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Washington County, Tennessee

Where to Buy or Rent Fishing Gear in Washington County

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

What to bring

Tackle for Washington 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 Washington County

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

Johnson City · about 2 milesFly Shop of TennesseeFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Piney Flats · about 6 milesThe South Holston River CompanyTackle and bait for Sullivan County water. Call ahead out of season, winter hours are short.Directions and phone →Elizabethton · about 12 milesAppalachian OutpostFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Kingsport · about 13 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Bristol · about 19 milesSouth Holston River Fly ShopFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Mountain City · about 33 milesTNT OutdoorsSporting goods. Rods, reels, line and a licence counter.Directions and phone →

Buy it at the ramp

Marinas and bait at the water in Washington County

Access points in Washington 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 listed3.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · OtherJay’s Boat DockBoone Lake1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →36.41709, -82.38088

The big stores

Chain stores near Washington County

The closest full tackle wall to Washington County is the Academy in Johnson City, about 5 miles from Jonesborough. Distances here are straight line, so the drive is longer. The rest below are the next nearest, each with a map link.

Johnson City · about 5 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Open in maps →Kingsport · about 15 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Open in maps →Bristol · about 19 milesBass Pro ShopsFull outdoor superstore. Rods, reels, boats, licences and a tackle wall.Open in maps →Morristown · about 52 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 Washington County

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

Washington 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 Washington County

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

Where can I buy bait and tackle in Washington County?

– Fly Shop of Tennessee, 102 Willmary Rd, Johnson City, (423) 928-2007., Mahoney’s Outfitters, 830 Sunset Dr, Johnson City, (423) 282-5413 (also listed at 378 Marketplace Blvd)., Academy Sports + Outdoors, 925 Hamilton Pl, Johnson City, (423) 434-1300., Dick’s Sporting Goods, 2011 N Roan St, Johnson City, (423) 282-4430., Sonny’s Marina & Boat Sales, Johnson City, (423) 282-9440., Jay’s Boat Dock, Johnson City, (423) 282-3522., Widener’s Reloading / Wideners Shooting Supplies, Johnson City, (423) 282-6651 / (423) 928-9311., Nearest big box: Walmart Supercenter, 3111 Browns Mill Rd, Johnson City, (423) 282-5376. Bass Pro Shops, 1 Bass Pro Dr, Bristol, (423) 990-5200, about 30 min northeast.. There is a fuller list on the Washington County gear page, including anywhere renting boats or kayaks and the nearest big-box store.

Can I buy a fishing license in Washington County?

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

Not necessarily, though Washington 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 Washington County water looks like

The lakes and rivers you are buying gear for.

Boone Lake, TennesseeBoone LakeOpen the Boone Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domainNolichucky River, TennesseeNolichucky RiverOpen the Nolichucky River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0
Watauga River, Tennessee
Watauga River, TennesseeKen Thomas / Public domain
Holston River, TennesseeSouth Fork Holston RiverOpen the South Fork Holston River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Norris 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 2.0

4 public boat launches in Washington County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Where to fish it

Now find the water in Washington County

Got what you need? The Washington 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.

Washington County fishing spotsBack to the county page

Keep going

More Washington 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