What to bring
Tackle for Barton Springs Recreation Area
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.
Spending more? The bigger purchases, compared side by side:
How to get there
Getting to Barton Springs Recreation Area
Barton Springs Recreation Area is a public access point on Normandy Lake in Coffee County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Normandy Road / Frank Hiles Road
Barton Springs Recreation Area is 6.4 miles north of Tullahoma, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Barton Springs Boat Ramp, a few hundred yards to the south-east on the same water. For bait, The Sportsman’s Corner in Manchester is about 8 miles away.
Coordinates 35.45492, -86.22074
What you can catch
Fish you can catch at Barton Springs Recreation Area
Normandy Lake holds these, according to the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes.
Black bass drives about 60% of annual targeted effort here and crappie another 25%, so it fishes as a bass lake first; four fee-free ramps and two TVA campgrounds serve it.
What you can keep
Fishing limits at Barton Springs Recreation Area
What you can keep from Normandy Lake at Barton Springs Recreation Area. TWRA sets 2 rules just for Normandy Lake. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.
| Fish | Daily limit | Length | Where or when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bass | 5 black bass combined | 15 in minimum | Normandy Lake rule |
| Smallmouth bass | 5 black bass combined | 18 in minimum | Normandy Lake rule |
| Crappie | 15 | 10 in minimum | Statewide |
| Bluegill | No limit | 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.
7 public boat launches in Coffee County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.
What it looks like
Normandy Lake around Barton Springs Recreation Area
What the water at Barton Springs Recreation Area actually looks like. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.
Normandy LakeOpen the Normandy Lake page →Chris Breeze / CC BY 2.0
Duck RiverOpen the Duck River page →SBaker43 / CC BY-SA 3.0
Elk RiverOpen the Elk River page →dmtilley / CC BY 3.0
Duck RiverOpen the Duck River page →La Citta Vita / CC BY-SA 2.0
Elk RiverOpen the Elk River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0
Elk RiverOpen the Elk River page →Michael Barera / CC BY-SA 4.0Next one along
More Normandy Lake access near Barton Springs Recreation Area
The closest other public access points on Normandy Lake, measured straight line from Barton Springs Recreation Area. Each one opens its own page with directions.
Barton Springs Recreation Area water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill.
Other water close by
Other fishing near Barton Springs Recreation Area
Public access on other water within 20 miles of Barton Springs Recreation Area, including Duck River and Bedford Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Normandy Lake or the ramp is busy.
Bait on the way
Bait and tackle near Barton Springs Recreation Area
The closest shops to Barton Springs Recreation Area that this site has checked. The Sportsman’s Corner in Manchester is nearest, about 8 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.
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Where to next
Around Barton Springs Recreation Area
Barton Springs Recreation Area is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.