Boat Launch · Madison County

Access Area 1, Lake Graham

2 ramps, 2 lanes, fishing pier, canoe / kayak landing. 5 miles from Jackson.

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What to bring

Tackle for Access Area 1

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:

Crappie checklist Bluegill and Panfish checklist Catfish checklist Fish Finders compared Trolling Motors compared Lithium Marine Batteries compared Shallow Water Anchors compared

How to get there

Getting to Access Area 1

Access Area 1 is a public boat launch on Lake Graham in Madison County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

Off Hurts Chapel Rd, 5 miles east of Jackson, TN

Access Area 1 is 5.2 miles east of Jackson, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Spring Creek WMA on Forked Deer River, 10 miles to the north. For bait, Beech Lake Marine in Lexington is about 17 miles away.

Coordinates 35.63111, -88.72353

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Aerial view of Access Area 1 — Access Area 1 from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Access Area 1

Free to launch 5 out of 5 Facilities 5 of 5, scored from what TWRA records: ramp, docks, pier, restrooms, parking, lighting and hours.

Everything below comes from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s own public access record for Access Area 1. It is the same data the state uses, not a guess from a photograph.

Boat ramp

You can launch a trailered boat here. 2 lanes.

Fishing pier

A built pier, so you can fish deep water without a boat.

Canoe and kayak

A landing shallow enough to carry a paddle craft in and out.

Restrooms

Toilets on site, which is rarer than you would think.

Rentals

Boats or craft for hire at the access point itself.

Accessible parking

Marked accessible parking at the access point.

Courtesy dock

A dock beside the ramp to tie off while you park the trailer.

Not recorded here: camping. Worth knowing before a long drive with the family.

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Access Area 1

Lake Graham holds these, according to the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes.

largemouth bass crappie bluegill redear sunfish catfishgar

Nine miles east of Jackson off Cotton Grove Road, with restrooms, picnic areas, a boat launch, a fishing pier and maintained fish attractors, this is the county’s flagship public water and it is on TWRA’s Family Fishing Lakes list.

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What you can keep

Fishing limits at Access Area 1

What you can keep from Lake Graham at Access Area 1. Lake Graham has no limits of its own, so the statewide limits apply. These are the ones for the fish it holds.

Fish	Daily limit	Length	Where or when
Largemouth bass	5 black bass combined	No minimum	Statewide
Crappie	30	No minimum	Statewide (West Tennessee)
Bluegill	No limit	No minimum	Statewide
Redear sunfish	20	No minimum	Statewide
Channel catfish	No limit under 34 in	Only one over 34 in	Statewide

From the 2026–27 Tennessee Fishing Guide (TWRA), in effect 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027, checked 25 September 2026. Rules change, so check the guide before you keep a fish.

Statewide limits and licenses

2 public boat launches in Madison County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Access Area 1

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Access Area 1, including Forked Deer River, Beech Lake and Pine Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Lake Graham or the ramp is busy.

Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesBoat LaunchSpring Creek WMAForked Deer River · 10 miles northDirections and detail →35.77713, -88.69488 Free5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVABeech LakeBeech Lake · 17 miles eastHWY 412, Lexington, TN1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing pierrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.66280, -88.41750 Launch fee1.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CountyPine Lake Boat LaunchPine Lake · 18 miles eastcanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.55805, -88.42068 Free5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAPine LakePine Lake · 18 miles eastPine Lake Rd, Lexington, TN1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing pierrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.56650, -88.41020 Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVASycamore LakeSycamore Lake · 20 miles eastSycamore Lake Rd, Lexington, TN1 ramp, 1 lanefishing pierDirections and detail →35.56360, -88.37850

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Access Area 1

The closest shops to Access Area 1 that this site has checked. Beech Lake Marine in Lexington is nearest, about 17 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Lexington · about 17 milesBeech Lake MarineTackle and bait for Henderson County water. Call ahead out of season, winter hours are short.Directions and phone →Laurel Hill · about 22 milesLaurel Hill Bait & DeliLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Parsons · about 33 milesPerryville MarinaMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →

All bait and tackle in Madison County

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Common questions

Questions about Access Area 1

Can you launch a boat at Access Area 1?

Yes. TWRA records Access Area 1 as having a boat ramp. It has 2 lanes. TWRA records it as free to launch.

Do you need a fishing licence at Access Area 1?

Yes. Anyone 13 or older needs a Tennessee fishing licence to fish here, and a trout supplemental on top of it if you plan to keep trout. It is the same rule at every public access point in the state.

What fish are in the water at Access Area 1?

Lake Graham holds largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, catfish and gar. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Access Area 1?

Beech Lake Marine in Lexington is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 17 miles from Access Area 1. Laurel Hill Bait & Deli in Laurel Hill is next, about 22 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Access Area 1?

Yes, TWRA records restrooms at this access point.

Who runs Access Area 1?

Access Area 1 is listed under the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency in TWRA’s public access database. The owner is worth knowing because it usually decides whether there is a fee, whether the gate is locked overnight, and who to ring when a ramp is closed for repair.

Where to next

Around Access Area 1

Access Area 1 is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

County guideFishing in Madison CountyEvery public spot in Madison County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listMadison County spot listAll 2 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near JacksonShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near JacksonEverything within about 30 miles of Jackson, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Access Area 1, and who knows it

Guides and charters on this site are listed by the water they run, so you can ring the captain who fishes Lake Graham rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by water Licence and limits