Middle Tennessee · County seat Gallatin

Fishing in Sumner County, Tennessee

Q: Where can I buy bait and tackle in Sumner County?

- Poindexter Bait Shop, 1380 S Water Ave, Gallatin — (615) 452-7550. - Flippers Bait & Tackle, 200 Odoms Bend Rd, Gallatin — (615) 452-7719. - Walker's Bait and Tackle, 105 Sanders Ferry Rd, Hendersonville — (615) 568-2658. - Master Bait & Tackle, 231 New Shackle Island Rd, Hendersonville — (615) 447-3942. - The Bait Shop / Jones Bait Co, 759 W Main St, Hendersonville — (615) 822-7515 / (615) 822-0755. - All Pro Rods, Hendersonville — (615) 431-0112 (custom rods). - Hendersonville Sporting Goods, 500 W Main St, Hendersonville — (615) 822-9100. - Hook One Kayak Fishing Gear, 127 Sanders Ferry Rd, Hendersonville — (615) 824-7722. - Hibbett Sports, 690 Nashville Pike Ste A, Gallatin — (615) 452-5500. - Bass Pro Shops Service Center, 1089 W Main St, Hendersonville — (615) 264-6318. - Nearest big box: Walmart Supercenter, 204 N Anderson Ln, Hendersonville — (615) 264-0770. Academy Sports and Dick's are 15–25 min away in Rivergate/Mt. Juliet.. There is a fuller list on the Sumner County gear page, including anywhere renting boats or kayaks and the nearest big-box store.

Old Hickory Lake, Bledsoe Creek (Old Hickory embayment), Station Camp Creek. Where to launch, where to fish from the bank, and where to buy what you forgot.

Find fishing spots26 public access points Find gear & baitBait shops, tackle, rentals, licences

Every public access point

Fishing access in Sumner County

26 public access points in Sumner County: 20 boat launches, 6 fishing piers and 6 marinas. 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.

Old Hickory Lake 26 in Sumner County

What to bring

What to bring fishing in Sumner 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

Sumner County at a glance

Sumner County boat ramps and fishing access

Sumner County has 26 public fishing access points: 20 boat ramps, 6 fishing piers and 6 marinas, on 1 lake or river.

20boat ramps

6fishing piers

6marinas

1lake, river or creek

The big water in Sumner

Main fishing waters in Sumner County

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

Cumberland River impoundment · 22,500 ac, full pool 445 ft MSL · US Army Corps of Engineers…

Old Hickory Lake

Sumner County holds most of the lake’s north shore from Hendersonville through Gallatin to Cairo and Bledsoe Creek; largemouth take about 40% of angler effort, and the Corps counts 44 free public access sites, 11 marinas and 8 fishing piers lakewide.

largemouthsmallmouthcrappiestriped bass

creek arm · USACE / Tennessee State Parks

Bledsoe Creek (Old Hickory embayment)

The classic spring crappie run out of the main lake into the creek, fished from Bledsoe Creek State Park’s shoreline as much as from boats.

crappielargemouthcatfishbluegill

Old Hickory embayment · USACE

Station Camp Creek

Gallatin’s own creek arm; the upper end above the Hwy 25 crossing is shallow, stained and fishes early.

crappielargemouthcatfish

Old Hickory embayment, Hendersonville · USACE

Drakes Creek

The Hendersonville side’s main tributary arm; the head of the creek off Sanders Ferry is a wind-protected spring option.

crappielargemouthcatfishbluegill

What it looks like

Sumner County water

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

Old Hickory LakeOpen the Old Hickory Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Center Hill LakeOpen the Center Hill Lake page →Tyler White / Public domain

Cumberland RiverOpen the Cumberland River page →U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not s / Public domain

Duck RiverOpen the Duck River page →SBaker43 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Tims Ford LakeOpen the Tims Ford Lake page →Geobeedude / CC BY-SA 3.0

Cordell Hull LakeOpen the Cordell Hull Lake page →United States Army Corps of Engineers image / Public domain

The ones nobody writes about

Small and out-of-the-way water in Sumner County

County lakes, park ponds, creeks and river stretches in Sumner County that never make a best-of list. Several of them fish better than the famous water on a busy weekend.

Westmoreland Water Supply Lake (GNIS), town water supply.

No boat, or your own boat

Bank fishing and launching in Sumner County

Fishing from the bank in Sumner County

Bledsoe Creek State Park shoreline and campground frontage; Lock 4 Park, Gallatin (USACE); Sanders Ferry Park, Hendersonville; Cages Bend; Shutes Branch; Avondale; Old Hickory Lake dam area piers. The Corps maintains eight fishing piers on Old Hickory overall.

Getting a boat on the water in Sumner County

Anchor High Marina, 128 River Rd, Hendersonville, (615) 826-2628. Nautical Boat Club, Hendersonville, 259 Sanders Ferry Rd, (615) 232-9100. Gallatin Marina. Cedar Creek Marina (Mt.

Juliet side, Wilson County) serves the same water. Kayak rentals: Get Up And Go Kayaking, Old Hickory Lake, 400 Zieglers Fort Rd, Gallatin (at Bledsoe Creek State Park), (615) 237-8724; Max Your Relax Kayak Rentals, 1010 Cragfront Est Rd, Gallatin, (910) 389-9874.

Cumberland River Cruises, Gallatin, (615) 451-4001. Old Hickory has no blanket horsepower limit; no-wake zones apply near marinas, ramps and the dam.

Two different trips

Visiting Sumner County versus fishing it like a local

Where visitors get pointed in Sumner County

Bledsoe Creek State Park; Cragfont State Historic Site; Rock Castle State Historic Site; Wynnewood State Historic Site (Castalian Springs); Historic Rock Castle and the Gallatin square; Hendersonville lakefront and Sanders Ferry; Trousdale Place.

Where Sumner County locals actually go

The back of Station Camp Creek above the Hwy 25 bridge; the Bledsoe Creek arm above the state park, which is shallow enough that most boat traffic stops short; Lock 4 Park’s rip-rap and points, which fish well from shore for smallmouth and white bass; Portland City Lake; the Old Hickory dam tailwater for winter sauger; Cages Bend shoreline.

Rules and record fish

Limits and records for Sumner County water

Creel and length limits in Sumner County

Old Hickory Reservoir runs a 30/day crappie limit with a 10″ minimum, double the statewide 15, and largemouth at a 14″ minimum rather than the usual 15″, with smallmouth at 18″. Striped and hybrid striped bass 2/day, 15″ min. White bass 15/day, no length limit. Walleye 5/day, 16″ min.

Paddlefish 2/day with a season open 24 April–31 May. Catfish unlimited under 34″ with one over. Reservoir full pool elevation is the boundary between reservoir rules and tributary-stream rules, so Station Camp and Bledsoe creeks above full pool revert to statewide limits.

RECORDS (credited to Old Hickory Reservoir; the lake spans Sumner, Wilson, Davidson, Trousdale and Smith and TWRA does not assign a county):, Walleye, 25 lb, Mabry Harper, 3 August 1960, 41″ long, 29″ girth. Struck from the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in 1996, reinstated in 2019; the IGFA never removed it., Silver carp, 37 lb 0.4 oz, Brian Townsend, 8 May 2021., American eel, 8 lb 14 oz, Jason Wilson, 27 July 2019., Golden redhorse, 3 lb 3.2 oz, Tyler Gerstein, 28 March 2025., Nile tilapia, 7 lb 6.6 oz, Gary L. Phelps, 27 November 2017.

20 public boat launches in Sumner County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Questions people actually ask

Sumner County fishing questions

Where can I fish from the bank in Sumner County?

Bledsoe Creek State Park shoreline and campground frontage. Also lock 4 park, gallatin (usace), and sanders ferry park, hendersonville. Sumner County has 6 public fishing piers listed in TWRA’s access database.

How many public boat ramps are in Sumner County?

TWRA’s access database lists 20 boat launches in Sumner County, plus 6 marinas. Most of them are on Old Hickory Lake. Every one is listed further up this page with its owner and lane count.

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

The main species across Sumner County water are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, striped bass, white bass, walleye, sauger and catfish. 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 Sumner 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 Sumner County, but it is worth knowing before you drive to a tailwater elsewhere in the state.

What are the creel limits in Sumner County?

Old Hickory Reservoir runs a 30/day crappie limit with a 10″ minimum, double the statewide 15, and largemouth at a 14″ minimum rather than the usual 15″, with smallmouth at 18″. Striped and hybrid striped bass 2/day, 15″ min White bass 15/day, no length limit Always check the current TWRA guide before you keep anything, because water-specific exceptions change.

Where can I buy bait and tackle in Sumner County?

– Poindexter Bait Shop, 1380 S Water Ave, Gallatin, (615) 452-7550., Flippers Bait & Tackle, 200 Odoms Bend Rd, Gallatin, (615) 452-7719., Walker’s Bait and Tackle, 105 Sanders Ferry Rd, Hendersonville, (615) 568-2658., Master Bait & Tackle, 231 New Shackle Island Rd, Hendersonville, (615) 447-3942., The Bait Shop / Jones Bait Co, 759 W Main St, Hendersonville, (615) 822-7515 / (615) 822-0755., All Pro Rods, Hendersonville, (615) 431-0112 (custom rods)., Hendersonville Sporting Goods, 500 W Main St, Hendersonville, (615) 822-9100., Hook One Kayak Fishing Gear, 127 Sanders Ferry Rd, Hendersonville, (615) 824-7722., Hibbett Sports, 690 Nashville Pike Ste A, Gallatin, (615) 452-5500., Bass Pro Shops Service Center, 1089 W Main St, Hendersonville, (615) 264-6318., Nearest big box: Walmart Supercenter, 204 N Anderson Ln, Hendersonville, (615) 264-0770. Academy Sports and Dick’s are 15–25 min away in Rivergate/Mt. Juliet.. There is a fuller list on the Sumner County gear page, including anywhere renting boats or kayaks and the nearest big-box store.

Where do locals fish in Sumner County?

The back of Station Camp Creek above the Hwy 25 bridge. the Bledsoe Creek arm above the state park, which is shallow enough that most boat traffic stops short. Lock 4 Park’s rip-rap and points, which fish well from shore for smallmouth and white bass.

The water itself

Lakes and rivers in Sumner County

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

LakeOld Hickory Lake26 access points in Sumner County, 54 in totalSee the spots →

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

Conditions

Sumner County lake levels

Lake conditionsOld Hickory Lake level todayTVA’s current reading and the Old Hickory Dam generation schedule.Open →

Statewide limits: 5 black bass, 15 crappie at 10 inches, 2 stripers at 15 inches, 7 trout.

About this list

Where the Sumner County access list comes from

The 26 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 Sumner 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 HendersonvilleOld Hickory Lake, Cheatham LakeSee the spots →24 access points within 30 milesFishing near GallatinOld Hickory LakeSee the spots →

6 public fishing piers in Sumner County, no boat needed.

Keep looking

Counties next to Sumner

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

Next county overWilson CountyOld Hickory Lake, J. Percy Priest LakeSee the spots →Next county overDavidson CountyJ. Percy Priest Lake, Cheatham LakeSee the spots →Next county overTrousdale CountyOld Hickory Lake, Goose CreekSee the spots →Next county overRutherford CountyJ. Percy Priest Lake, West Fork Stones RiverSee the spots →Next county overMacon Countypublic waterSee the spots →

Keep going

More Sumner 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 Sumner County right now: Sumner County conditions.