95 Counties · 1,002 Public Access Points · 78 Lakes and RiversTennessee state record fish
Tennessee Fishing SpotsEvery County, Every Town
Spot SearchGear SearchLakes & RiversFishAll Fishing SpotsCountiesTownsGuides & ChartersTournamentsState RecordsLicence & LimitsEmail Updates

Meigs County, Tennessee

Where to Buy or Rent Fishing Gear in Meigs County

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

What to bring

Tackle for Meigs 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 Meigs County

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

Cleveland · about 20 milesFishTales Bait and TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Soddy-Daisy · about 28 milesHog Farmer Bait CompanyLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Crossville · about 30 milesMeadow Park Lake park officeLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Tellico Plains · about 32 milesTellico OutfittersFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Hixson · about 34 milesTalkin’ Tackle Outfitter & LodgeFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Lenoir City · about 37 milesLane’s Landing Bait & TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Chattanooga · about 37 milesJack’s Bait & Tackle ShopLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Chattanooga · about 38 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Directions and phone →East Ridge · about 42 milesBass Pro ShopsFull outdoor superstore. Rods, reels, boats, licences and a tackle wall.Directions and phone →

Buy it at the ramp

Marinas and bait at the water in Meigs County

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

Fee not listed1.5 out of 5facilitiesMarinaAgency Creek Campground MarinaChickamauga Lake1 rampDirections and detail →35.37439, -84.90696Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · MarinaEuchee MarinaWatts Bar Lake1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.68277, -84.71234

The big stores

Chain stores near Meigs County

The closest full tackle wall to Meigs County is the Academy in Hixson, about 30 miles from Decatur. Distances here are straight line, so the drive is longer. The rest below are the next nearest, each with a map link.

Hixson · about 30 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Open in maps →Chattanooga · about 42 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Open in maps →Chattanooga · about 42 milesBass Pro ShopsFull outdoor superstore. Rods, reels, boats, licences and a tackle wall.Open in maps →Chattanooga · about 42 milesSportsman’s WarehouseChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Open in maps →

Before you cast

Buying a Tennessee fishing license in Meigs County

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

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

All license prices and rules

Gear questions

Buying and renting gear in Meigs County

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

Where can I buy bait and tackle in Meigs County?

No tackle or bait shop verified in Meigs County, this is a county where less than 0.1% of residents live in an urban area and Decatur has about 1,560 people, so do not assume one exists. Nearest: Walmart in Athens (~25 min east) or Dayton (~20 min west). There is a fuller list on the Meigs County gear page, including anywhere renting boats or kayaks and the nearest big-box store.

Can I buy a fishing license in Meigs County?

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

No. Meigs County has 1 public fishing pier and bank access at several of its parks and river crossings.

What it looks like

What Meigs County water looks like

The lakes and rivers you are buying gear for.

Chickamauga Lake, TennesseeChickamauga LakeOpen the Chickamauga Lake page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domainWatts Bar Lake, TennesseeWatts Bar LakeOpen the Watts Bar Lake page →ChristopherM / CC BY 2.5Hiwassee River, TennesseeHiwassee RiverOpen the Hiwassee River page →ChristopherM at English Wikipedia / CC BY 2.5Norris 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 2.0Watauga Lake, TennesseeWatauga LakeOpen the Watauga Lake page →Mark Larson from Atlanta, GA / CC BY-SA 2.0

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

Where to fish it

Now find the water in Meigs County

Got what you need? The Meigs 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.

Meigs County fishing spotsBack to the county page

Keep going

More Meigs 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