East Tennessee · County seat Madisonville

Fishing in Monroe County, Tennessee

Q: Where do locals fish in Monroe County?

Citico Creek — deliberately overshadowed by the Tellico next door, stocked weekly, and with a wilderness upper drainage most anglers never walk into. The North River and Bald River wild-trout water above the stocked reaches. Green Cove Pond, if you or someone you are taking qualifies. Notchy Creek and Ball Play Creek embayments on Tellico Lake. Smoky Branch and Harrison Branch ramps, which stay quiet compared to Vonore.

Tellico Reservoir, Tellico River, Chilhowee Reservoir. Where to launch, where to fish from the bank, and where to buy what you forgot.

Find fishing spots8 public access points Find gear & baitBait shops, tackle, rentals, licences

Every public access point

Fishing access in Monroe County

8 public access points in Monroe County: 7 boat launches, 2 fishing piers and 1 marina. 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.

Tellico Lake 7 in Monroe County

Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaTellico Marina2 ramps, 2 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingtrolling motors onlyDirections and detail →35.60570, -84.19730 Launch fee5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TRDAToqua CampgroundHWY 360 approximately 3 miles out of Vonore1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →35.56180, -84.19220 Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · OtherBallplay Creek Access Area1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.52010, -84.19290 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · OtherCitico1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.53920, -84.08350 Free4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · OtherNotchey Creek1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.54320, -84.23510 Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · OtherToqua1 ramp, More Than 3 lanescanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.56800, -84.19680 Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · OtherVonore Beach Boat Ramp1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.59110, -84.24680

Tellico River 1 in Monroe County

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRABig Creek1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.45700, -84.27290

What to bring

What to bring fishing in Monroe 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

Monroe County at a glance

Monroe County boat ramps and fishing access

Monroe County has 8 public fishing access points: 7 boat ramps, 2 fishing piers and 1 marina, on 2 lakes, rivers and creeks.

7boat ramps

2fishing piers

1marina

2lakes, rivers and creeks

The big water in Monroe

Main fishing waters in Monroe County

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

TVA reservoir on the Little Tennessee · 16,056 acres, 373 mi shoreline, impounded 1980, the…

Tellico Lake

It extends 33 miles up the Little Tennessee to Chilhowee Dam and 20 miles up the Tellico River, and it is a cool-water, relatively infertile impoundment because Chilhowee and the Tellico River push cold water into it, so it holds quality-sized largemouth and a strong walleye fishery rather than high fish densities.

largemouthsmallmouthwhite crappiebluegill

free-flowing mountain river, 52.8 mi, rising near McDaniel Bald in Cherokee County NC ·…

Tellico River

Nationally recognised as a premier trout stream and the centre of the county’s fishing identity; the delayed-harvest reach and the Tellico-Citico permit area both sit here, and Bald River Falls is on its main tributary.

rainbowbrown and brook trout; wild trout in the headwaters

reservoir on the Little Tennessee, 1,747 acres, 1957 · shared with Blount County; borders the…

Chilhowee Lake

It is Chilhowee’s cold outflow that makes Tellico a cool-water lake downstream; the yellow perch population here is genuinely unusual for an East Tennessee reservoir.

What it looks like

Monroe County water

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

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

Tellico RiverOpen the Tellico River page →ChristopherM / CC BY 2.5

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

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

No boat, or your own boat

Bank fishing and launching in Monroe County

Fishing from the bank in Monroe County

Green Cove Pond (restricted user groups only). Fort Loudoun State Historic Park, Vonore, 1,200 acres with fishing on Tellico Lake. Tellico Lake WMA units, Chota Refuge, Bacon Bend, McSpadden, McGhee Carson and Wears Bend. Citico Creek road access.

Getting a boat on the water in Monroe County

TVA/TWRA ramps on the Monroe side of Tellico include Vonore, Notchy Creek, Toqua (two), Ballplay, Citico, Tallassee, Big Creek, Harrison Branch and Smoky Branch. Tellico connects to Fort Loudoun Lake by canal at Lenoir City.

Chilhowee is small, deep and cold, kayak and small-boat water with limited ramps. Indian Boundary Lake is electric-motor/paddle water (confirm the current Forest Service rule). The Tellico River itself is not boat water in the trout reach; it is waded.

Two different trips

Visiting Monroe County versus fishing it like a local

Where visitors get pointed in Monroe County

Cherohala Skyway. Bald River Falls. Tellico Plains. Indian Boundary Lake and campground. Fort Loudoun State Historic Park and the Tellico Blockhouse State Historic Site, Vonore. Sequoyah Birthplace Museum. The Lost Sea Adventure at Sweetwater.

The Tellico Trout Festival, held annually in May. Citico Creek Wilderness and Bald River Gorge Wilderness.

Where Monroe County locals actually go

Green Cove Pond, if you or someone you are taking qualifies. Notchy Creek and Ball Play Creek embayments on Tellico Lake. Smoky Branch and Harrison Branch ramps, which stay quiet compared to Vonore.

Rules and record fish

Limits and records for Monroe County water

Creel and length limits in Monroe County

Tellico River Delayed Harvest, from the North River mouth upstream to the state line, catch-and-release only 1 October through 28 February, artificial lures only, possession of bait prohibited. Tellico Reservoir, rainbow trout 7 per day with no minimum length, which is an unusual reservoir trout rule.

Chilhowee, yellow perch 15/day, walleye 16 in minimum, trout 7/day with a maximum of 2 lake trout. TDEC advises against eating catfish from Tellico because of PCB and mercury contamination.

7 public boat launches in Monroe County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Questions people actually ask

Monroe County fishing questions

Where can I fish from the bank in Monroe County?

The Tellico River road (FS-210) parallels the river for miles with continuous pull-off bank and wade access, this is the single best bank-fishing corridor in the county. Bald River Falls parking area. Indian Boundary Lake shoreline and campground. Green Cove Pond (restricted user groups only). Fort Loudoun State Historic Park, Vonore, 1,200 acres with fishing on Tellico Lake. Tellico Lake WMA units, Chota Refuge, Bacon Bend, McSpadden, McGhee Carson and Wears Bend. Citico Creek road access.. Monroe County has 2 public fishing piers listed in TWRA’s access database.

How many public boat ramps are in Monroe County?

TWRA’s access database lists 7 boat launches in Monroe County, plus 1 marina. Most of them are on Tellico Lake. Every one is listed further up this page with its owner and lane count.

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

The main species across Monroe County water are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, walleye 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 Monroe 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 Monroe County, because there is trout water here.

What are the creel limits in Monroe County?

This county has the most complicated rules in the set and the page must get them right. Tellico-Citico Permit Area, Tellico River from the Turkey Creek confluence to the state line, and Citico Creek from the Little Citico confluence to the North/South Fork junction: a permit is required 1 March through 15 August, the area is CLOSED on Thursdays and Fridays during that window, the limit is seven trout with no size limit, and each angler may use only one rod or pole Tellico River Delayed Harvest, from the North River mouth upstream to the state line, catch-and-release only 1 October through 28 February, artifici Always check the current TWRA guide before you keep anything, because water-specific exceptions change.

Where can I buy bait and tackle in Monroe County?

Tellico Outfitters. Fish Skinz Apparel, Tellico Plains. 865 Anglers. Indian Boundary General Store, which sells bait and tackle at the lake. Guided trips: Cody Fischer Guided Fishing Trips. The TWRA Tellico Lake/South Cherokee workbase is at 1111 Hwy 360, Vonore, and the Citico Creek check station at 1663 Citico Road, Vonore, relevant because the permit area check-in happens there. Walmart in Madisonville and Sweetwater for licences. Knoxville (~50 min) for full outdoor retail.. There is a fuller list on the Monroe County gear page, including anywhere renting boats or kayaks and the nearest big-box store.

Where do locals fish in Monroe County?

Citico Creek, deliberately overshadowed by the Tellico next door, stocked weekly, and with a wilderness upper drainage most anglers never walk into. The North River and Bald River wild-trout water above the stocked reaches. Green Cove Pond, if you or someone you are taking qualifies. Notchy Creek and Ball Play Creek embayments on Tellico Lake. Smoky Branch and Harrison Branch ramps, which stay quiet compared to Vonore.

The water itself

Lakes and rivers in Monroe County

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

LakeTellico Lake7 access points in Monroe County, 16 in totalSee the spots →RiverTellico River1 access point in Monroe CountySee the spots →LakeChilhowee Lake2 in totalSee the spots →

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

Conditions

Monroe County lake levels, river levels and trout stocking

Lake conditionsTellico Lake level todayTVA’s current reading and the Tellico Dam generation schedule.Open →River levelsTellico River level todayUSGS flow, gauge height and the seven-day trend.Open →TroutTrout stocking in Monroe CountyTWRA stocks Citico Creek, Green Cove Pond, Tellico River and 2 more. 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 Monroe County access list comes from

The 8 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 Monroe 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 MaryvilleFort Loudoun Lake, Little RiverSee the spots →24 access points within 30 milesFishing near AthensHiwassee River, Chickamauga LakeSee the spots →24 access points within 30 milesFishing near FarragutFort Loudoun Lake, Melton Hill LakeSee the spots →24 access points within 30 milesFishing near KingstonWatts Bar Lake, Clinch RiverSee the spots →

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

Keep looking

Counties next to Monroe

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

Next county overLoudon CountyTellico Lake, Fort Loudoun LakeSee the spots →Next county overBlount CountyFort Loudoun Lake, Little RiverSee the spots →Next county overKnox CountyFort Loudoun Lake, French Broad RiverSee the spots →Next county overRoane CountyWatts Bar Lake, Clinch RiverSee the spots →Next county overPolk CountyHiwassee River, Parksville LakeSee the spots →

Keep going

More Monroe 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 Monroe County right now: Monroe County conditions.