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

Marina · Roane County

Bayside Marina, Watts Bar Lake

Fishing pier, restrooms. 12 miles from Kingston.

With a guide

Guides and charters near Bayside Marina

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

Capt. Billy Clabough · Knoxville / Kingston

Tennessee River Valley Fishing Guide Service

Catfish, striper, smallmouth, drumCall 865-690-5144tnrvg.com

Capt. Chadwick Ferrell · Knoxville

Fish On! Guided Tours

Striper, catfish, bass, trout, musky, sauger, crappieCall 865-455-0412fishontours.com

Capt. Brycen Roberts · Knoxville

Tennessee River Monsters

Stripers, catfish, largemouthCall 865-207-8741tennesseerivermonsters.com

What to bring

Tackle for Bayside Marina

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 Bayside Marina

Bayside Marina is a public marina on Watts Bar Lake in Roane County, Tennessee, run by Marina.

Hwy 58 South, turn right onto 304, go approx. 6miles, Marina on right

Bayside Marina is 12 miles south-west of Kingston, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Blue Springs Marina, 1.2 miles to the south-west on the same water. For bait, Lane’s Landing Bait & Tackle in Lenoir City is about 23 miles away.

Coordinates 35.75020, -84.65870

Aerial view of Bayside Marina
Bayside Marina from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Bayside Marina

Fee not listed, call ahead 3 out of 5 Facilities 3 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 Bayside Marina. It is the same data the state uses, not a guess from a photograph.

Fishing pier

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

Restrooms

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

Courtesy dock

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

Fish cleaning station

Clean your catch on site before the drive home.

Not recorded here: boat ramp, canoe and kayak, camping. Worth knowing before a long drive with the family.

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Bayside Marina

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

Most of Roane County’s river mileage is Watts Bar. Its three arms, Tennessee, Clinch and Emory, fish as three separate lakes, which is the single most useful thing to tell an angler about it.

TVA rates it at or near the top of its system for crappie and black bass; Florida-strain largemouth have been stocked since 2015 and walleye since 2011.

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Bayside Marina

What you can keep from Watts Bar Lake at Bayside Marina. TWRA sets 3 rules just for Watts Bar Lake. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Black bass (combined)515 in minimumAll black bass species
Striped bassApr 1–Oct 31: 2 combined with hybrids; Nov 1–Mar 31: 2 combined, only 1 striped15 in minimum Apr–Oct; 36 in minimum Nov–MarHybrids 15 in minimum year-round
Paddlefish1No length limitSeason May 1–15. Culling prohibited
Crappie1510 in minimumStatewide
White bass15No minimumStatewide
Walleye516 in minimumStatewide
Sauger1015 in minimumStatewide
Channel catfishNo limit under 34 inOnly one over 34 inStatewide

Other rules on Watts Bar Lake

  • US-321 bridge up to Fort Loudoun Dam closed to snagging Mar 15–Apr 30 and May 16–31. Emory River rules also apply.

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.

31 public boat launches in Roane County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Next one along

More Watts Bar Lake access near Bayside Marina

The closest other public access points on Watts Bar Lake, measured straight line from Bayside Marina. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Bayside Marina water holds smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, rock bass.

Your turn

Rate and review Bayside Marina

1. Tap your stars

2. Add a few words if you like

What visitors say

Loading visitor ratings

Common questions

Questions about Bayside Marina

Can you launch a boat at Bayside Marina?

No trailered ramp is recorded at Bayside Marina. It is listed as bank or pier access rather than a launch.

Do you need a fishing licence at Bayside Marina?

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 Bayside Marina?

Watts Bar Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, striped bass, white bass, walleye, sauger 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 Bayside Marina?

Lane’s Landing Bait & Tackle in Lenoir City is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 23 miles from Bayside Marina. Meadow Park Lake park office in Crossville is next, about 27 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Bayside Marina?

Yes, TWRA records restrooms at this access point.

Who runs Bayside Marina?

Bayside Marina is listed under Marina 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 Bayside Marina, 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 Watts Bar Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.