95 Counties · 1,002 Public Access Points · 78 Lakes and RiversTennessee state record fish

Boat Launch · Campbell County

Alder Springs Access, Norris Lake

1 ramp. 7 miles from LaFollette.

With a guide

Guides and charters near Alder Springs Access

Captains who run Norris Lake, with their own phone numbers. You call and book with them directly.

Maynardville

Mel’s Striper Guide Service

Striped bassCall 865-661-7806melsstriperguideservice.com

Capt. Jim Durham · Multi-base TN/KY

StriperFun Guide Service

Charters on 13 TN waters: Norris, Cherokee, Dale Hollow, Percy Priest, Tims Ford, Center Hill and Normandy lakes; the Cumberland, Clinch, Powell, Holston, Obey and Caney Fork riversCall 931-403-2501striperfun.com

Anderson County

East Tennessee Guide Service

Norris LakeCall 865-310-5521tnfishingguide.com

What to bring

Tackle for Alder Springs Access

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:

How to get there

Getting to Alder Springs Access

Alder Springs Access is a public boat launch on Norris Lake in Campbell County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Alder Springs Road, LaFollette, TN 37766

Alder Springs Access is 7.1 miles east of LaFollette, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Springs Dock Resort, 0.6 miles to the south-east on the same water. For bait, Walmart Supercenter in Jacksboro is about 10 miles away.

Coordinates 36.35614, -83.99701

Aerial view of Alder Springs Access
Alder Springs Access from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Alder Springs Access

Free to launch 2 out of 5 Facilities 2 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 Alder Springs Access. It is the same data the state uses, not a guess from a photograph.

Boat ramp

You can launch a trailered boat here.

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 Alder Springs Access

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

Union County owns the lake’s broad middle, including the “Loyston Sea,” one of the widest sections of Norris; TWRA is specific that the smallmouth fishing is a November-through-April proposition, and the lake draws down as much as 45 ft a year.

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Alder Springs Access

What you can keep from Norris Lake at Alder Springs Access. TWRA sets 8 rules just for Norris Lake. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Largemouth bass5 combined with smallmouth14 in minimumReservoir rules run to the Hwy 25E bridge (Clinch arm) and Gap Creek (Powell arm)
Smallmouth bass1 (Jun 1–Oct 15); 5 (Oct 16–May 31)18 in minimum Jun 1–Oct 15; 15 in minimum Oct 16–May 31Norris Lake rule
Spotted bassNo limitNo length limitIncludes Alabama bass
Crappie1010 in minimumNorris Lake rule
Striped bass2 (Apr 1–Oct 31); 1 (Nov 1–Mar 31)15 in minimum Apr–Oct; 36 in minimum Nov–MarNorris Lake rule
Walleye5 walleye/sauger combined15 in minimumUpstream to Grissom Island on the Clinch
Sauger5 walleye/sauger combined15 in minimumNorris Lake rule
Bluegill30 bluegill/warmouth/other sunfishNo length limitNorris Lake rule
Muskellunge136 in minimumStatewide
Channel catfishNo limit under 34 inOnly one over 34 inStatewide

Other rules on Norris Lake

  • Jan 1–Apr 30: no trotlines, limblines, jugs, gigging or snagging above River Mile 32 (Powell arm) and River Mile 137 (Clinch arm) to the Hwy 25E bridges. Doakes Pond closed to fishing.

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.

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

What it looks like

Norris Lake around Alder Springs Access

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

Alder Springs Access water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Alder Springs Access

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Alder Springs Access, including Clinch River. Handy when the wind is wrong on Norris Lake or the ramp is busy.

Your turn

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Common questions

Questions about Alder Springs Access

Can you launch a boat at Alder Springs Access?

Yes. TWRA records Alder Springs Access as having a boat ramp. TWRA records it as free to launch.

Do you need a fishing licence at Alder Springs Access?

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 Alder Springs Access?

Norris Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, striped bass, walleye, muskellunge and catfish. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Alder Springs Access?

Walmart Supercenter in Jacksboro is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 10 miles from Alder Springs Access. Buffalo Creek Outdoor Etc in Andersonville is next, about 11 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Alder Springs Access?

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

Who runs Alder Springs Access?

Alder Springs Access 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.

Keep going

Fishing around Alder Springs Access, 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 Norris Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.