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Van Buren County, Tennessee

Where to Buy or Rent Fishing Gear in Van Buren County

Van Buren County is short on tackle shops. Here is what is actually nearby.

What to bring

Tackle for Van Buren 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 Van Buren County

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

Sparta · about 9 milesZorro Bait CoLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →McMinnville · about 15 milesOutdoor Shop IncSporting goods. Rods, reels, line and a licence counter.Directions and phone →McMinnville · about 15 milesWalmart SupercenterOpen late, sells licences at the counter, and carries terminal tackle and line.Directions and phone →Crossville · about 26 milesMeadow Park Lake park officeLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Lancaster · about 29 milesCenter Hill MarinaMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →Granville · about 35 milesWildwood Resort and MarinaMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →Manchester · about 38 milesThe Sportsman’s CornerSporting goods. Rods, reels, line and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Gainesboro · about 39 milesGranville MarinaMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →Soddy-Daisy · about 43 milesHog Farmer Bait CompanyLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →

The big stores

Chain stores near Van Buren County

The closest full tackle wall to Van Buren County is the Academy in Cookeville, about 25 miles from Spencer. Distances here are straight line, so the drive is longer. The rest below are the next nearest, each with a map link.

Cookeville · about 25 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Open in maps →Hixson · about 44 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Open in maps →Murfreesboro · about 48 milesSportsman’s WarehouseChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Open in maps →Chattanooga · about 53 milesAcademy 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 Van Buren County

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

Van Buren County has trout water, and no base license covers trout. The $21 annual trout supplemental is the add-on, and the Sportsman licenses and every non-resident all-species license already include it.

All license prices and rules

Gear questions

Buying and renting gear in Van Buren County

Do I need a fishing license to fish in Van Buren 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 Van Buren 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 Van Buren County, because there is trout water here.

Where can I buy bait and tackle in Van Buren County?

No dedicated bait or tackle shop was found inside Van Buren County. No bait, tackle, marine or sporting goods business was verified inside Van Buren County. Nearest verified:, Zorro Bait Co, 270 Fred Hill Rd, Sparta, (931) 837-9676, about 25 min north., Red Turner’s Sporting Goods, 65 Whispering Pines Dr, Sparta, (931) 836-3234., Sparta Sporting Goods, 28 Maybe

Can I buy a fishing license in Van Buren County?

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

Not necessarily, though Van Buren County is short on developed bank access. The fishing spots page lists every road crossing and park shoreline that is genuinely public.

What it looks like

What Van Buren County water looks like

The lakes and rivers you are buying gear for.

Caney Fork River, Tennessee
Caney Fork River, TennesseeU.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not s / Public domain
Center Hill Lake, TennesseeCenter Hill LakeOpen the Center Hill Lake page →Tyler White / Public domainOld 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 domainDuck River, TennesseeDuck RiverOpen the Duck River page →SBaker43 / CC BY-SA 3.0Tims Ford Lake, TennesseeTims Ford LakeOpen the Tims Ford Lake page →Geobeedude / CC BY-SA 3.0

1 public boat launches in Van Buren County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Where to fish it

Now find the water in Van Buren County

Got what you need? The Van Buren 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.

Van Buren County fishing spotsBack to the county page

Keep going

More Van Buren 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