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Boat Launch · Sullivan County

Airport Ramp, Boone Lake

1 ramp, 1 lane, accessible parking. 11 miles from Kingsport.

Get driving directionsAll Sullivan County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Airport Ramp

Captains who run South Holston and Watauga, with their own phone numbers. You call and book with them directly.

Patrick Fulkrod · Piney Flats / Bristol

South Holston River Company

Brown and rainbow trout, smallmouthsouthholstonrivercompany.com

Elizabethton

Watauga River Guides

TroutCall 704-773-4497wataugariverguides.com

Bristol

South Holston River Fly Shop

Brown and rainbow troutCall 423-878-2822southholstonriverflyshop.com

Every Tennessee guide by water

What to bring

Tackle for Airport Ramp

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 checklistCatfish checklistFish Finders comparedTrolling Motors comparedLithium Marine Batteries comparedShallow Water Anchors compared

How to get there

Getting to Airport Ramp

Airport Ramp is a public boat launch on Boone Lake in Sullivan County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Hamilton Rd, Piney Flats, TN

Airport Ramp is 11 miles south-east of Kingsport, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Lakeview Marina, 1.6 miles to the south-west on the same water. For bait, Fly Shop of Tennessee in Johnson City is about 5 miles away.

Coordinates 36.47070, -82.39623

Open in Google MapsSee nearby spots on the mapFishing near Kingsport
Aerial view of Airport Ramp
Airport Ramp from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Airport Ramp

Fee not listed, call ahead 2.5 out of 5 Facilities 2.5 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 Airport Ramp. It is the same data the state uses, not a guess from a photograph.

Boat ramp

You can launch a trailered boat here. 1 lane.

Accessible parking

Marked accessible parking at the access point.

Not recorded here: fishing pier, canoe and kayak, restrooms, camping. Worth knowing before a long drive with the family.

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Airport Ramp

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

largemouth basssmallmouth bassspotted basscrappieblue catfishtrout

Split between Washington and Sullivan counties, with one arm running about 16 mi up the South Fork Holston and the other about 15 mi up the Watauga; TWRA’s caution is that the shoreline is heavily developed by private landowners and little public land is available, so the public ramps matter more here than on most lakes.

Everything on Boone LakeFind a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Airport Ramp

What you can keep from Boone Lake at Airport Ramp. TWRA sets 5 rules just for Boone Lake. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Largemouth bass5 combined with smallmouth15 in minimumBoone Lake rule
Smallmouth bass5 combined with largemouth15 in minimumBoone Lake rule
Spotted bass15No length limitSeparate from the largemouth/smallmouth limit
Striped bass1 (2 striped/hybrid combined)36 in minimumBoone Lake rule
Trout716–22 in protected slot, one over 22 inAll trout. Applies upstream to the Hwy 11E (DeVault/Bristol Hwy) bridge on the Watauga arm
Crappie1510 in minimumStatewide
Blue catfishNo limit under 34 inOnly one over 34 inStatewide

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

14 public boat launches in Sullivan County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Boone Lake around Airport Ramp

What the water at Airport Ramp actually looks like. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.

Boone Lake, TennesseeBoone LakeOpen the Boone Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domainHolston River, TennesseeSouth Fork Holston RiverOpen the South Fork Holston River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0South Holston Lake, TennesseeSouth Holston LakeOpen the South Holston Lake page →Ryan Rice at en.wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0Boone Lake, TennesseeBoone LakeOpen the Boone Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domainHolston River, TennesseeSouth Fork Holston RiverOpen the South Fork Holston River page →Dacoshi / CC BY-SA 3.0South Holston Lake, TennesseeSouth Holston LakeOpen the South Holston Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domain

Next one along

More Boone Lake access near Airport Ramp

The closest other public access points on Boone Lake, measured straight line from Airport Ramp. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaLakeview Marina1.6 miles south-westDirections and detail →36.45335, -82.41424Fee not listed2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVADevault Bridge2.1 miles east2653 Devault Bridge Rd, Piney Flats, TN1 ramp, 1 laneaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.46371, -82.36062Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVASugar Hollow Access2.2 miles east2711 Devault Bridge Rd, Piney Flats TN, 376861 rampDirections and detail →36.46619, -82.35749Free4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVABoone Dam2.4 miles south-west3 ramps, 3 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →36.44746, -82.42803Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaBoone Lake Marina2.5 miles eastFrom State HWY 11E in Piney Flats, right onto Allison Rd, straight to Warren Rd, left on Sportsman Dog Road1 ramp, 1 lanefishing pierrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.46294, -82.35190Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAPickens Bridge3.8 miles southPickens Bridge Rd, Johnson City, TN1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.41900, -82.37516
All 13 access points on Boone Lake

Airport Ramp water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Airport Ramp

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Airport Ramp, including South Fork Holston River, Ft Patrick Henry Reservoir and Patrick Henry Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Boone Lake or the ramp is busy.

Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVASmith ShoalsSouth Fork Holston River · 3.6 miles westBeulah Church Drive, Kingsport, TN1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.45996, -82.45968Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TDECWarriors Path State ParkFt Patrick Henry Reservoir · 4.7 miles westDirections and detail →36.49124, -82.47701Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVACooks ValleyPatrick Henry Lake · 6.1 miles north-west1899 Cooks Valley Rd, Kingsport, TN1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.51129, -82.49397Free2 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TVAFt. Patrick Henry DamSouth Fork Holston River · 6.9 miles westI-81 to Hwy. 36 (Fort Henry Drive) to Wesley Rd.canoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.50143, -82.51441Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityBluff City ParkSouth Fork Holston River · 7.4 miles east1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.47616, -82.26406Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAWagner RdWatauga River · 8.9 miles south-east100 Wagner Rd, Watauga, TN 376941 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.36967, -82.29790

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Airport Ramp

The closest shops to Airport Ramp that this site has checked. Fly Shop of Tennessee in Johnson City is nearest, about 5 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Johnson City · about 5 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 →Kingsport · about 8 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Directions and phone →
All bait and tackle in Sullivan County

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Common questions

Questions about Airport Ramp

Can you launch a boat at Airport Ramp?

Yes. TWRA records Airport Ramp as having a boat ramp. It has 1 lane. TWRA does not record whether a fee is charged, so call ahead.

Do you need a fishing licence at Airport Ramp?

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 Airport Ramp?

Boone Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, blue catfish and trout. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Airport Ramp?

Fly Shop of Tennessee in Johnson City is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 5 miles from Airport Ramp. The South Holston River Company in Piney Flats is next, about 6 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Airport Ramp?

No restroom is recorded here. Most TWRA ramps have none, so plan for that on a long day.

Who runs Airport Ramp?

Airport Ramp is listed under the Tennessee Valley Authority 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 Airport Ramp

Airport Ramp is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing Boone Lake13 public access points across 2 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Sullivan CountyEvery public spot in Sullivan County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listSullivan County spot listAll 24 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near Blountville (Tennessee’s only unincorporated county seat)Shops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near KingsportEverything within about 30 miles of Kingsport, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Airport Ramp, 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 Boone Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits