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Putnam County, Tennessee

Where to Buy or Rent Fishing Gear in Putnam County

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

What to bring

Tackle for Putnam 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 Putnam County

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

Sparta · about 12 milesZorro Bait CoLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.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 →Granville · about 18 milesWildwood Resort and MarinaMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →Gainesboro · about 19 milesGranville MarinaMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →Crossville · about 28 milesMeadow Park Lake park officeLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →McMinnville · about 30 milesWalmart SupercenterOpen late, sells licences at the counter, and carries terminal tackle and line.Directions and phone →McMinnville · about 31 milesOutdoor Shop IncSporting goods. Rods, reels, line and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Hartsville · about 40 milesWalmart SupercenterOpen late, sells licences at the counter, and carries terminal tackle and line.Directions and phone →Jamestown · about 42 milesHall’s Sports and OutdoorsSporting goods. Rods, reels, line and a licence counter.Directions and phone →

Buy it at the ramp

Marinas and bait at the water in Putnam County

Access points in Putnam 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 out of 5facilitiesMarinaCookeville Boat DockCenter Hill LakeDirections and detail →36.00098, -85.65218Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityCane Creek ParkCane Creek Lake1 ramp, 1 lanefishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalstrolling motors onlyDirections and detail →36.16188, -85.54176

The big stores

Chain stores near Putnam County

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

Cookeville, 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 Putnam County

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

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

All license prices and rules

Gear questions

Buying and renting gear in Putnam County

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

Where can I buy bait and tackle in Putnam County?

Cookeville is the retail centre for the whole upper Cumberland and has full big-box and sporting goods retail, which is the honest answer for this county, a visitor to Center Hill, Cordell Hull or Dale Hollow will generally stock up here.There is a fuller list on the Putnam County gear page, including anywhere renting boats or kayaks and the nearest big-box store.

Can I buy a fishing license in Putnam County?

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

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

What it looks like

What Putnam County water looks like

The lakes and rivers you are buying gear for.

Center Hill Lake, TennesseeCenter Hill LakeOpen the Center Hill Lake page →Tyler White / Public domainCaney Fork River, TennesseeCaney Fork RiverOpen the Caney Fork River page →U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not s / Public domainCordell Hull Lake, TennesseeCordell Hull LakeOpen the Cordell Hull Lake page →United States Army Corps of Engineers image / Public domain
Falling Water River, Tennessee
Falling Water River, TennesseeBrian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0
Old Hickory Lake, TennesseeOld Hickory LakeOpen the Old Hickory Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Cumberland River, TennesseeCumberland RiverOpen the Cumberland River page →U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not s / Public domain

5 public boat launches in Putnam County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Where to fish it

Now find the water in Putnam County

Got what you need? The Putnam 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.

Putnam County fishing spotsBack to the county page

Keep going

More Putnam 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