Murfreesboro · Rutherford County

Fishing Near Murfreesboro, Tennessee

J. Percy Priest Lake, West Fork Stones River, East Fork Stones River. Every public launch and pier within about 30 minutes of Murfreesboro, and where to buy what you forgot on the way.

Find fishing spots124 public access points within 35 miles Find gear & bait13 bait and tackle shops within 40 miles

Closest first

Every public access within reach of Murfreesboro

From TWRA’s own access database, with a directions link on each one. Distances are straight-line from Murfreesboro, so the drive is always a bit longer.

Tap a pin for the spot page and directions. Open the full Tennessee fishing map.

West Fork Stones River

Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesPaddlingManson Pk Trailhead Access1 mi from Murfreesboro · Rutherford Co.Directions and detail →35.85751, -86.41214 Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesPaddlingWest Fork Stones River Paddle Launch3 mi from Murfreesboro · Rutherford Co.Directions and detail →35.87597, -86.42263 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesPaddling · CityMurfreesboro Greenway3 mi from Murfreesboro · Rutherford Co.Thompson Lane1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.88778, -86.42303

East Fork Stones River

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityWalter Hill Boat ramp7 mi from Murfreesboro · Rutherford Co.Hwy 231 North1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.94192, -86.37603 Free1 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TDOTWoodbury Access17 mi from Murfreesboro · Cannon Co.On HWY 70S (St. Rt. 1) West of Woodbury with overflow parking across highway at Cannon County Arts CenterDirections and detail →35.82305, -86.08985

J. Percy Priest Lake

Duck River

Free3 out of 5facilitiesPaddling · TDECHenry Horton Park24 mi from Murfreesboro · 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, -86.68800 Free2 out of 5facilitiesPaddling · CountyWarners Bridge25 mi from Murfreesboro · Bedford Co.Duck River bridge on Warners Bridge Rd; 5-6 miles out of Shelbyvillecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.50638, -86.54180

Bedford Lake

Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRACoy Gaither Bedford Lake25 mi from Murfreesboro · Bedford Co.Take Huffman Rd North out of Normandy, Left on Red Hill then Right on Bedford Lake Rd1 ramp, 1 lanefishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingtrolling motors onlyDirections and detail →35.50320, -86.25040

What to bring

What to bring fishing near Murfreesboro

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

Measured from town

Where to fish near Murfreesboro

The water within reach of Murfreesboro is J. Percy Priest Lake, West Fork Stones River, East Fork Stones River and 2 more.

Everything on this page is sorted by straight-line distance from Murfreesboro, not by which county it sits in. Several of the closest spots to Murfreesboro are across a county line, which is exactly the kind of thing a county-by-county list hides.

What it looks like

The water around Murfreesboro

Photographs of the lakes and rivers on this page. Drag or swipe for more. Every picture opens that water’s own page.

J. Percy Priest LakeOpen the J. Percy Priest Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

West Fork Stones RiverOpen the West Fork Stones River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

East Fork Stones RiverOpen the East Fork Stones River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

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

J. Percy Priest LakeOpen the J. Percy Priest Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

West Fork Stones RiverOpen the West Fork Stones River page →Brent Moore / CC BY 2.0

No boat

Bank fishing near Murfreesboro

4 public fishing piers within reach of Murfreesboro. No boat needed for any of them.

Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEStewarts CreekJ. Percy Priest Lake · 14 mi from Murfreesboro1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.03268, -86.49382 Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEVivrett Creek Recreation AreaJ. Percy Priest Lake · 22 mi from Murfreesboro1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.14076, -86.54348 Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACECook Recreation AreaJ. Percy Priest Lake · 23 mi from MurfreesboroI-40 to exit 221, OH Blvd to Bell Rd, Bell Rd to South New Hope Rd1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing pieraccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.13189, -86.59539 Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRACoy Gaither Bedford LakeBedford Lake · 25 mi from MurfreesboroTake Huffman Rd North out of Normandy, Left on Red Hill then Right on Bedford Lake Rd1 ramp, 1 lanefishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingtrolling motors onlyDirections and detail →35.50320, -86.25040

Shoreline access in Rutherford County

Stewart Creek at Smyrna, an enhanced bank fishing site purpose-built for shore anglers and the best answer in the county for someone without a boat. The Murfreesboro Greenway along the West Fork, 12 miles of paved path with 11 trailheads, much of it river-side. Walter Hill Dam. Fate Sanders and Jefferson Springs recreation areas. The East Fork ramp area. Old Fort Park and Barfield Crescent Park for river access. Stones River National Battlefield.

What is in there

Fish and limits around Murfreesboro

Water around Murfreesboro holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, rock bass, hybrid striped bass, white bass and catfish.

J. Percy Priest, largemouth 15-inch minimum, smallmouth 18-inch minimum, crappie 30 per day with a 10-inch minimum (double the usual Tennessee crappie limit and worth calling out), striped and hybrid striped bass 2 per day combined with a 15-inch minimum. On the Stones River from its confluence with the Cumberland upstream to J. Percy Priest Dam, Cheatham Reservoir regulations apply, that reach is in Davidson County, below the dam, not in Rutherford. The Stones River forks above the lake fall under statewide limits. If the Manson Pike winter trout stocking is confirmed, statewide trout rules apply, seven per day, no minimum length.

From TWRA’s statewide creel and length limits, last updated 4 August 2026. Water-specific exceptions change, so check the current guide before keeping a fish.

Weather

Murfreesboro fishing weather and wind forecast

Wed, Sep 30 night

65°F

Mostly Clear

Wind SSE 5 mph

0% chance of rain

Thu, Oct 1

95°F

Sunny

Wind S 5 to 15 mph

0% chance of rain

Thu, Oct 1 night

71°F

Partly Cloudy

Wind S 10 mph

4% chance of rain

Fri, Oct 2

90°F

Rain Showers Likely then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Wind SW 5 to 10 mph

62% chance of rain

Fri, Oct 2 night

66°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Wind ENE 0 to 10 mph

64% chance of rain

Sat, Oct 3

81°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Wind NE 5 to 10 mph

71% chance of rain

National Weather Service forecast, updated 6:51 PM, Wed, Sep 30.

Sun and moon, Thu, Oct 8

Sunrise6:47 AMCDT

Sunset6:21 PMCDT

First light6:21 AMLast light 6:46 PM

Daylight11 hr 34 minSunrise to sunset

MoonWaning crescent8% lit. New moon in 3 days

11 public boat launches in Rutherford County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Questions people ask

Fishing near Murfreesboro: common questions

Where is the closest place to fish to Murfreesboro?

Manson Pk Trailhead Access on West Fork Stones River, about a mile from Murfreesboro in Rutherford County. It is a paddling.

How many fishing spots are near Murfreesboro?

There are 40 public access points within about 30 miles of Murfreesboro, 23 of them boat launches, across 5 named waters.

Can I fish near Murfreesboro without a boat?

Yes. Stewarts Creek on J. Percy Priest Lake has a fishing pier and is about 14 miles from Murfreesboro. There are 4 piers within range in total.

Do I need a license to fish near Murfreesboro?

Yes, anyone 13 and over. 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 sells no non-resident one-day license. Note the $33 combination license does not cover trout, that needs the $21 supplemental.

What is the best lake near Murfreesboro?

J. Percy Priest Lake carries the most public access within reach of Murfreesboro, followed by West Fork Stones River. Which one fishes best depends entirely on the season and what you are after.

Where can I buy bait near Murfreesboro?

Murfreesboro is a large city with full big-box and chain sporting goods retail, and Academy Sports and Outdoors operates there, that is the reliable answer for the county. Nashville, 35 minutes north-west, has large-format outdoor retail. Fate Sanders Marina on the Rutherford side of Percy Priest is the on-water option.. The Murfreesboro gear page has the rest, plus rental and licenses.

What fish can you catch near Murfreesboro?

Mainly largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, rock bass, hybrid striped bass, white bass and catfish.

Towns near here

Towns near Murfreesboro

The nearest towns to Murfreesboro with pages of their own. If nothing near Murfreesboro suits, one of these usually does.

12 miles from Murfreesboro · Rutherford CountyFishing near SmyrnaJ. Percy Priest Lake, West Fork Stones RiverSee the spots →25 miles from Murfreesboro · Bedford CountyFishing near ShelbyvilleDuck River, Normandy LakeSee the spots →25 miles from Murfreesboro · Wilson CountyFishing near Mount JulietOld Hickory Lake, J. Percy Priest LakeSee the spots →26 miles from Murfreesboro · Williamson CountyFishing near BrentwoodJ. Percy Priest Lake, Cumberland RiverSee the spots →26 miles from Murfreesboro · Wilson CountyFishing near LebanonOld Hickory Lake, Cumberland RiverSee the spots →

Murfreesboro water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill.

Wider net

Rutherford County beyond Murfreesboro

Murfreesboro is one town in Rutherford County. The county page covers every water inside the county line, including the ones nowhere near Murfreesboro.

Fishing in Rutherford County

With a guide

Fishing near Murfreesboro with a guide

Local captains who run the water near Murfreesboro are listed on the guides page with their own phone numbers. You call and book with them directly.

Tennessee guides by water

Keep going

More Murfreesboro 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