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Knox County, Tennessee

Where to Buy or Rent Fishing Gear in Knox County

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

What to bring

Tackle for Knox 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 Knox County

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

Knoxville · about 5 milesSmitty’s Bait and TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Knoxville · about 5 milesBig Fish OutfittersFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Louisville · about 6 milesDunmore Bait & TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Knoxville · about 7 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Lenoir City · about 18 milesLane’s Landing Bait & TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Andersonville · about 20 milesBuffalo Creek Outdoor EtcSporting goods. Rods, reels, line and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Townsend · about 21 milesLittle River OutfittersFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Maynardville · about 25 milesBeach Island Resort & MarinaMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →Jefferson City · about 31 milesCherokee Bait & TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →

Buy it at the ramp

Marinas and bait at the water in Knox County

Access points in Knox 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 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaChoto MarinaFort Loudoun Lake1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsDirections and detail →35.81570, -84.14420Free4 out of 5facilitiesMarina · CountyConcord MarinaFort Loudoun Lake1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsDirections and detail →35.86600, -84.13060Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaConcord Yacht ClubFort Loudoun LakeDirections and detail →35.84876, -84.15118Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaVolunteer Landing MarinaFort Loudoun LakeDirections and detail →35.96103, -83.91202Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaWillow Point MarinaFort Loudoun LakeDirections and detail →35.87340, -83.94360Launch fee4 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaFox Road MarinaFort Loudoun LakeKingston Pike to Fox Rd1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsDirections and detail →35.87550, -84.11580

The big stores

Chain stores near Knox County

You do not have to drive far for a full tackle wall. Distances here are straight line, so the drive is longer.

Knoxville, TennesseeAcademy 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 Knox County

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

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

All license prices and rules

Gear questions

Buying and renting gear in Knox County

Do I need a fishing license to fish in Knox 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 Knox 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 Knox County, but it is worth knowing before you drive to a tailwater elsewhere in the state.

Where can I buy bait and tackle in Knox County?

Academy Sports + Outdoors, 6574 Clinton Hwy, Knoxville TN 37912, (865) 895-9230. There is a fuller list on the Knox County gear page, including anywhere renting boats or kayaks and the nearest big-box store.

Can I buy a fishing license in Knox County?

Yes. County clerks, most Walmart stores and licensed agents in Knox 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 Knox County?

No. Knox County has 2 public fishing piers and bank access at several of its parks and river crossings.

What it looks like

What Knox County water looks like

The lakes and rivers you are buying gear for.

Fort Loudoun Lake, TennesseeFort Loudoun LakeOpen the Fort Loudoun Lake page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domainFrench Broad River, TennesseeFrench Broad RiverOpen the French Broad River page →Pollinator at en.wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0Holston River, TennesseeHolston RiverOpen the Holston River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Melton Hill Lake, TennesseeMelton Hill LakeOpen the Melton Hill Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domainNorris 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 2.0

11 public boat launches in Knox County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Where to fish it

Now find the water in Knox County

Got what you need? The Knox 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.

Knox County fishing spotsBack to the county page

Keep going

More Knox 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