Closest first
Every public access within reach of Columbia
From TWRA’s own access database, with a directions link on each one. Distances are straight-line from Columbia, so the drive is always a bit longer.
Tap a pin for the spot page and directions. Open the full Tennessee fishing map.
Duck River
Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesRiverside Access Area1 mi from Columbia · Maury Co.65-S to exit 46, Hwy 412 west to Columbia, left at Hwy 31-S, Riverside Rd on left access on left1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.61840, -87.02520Free3 out of 5facilitiesIron Bridge Access2 mi from Columbia · Maury Co.Hwy 50 east, left on Tom Hitch Pwky the right on Iron Bridge Rd, access area on right at river bridg1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.61190, -87.00280Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesChickasaw Trace Park5 mi from Columbia · Maury Co.Hwy 7 out of Columbia, park on left1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →35.66281, -87.09317Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesFountain Creek5 mi from Columbia · Maury Co.Hwy 50 east from Columbia, left on Blue Springs Rd to yanali WMA, follow access area signs1 rampcanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.56776, -86.96435Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesHoward Bridge Road Access7 mi from Columbia · Maury Co.65-S, exit on hwy 50 towards Columbia, turn right on Fred White Rd, access area on left.1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.57260, -86.92210Free2 out of 5facilitiesCarpenter Bridge Access9 mi from Columbia · Maury Co.65-S to Exit 46, East on Hwy 99 then right on Carpenter Bridge Rd, Access on Right1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.61824, -86.86644Free2 out of 5facilitiesSowell Mill Pk10 mi from Columbia · Maury Co.I-65 to exit 46, Hwy 412/99 to Hwy 431, take 431 south to Sowell Mill Pk, take right on Sowell Mill2 ramps, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.57088, -86.87176Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesWilliamsport Bridge12 mi from Columbia · Maury Co.From Columbia take Hwy 50, west towards Centerville to Williamsport, turn right after crossing river1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.69490, -87.22080Free3 out of 5facilitiesLillard’s Mill14 mi from Columbia · Marshall Co.Hwy 99 turn S. on Verona/Caney Rd travel 5 miles to river bridge right onto Milltown Rd travel 1.5 m1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.58550, -86.78680Free2 out of 5facilitiesLittlelot Road Bridge19 mi from Columbia · Hickman Co.Take Highway 50 from Columbia, turn on Highway 230, under bridge1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.77662, -87.31834Free3 out of 5facilitiesHenry Horton Park20 mi from Columbia · Marshall Co.Hwy 99E to Hwy 31A, take right on 31A travel across bridge park entrance on left, follow road1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.59105, -86.68800Free2 out of 5facilitiesHighway 48 Bridge26 mi from Columbia · Hickman Co.North of Centerville under Highway 48 Bridge1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.78415, -87.45955Free3 out of 5facilitiesCenterville Park Ramp27 mi from Columbia · Hickman Co.North of Centerville on Left before cross Highway 48 Bridge1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →35.78483, -87.46120Free2 out of 5facilitiesWarners Bridge29 mi from Columbia · Bedford Co.Duck River bridge on Warners Bridge Rd; 5-6 miles out of Shelbyvillecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.50638, -86.54180Free2 out of 5facilitiesFishermans Park33 mi from Columbia · Bedford Co.Hwy 231 South in Shelbyville (Downtown)canoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.48121, -86.46295Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesShelbyville City Park33 mi from Columbia · Bedford Co.Off S. Cannon Blvd.1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.47906, -86.46261Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesHwy 82 Bridge35 mi from Columbia · Bedford Co.Hwy 82 S, 1.75 miles south of downtown Shelbyville, on right.canoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.46007, -86.44943
Bluecat Lake
Shellcracker Lake
Whippoorwill Lake
Goldeneye Lake
New Lake
Harpeth River
Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesHarpeth River Fishing Access23 mi from Columbia · Williamson Co.Directions and detail →35.90923, -86.85624Fee not listed1.5 out of 5facilitiesPinkerton Park23 mi from Columbia · Williamson Co.Directions and detail →35.92195, -86.86251Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesHarpeth State Park, Newsom’s Mill32 mi from Columbia · Davidson Co.Exit 192 McCrory Ln. Turn right on Newsome Mill Rd, cross under one-lane tunnel, turn rightcanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.08032, -86.99610Free1 out of 5facilitiesHarpeth State Park, Hidden Lake Access Area33 mi from Columbia · Davidson Co.I-40 to McCrory Lane exit, head toward Pegram on leftDirections and detail →36.08803, -87.02456Free2 out of 5facilitiesKingston Springs State Park34 mi from Columbia · Cheatham Co.On Pinnacle Road off HWY 70canoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.10073, -87.10573Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesL.L. Burns Park34 mi from Columbia · Cheatham Co.Off Pinnacle Road off HWY 70restroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.10238, -87.10889Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesHighway 249 Bridge34 mi from Columbia · Cheatham Co.HWY 70 to E. Kingston Springs Road (Hwy 249)canoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.10732, -87.07283
Richland Creek
Free2 out of 5facilitiesJames R Puryear Jr Access Area at Richland Creek25 mi from Columbia · Giles Co.Hwy 166 N at Annie Wade Rd1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.25161, -87.08434Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesJim Potts Access Area Richland Creek28 mi from Columbia · Giles Co.1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.21055, -87.10137Free2 out of 5facilitiesVales Mill Access Area29 mi from Columbia · Giles Co.Turn east on Chicken Creek Rd off Hwy 64,.3 mil to Vales Mill Rd1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.19411, -87.06300
Buffalo River
Lake Lindsey
VFW Lake
Shoal Creek
Piney River
Turnbull Creek
Laurel Hill Lake
Free3 out of 5facilitiesLaurel Hill Agency Lake35 mi from Columbia · Lawrence Co.HWY 64 West of Lawrenceburg, 18 miles to Brush Creek Road, 2 miles to lake1 ramp, 1 lanefishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsDirections and detail →35.33690, -87.54800Free5 out of 5facilitiesLaurel Hill Lake35 mi from Columbia · Lawrence Co.HWY 64 West of Lawrenceburg, 18 miles to Brush Creek Road, 2 miles to lake1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsDirections and detail →35.33460, -87.54900
What to bring
What to bring fishing near Columbia
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
Spending more? The bigger purchases, compared side by side:
What it looks like
The water around Columbia
Photographs of the lakes and rivers on this page. Drag or swipe for more. Every picture opens that water’s own page.
Duck RiverOpen the Duck River page →SBaker43 / CC BY-SA 3.0
Richland CreekOpen the Richland Creek page →Snyder, Frank R. Flickr: Miami U. Libraries, Digital Collec / No restrictions
Buffalo RiverOpen the Buffalo River page →La Citta Vita / CC BY-SA 2.0
Duck RiverOpen the Duck River page →La Citta Vita / CC BY-SA 2.0
Richland CreekOpen the Richland Creek page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0
Buffalo RiverOpen the Buffalo River page →Peter K. / CC BY-SA 3.0No boat
Bank fishing near Columbia
6 public fishing piers within reach of Columbia. No boat needed for any of them.
Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesWilliamsport Lakes, BluecatBluecat Lake · 12 mi from ColumbiaHwy 50 to Harris Rd, left on Houser Rd; after crossing dam boat ramp is on the left1 ramp, 1 lanefishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingtrolling motors onlyDirections and detail →35.71458, -87.20021Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesWilliamsport Lakes, ShellcrackerShellcracker Lake · 12 mi from ColumbiaHwy 50 to Harris Rd, cross dam ramp is on left.1 ramp, 1 lanefishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingtrolling motors onlyDirections and detail →35.70071, -87.21664Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesWilliamsport Lakes, WhipppoorwillWhippoorwill Lake · 12 mi from ColumbiaHwy 50 to Harris Rd, left on Houser Rd, past Blue Cat Lake1 ramp, 1 lanefishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingtrolling motors onlyDirections and detail →35.72217, -87.20084Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesVFW LakeVFW Lake · 31 mi from ColumbiaNapier Rd to VFW Rd; travel ~.6 miles to junction of Finnie Rd; stay left, travel.3 miles to lake1 ramp, 1 lanefishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomstrolling motors onlyDirections and detail →35.35715, -87.48093Free3 out of 5facilitiesLaurel Hill Agency LakeLaurel Hill Lake · 35 mi from ColumbiaHWY 64 West of Lawrenceburg, 18 miles to Brush Creek Road, 2 miles to lake1 ramp, 1 lanefishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsDirections and detail →35.33690, -87.54800Free5 out of 5facilitiesLaurel Hill LakeLaurel Hill Lake · 35 mi from ColumbiaHWY 64 West of Lawrenceburg, 18 miles to Brush Creek Road, 2 miles to lake1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsDirections and detail →35.33460, -87.54900
Shoreline access in Maury County
Williamsport Lakes, fishing piers on the public lakes, plus the youth pier on Whippoorwill. Columbia’s Riverwalk Park on the Duck. Yanahli WMA river frontage. Duck River access sites and bridge crossings along Hwy 50, Hwy 7 and US-31. Same rule as elsewhere on the Duck: floating is public, wading private frontage is not.
11 public boat launches in Maury County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.
Towns near here
Towns near Columbia
The nearest towns to Columbia with pages of their own. If nothing near Columbia suits, one of these usually does.
Fishing near FranklinHarpeth River, J. Percy Priest LakeSee the spots →Fishing near LawrenceburgDuck River, Richland CreekSee the spots →Fishing near BrentwoodJ. Percy Priest Lake, Cumberland RiverSee the spots →Fishing near ShelbyvilleDuck River, Normandy LakeSee the spots →Fishing near DicksonHarpeth River, Cheatham LakeSee the spots →
Columbia water holds largemouth bass, spotted bass, sunfish, rock bass.