henry County versus fishing it like a local

Where visitors get pointed in Henry County

Paris Landing State Park (lodge, marina, golf, camping); the Hwy 79 Kentucky Lake bridge and causeway; Land Between the Lakes just across the county line; Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge Big Sandy Unit; the town of Paris and its World’s Biggest Fish Fry.

Where Henry County locals actually go

Britton Ford and Swamp Creek on the Tennessee NWR Big Sandy Unit, refuge ramps that see a fraction of the traffic of Paris Landing; Bennett’s Creek at river mile 71; Port Road; the Gravel Pit access off Lakeview Manor Road; Springville Pumphouse.

Rules and record fish

Limits and records for Henry County water

Creel and length limits in Henry County

Kentucky Lake, crappie 20 per day at a 10 in minimum (double the statewide crappie creel); black bass 5 per day with a 15 in minimum; white bass 15 per day; catfish unlimited under 34 in with only one over. A reciprocal fishing agreement exists between Tennessee and Kentucky waters on Kentucky Lake. Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge units carry their own seasonal closures and hours.

State record fish from Henry County water

Three Tennessee state records come from Kentucky Reservoir with no county recorded: chain pickerel, 7 lb 7 oz, Burke Williams, 2 February 1991; flier, 8 oz, Craig Ellis, 8 June 2001; golden shiner, 1 lb 0.05 oz, Joseph Wayne Dennie, 13 April 2016. Kentucky Lake borders nine Tennessee counties.

14 public boat launches in Henry County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Questions people actually ask

Henry County fishing questions

Where can I fish from the bank in Henry County?

Paris Landing State Park, fishing pier plus extensive public shoreline and the Hwy 79 causeway area, the county’s primary no-boat option. Also springville pumphouse fishing pier (twra), and pleasant view resort fishing pier. Henry County has 5 public fishing piers listed in TWRA’s access database.

How many public boat ramps are in Henry County?

TWRA’s access database lists 14 boat launches in Henry County, plus 2 marinas. Most of them are on Kentucky Lake. Every one is listed further up this page with its owner and lane count.

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

The main species across Henry County water are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, bluegill, striped bass, sauger and catfish. 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 Henry 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 Henry County, but it is worth knowing before you drive to a tailwater elsewhere in the state.

What are the creel limits in Henry County?

Kentucky Lake, crappie 20 per day at a 10 in minimum (double the statewide crappie creel); black bass 5 per day with a 15 in minimum; white bass 15 per day; catfish unlimited under 34 in with only one over. A reciprocal fishing agreement exists between Tennessee and Kentucky waters on Kentucky Lake Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge units carry their own seasonal closures and hours Always check the current TWRA guide before you keep anything, because water-specific exceptions change.

Where can I buy bait and tackle in Henry County?

Cypress Bay Marina & Resort, 110 Cypress Resort Loop, Buchanan, 731-232-8221, bait, ice, snacks and lake supplies on site. There is a fuller list on the Henry County gear page, including anywhere renting boats or kayaks and the nearest big-box store.

Where do locals fish in Henry County?

Britton Ford and Swamp Creek on the Tennessee NWR Big Sandy Unit, refuge ramps that see a fraction of the traffic of Paris Landing. Bennett’s Creek at river mile 71. Port Road.

The water itself

Lakes and rivers in Henry County

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

LakeKentucky Lake15 access points in Henry County, 86 in totalSee the spots →

Henry County water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie.

Conditions

Henry County lake levels and trout stocking

Lake conditionsKentucky Lake level todayTVA’s current reading and the Kentucky Dam generation schedule.Open →TroutTrout stocking in Henry CountyTWRA stocks Paris City Park. 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 Henry 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 Henry 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 ParisKentucky Lake, Garrett LakeSee the spots →

5 public fishing piers in Henry County, no boat needed.

Keep looking

Counties next to Henry

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

Next county overStewart CountyLake Barkley, Kentucky LakeSee the spots →Next county overBenton CountyKentucky Lake, Ky. ReservoirSee the spots →Next county overHouston CountyKentucky Lake / Tennessee River, Cumberland River / Lake BarkleySee the spots →Next county overWeakley CountyGarrett LakeSee the spots →Next county overHumphreys CountyKentucky Lake, Duck RiverSee the spots →

Keep going

More Henry 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 Henry County right now: Henry County conditions.