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Jackson County, Tennessee

Where to Buy or Rent Fishing Gear in Jackson County

Bait, tackle, rental boats and licenses in and around Jackson County.

What to bring

Tackle for Jackson County water

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

Closest first

Bait and tackle shops in and near Jackson County

The nearest bait, tackle and marina stores to Jackson County’s water, each with its own page, directions and phone number.

Gainesboro · about 3 milesGranville MarinaMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →Granville · about 8 milesWildwood Resort and MarinaMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →Lancaster · about 17 milesCenter Hill MarinaMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →Hartsville · about 26 milesWalmart SupercenterOpen late, sells licences at the counter, and carries terminal tackle and line.Directions and phone →Sparta · about 32 milesZorro Bait CoLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Gallatin · about 41 milesPoindexter Bait ShopLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Jamestown · about 44 milesHall’s Sports and OutdoorsSporting goods. Rods, reels, line and a licence counter.Directions and phone →McMinnville · about 45 milesWalmart SupercenterOpen late, sells licences at the counter, and carries terminal tackle and line.Directions and phone →

Buy it at the ramp

Marinas and bait at the water in Jackson County

Access points in Jackson County that TWRA records as carrying bait, rentals or marina services. Buying where you launch is the cheapest way to avoid a wasted trip.

Free4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaGranville MarinaCordell Hull Lake1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.25540, -85.80080

The big stores

Chain stores near Jackson County

The closest full tackle wall to Jackson County is the Academy in Cookeville, about 17 miles from Gainesboro. Distances here are straight line, so the drive is longer. The rest below are the next nearest, each with a map link.

Cookeville · about 17 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Open in maps →Mt Juliet · about 46 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Open in maps →Murfreesboro · about 51 milesSportsman’s WarehouseChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Open in maps →Smyrna · about 52 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Open in maps →

Before you cast

Buying a Tennessee fishing license in Jackson County

Buy online at gooutdoorstennessee.com and the license is on your phone in a minute, nothing is mailed. Over the counter, the Jackson County Clerk in Gainesboro sells them, along with most Walmart stores and licensed agents in the county.

Anyone 13 and over needs a license to fish Jackson County water, and under 13 is free. If you live in Jackson County, the $10 county-of-residence license covers you on Jackson County water, though not for trout.

All license prices and rules

Gear questions

Buying and renting gear in Jackson County

Do I need a fishing license to fish in Jackson 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.

Does my Tennessee license cover trout in Jackson 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 Jackson County, but it is worth knowing before you drive to a tailwater elsewhere in the state.

Where can I buy bait and tackle in Jackson County?

Granville Marina (camping, fuel, bait available in proximity per TWRA). There is a fuller list on the Jackson County gear page, including anywhere renting boats or kayaks and the nearest big-box store.

Can I buy a fishing license in Jackson County?

Yes. County clerks, most Walmart stores and licensed agents in Jackson County sell them over the counter, and gooutdoorstennessee.com sells them 24 hours a day. The license is digital or printable, nothing is mailed.

Do I need a boat to fish Jackson County?

Not necessarily, though Jackson County is short on developed bank access. The fishing spots page lists every road crossing and park shoreline that is genuinely public.

What it looks like

What Jackson County water looks like

The lakes and rivers you are buying gear for.

Cordell Hull Lake, TennesseeCordell Hull LakeOpen the Cordell Hull Lake page →United States Army Corps of Engineers image / Public domainCumberland River, TennesseeCumberland RiverOpen the Cumberland River page →U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not s / Public domainCenter Hill Lake, TennesseeCenter Hill LakeOpen the Center Hill Lake page →Tyler White / Public domainOld Hickory Lake, TennesseeOld Hickory LakeOpen the Old Hickory Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Duck River, TennesseeDuck RiverOpen the Duck River page →SBaker43 / CC BY-SA 3.0Tims Ford Lake, TennesseeTims Ford LakeOpen the Tims Ford Lake page →Geobeedude / CC BY-SA 3.0

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

Where to fish it

Now find the water in Jackson County

Got what you need? The Jackson County fishing spots page has every ramp, pier, creek and lake in the county, with directions to each one and the limits that apply on it.

Jackson County fishing spotsBack to the county page

Keep going

More Jackson 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