With a guide
Guides and charters near Big Bend
Captains who run Hiwassee River, with their own phone numbers. You call and book with them directly.
Southeastern Anglers
Rainbow and brown trout, stripersCall 866-558-7688southeasternanglers.com
R and R Fly Fishing
Rainbow, brown and brook trout, smallmouthCall 865-448-0467randrflyfishing.com
What to bring
Tackle for Big Bend
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 Big Bend
Big Bend is a public access point on Hiwassee River in Polk County, Tennessee, run by USFS.
TWRA holds no written directions for Big Bend. Use the coordinates below, which come straight from the state’s access record and drop you on the access point itself rather than on the nearest town.
Big Bend is 18 miles south-east of Athens, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Powerhouse Boat Ramp, 1.8 miles to the south-east on the same water. For bait, Tellico Outfitters in Tellico Plains is about 15 miles away.
Coordinates 35.20055, -84.46686
What you can catch
Fish you can catch at Big Bend
Hiwassee River holds these, according to the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes.
The first river in Tennessee designated a State Scenic River. Its character is set by the Apalachia Powerhouse, which sits miles downstream of Apalachia Dam and dumps the river’s flow in at one point, so the water above and below the powerhouse are effectively different rivers.
What you can keep
Fishing limits at Big Bend
What you can keep from Hiwassee River at Big Bend. TWRA sets 1 rule just for Hiwassee River. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.
| Fish | Daily limit | Length | Where or when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trout | No harvest Oct 1–Feb 28; 7 Mar 1–Sep 30 (only 2 brown) | No length limit | Apalachia Powerhouse to L&N Railroad Bridge. Delayed harvest Oct 1–Feb 28: catch and release, artificial lures only, no bait |
| Largemouth bass | 5 black bass combined | No minimum | Statewide |
| Smallmouth bass | 5 black bass combined | No minimum | Statewide |
| Flathead 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.
11 public boat launches in Polk County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.
What it looks like
Hiwassee River around Big Bend
What the water at Big Bend actually looks like. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.
Next one along
More Hiwassee River access near Big Bend
The closest other public access points on Hiwassee River, measured straight line from Big Bend. Each one opens its own page with directions.
Big Bend water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, Alabama bass.
Other water close by
Other fishing near Big Bend
Public access on other water within 20 miles of Big Bend, including Parksville Lake, Parksville Reservoir and Ocoee River. Handy when the wind is wrong on Hiwassee River or the ramp is busy.
Bait on the way
Bait and tackle near Big Bend
The closest shops to Big Bend that this site has checked. Tellico Outfitters in Tellico Plains is nearest, about 15 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.
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Where to next
Around Big Bend
Big Bend is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.