Boat Launch · Rhea County

Blythes Ferry / Rhea County, Chickamauga Lake

1 ramp, 1 lane, fishing pier. 5 miles from Dayton.

Get driving directions All Rhea County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Blythes Ferry / Rhea County

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

Capt. Paul Johnson · Chattanooga

Paul Johnson Guide Service

Largemouth, spotted, smallmouthCall 423-598-9083 pauljohnsonguideservice.com

Steve Kite and Chris Coleman · Chattanooga

Chattanooga Fishing Guides

BassCall 423-240-5389 chattanoogafishingguides.com

Richard Simms and six guides · Chattanooga

Scenic City Fishing Charters

Trophy catfish, walleye, crappie, bass, striper, saugersceniccityfishing.com

All 4 guides on Chickamauga and Nickajack

What to bring

Tackle for Blythes Ferry / Rhea County

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 checklist Crappie checklist Bluegill and Panfish checklist Fish Finders compared Trolling Motors compared Lithium Marine Batteries compared Shallow Water Anchors compared

How to get there

Getting to Blythes Ferry / Rhea County

Blythes Ferry / Rhea County is a public boat launch on Chickamauga Lake in Rhea County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Valley Authority.

TWRA holds no written directions for Blythes Ferry / Rhea County. 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.

Blythes Ferry / Rhea County is 5.4 miles south of Dayton, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Blythes Ferry / Meigs County, 0.4 miles to the south-east on the same water. For bait, FishTales Bait and Tackle in Cleveland is about 15 miles away.

Coordinates 35.41461, -85.01161

Open in Google Maps See nearby spots on the map Fishing near Dayton

Aerial view of Blythes Ferry / Rhea County — Blythes Ferry / Rhea County from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Blythes Ferry / Rhea County

Free to launch 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 Blythes Ferry / Rhea County. 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.

Fishing pier

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

Open 24 hours

TWRA records round the clock access, so early starts are fine.

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

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Blythes Ferry / Rhea County

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

largemouth bass smallmouth bass spotted bass crappie bluegill redear sunfish striped bass walleye sauger

Meigs County holds the mid-lake water where the reservoir slows into sloughs and embayments; TWRA’s stocking programme lifted average angler catch weight from 1.42 lb to consistently over 3 lb, and crappie surveys average 2.85 fish per hour at 0.76–0.80 lb.

Everything on Chickamauga Lake Find a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Blythes Ferry / Rhea County

What you can keep from Chickamauga Lake at Blythes Ferry / Rhea County. TWRA sets 3 rules just for Chickamauga 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	Chickamauga Lake rule
Smallmouth bass	5 black bass combined	No minimum, only one over 16 in	Same rule covers spotted, Alabama and hybrid bass: only one of these over 16 in per day
Spotted bass	5 black bass combined	No minimum, only one over 16 in	Includes Alabama bass and hybrids
Crappie	15	10 in minimum	Statewide
Bluegill	No limit	No minimum	Statewide
Redear sunfish	20	No minimum	Statewide
Striped bass	2 striped and hybrid combined	15 in minimum	Statewide
Walleye	5	16 in minimum	Statewide
Sauger	10	15 in minimum	Statewide

Other rules on Chickamauga Lake

Hiwassee Refuge closed to all use Nov 15–end of Feb except the wildlife viewing area; fishing allowed on the main river channel through the refuge.

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

9 public boat launches in Rhea County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Chickamauga Lake around Blythes Ferry / Rhea County

What the water at Blythes Ferry / Rhea County actually looks like. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.

Chickamauga LakeOpen the Chickamauga Lake page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domain

Watts Bar LakeOpen the Watts Bar Lake page →ChristopherM / CC BY 2.5

Chickamauga LakeOpen the Chickamauga Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domain

Watts Bar LakeOpen the Watts Bar Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 4.0

Chickamauga LakeOpen the Chickamauga Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domain

Watts Bar LakeOpen the Watts Bar Lake page →Lee Ann Ratledge / CC BY 4.0

Next one along

More Chickamauga Lake access near Blythes Ferry / Rhea County

The closest other public access points on Chickamauga Lake, measured straight line from Blythes Ferry / Rhea County. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CountyBlythes Ferry / Meigs County0.4 miles south-east1 ramp, 2 lanesDirections and detail →35.40936, -85.00866 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRABear Branch2.2 miles southHwy 60 north from Birchwood approx 2.25 miles to Burton Rd, left to Shahan Rd, approx..5 miles to ramp on right1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.38249, -85.01522 Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRA/TVAGarrison2.9 miles north-east1 rampDirections and detail →35.45390, -84.99090 Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAGrasshopper Recreation Area4.5 miles south-west1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.37120, -85.07200 Launch fee3 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaSale Creek Marina4.7 miles south-west1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsDirections and detail →35.35810, -85.06000 Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · Private LandBlue Water Resort and Marina4.9 miles north-eastFrom 30, take Double S Road, right onto Shaver Loop1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsDirections and detail →35.47960, -84.97590

All 51 access points on Chickamauga Lake

Blythes Ferry / Rhea County water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Blythes Ferry / Rhea County

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Blythes Ferry / Rhea County, including Hiwassee River, Candies Creek and Sequatchie River. Handy when the wind is wrong on Chickamauga Lake or the ramp is busy.

Launch fee1 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · Private LandAgency Creek CampgroundHiwassee River · 6.5 miles south-eastDirections and detail →35.37393, -84.90642 Fee not listed1.5 out of 5facilitiesTWRAGray’s FerryHiwassee River · 10 miles south-eastFrom I75 to Hwy 308 west 4 miles; right to Hwy 306; 1 mile to Ead’s Bluff Rd; 2 miles, ramp on rightDirections and detail →35.34429, -84.85335 Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRACandies CreekCandies Creek · 12 miles south-east1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.30967, -84.84758 Launch fee5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaB&B MarinaHiwassee River · 12 miles south-east1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.32714, -84.82864 Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · OtherN Mouse CreekHiwassee River · 14 miles south-east1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.32780, -84.78946 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TDOTM.A. PattersonSequatchie River · 16 miles north-westFrom Pikeville, HWY 127 South to HWY 30, ramp is under HWY 30 Bridge1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.59472, -85.19540

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Blythes Ferry / Rhea County

The closest shops to Blythes Ferry / Rhea County that this site has checked. FishTales Bait and Tackle in Cleveland is nearest, about 15 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Cleveland · about 15 milesFishTales Bait and TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Soddy-Daisy · about 16 milesHog Farmer Bait CompanyLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Hixson · about 23 milesTalkin’ Tackle Outfitter & LodgeFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →

All bait and tackle in Rhea County

Your turn

Rate and review Blythes Ferry / Rhea County

1. Tap your stars

2. Add a few words if you like

What visitors say

Loading visitor ratings

Common questions

Questions about Blythes Ferry / Rhea County

Can you launch a boat at Blythes Ferry / Rhea County?

Yes. TWRA records Blythes Ferry / Rhea County as having a boat ramp. It has 1 lane. TWRA records it as free to launch.

Do you need a fishing licence at Blythes Ferry / Rhea County?

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 Blythes Ferry / Rhea County?

Chickamauga Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, striped bass, walleye and sauger. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Blythes Ferry / Rhea County?

FishTales Bait and Tackle in Cleveland is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 15 miles from Blythes Ferry / Rhea County. Hog Farmer Bait Company in Soddy-Daisy is next, about 16 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Blythes Ferry / Rhea County?

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

Who runs Blythes Ferry / Rhea County?

Blythes Ferry / Rhea County 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 Blythes Ferry / Rhea County

Blythes Ferry / Rhea County is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing Chickamauga Lake51 public access points across 3 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Rhea CountyEvery public spot in Rhea County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listRhea County spot listAll 15 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near DaytonShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near DaytonEverything within about 30 miles of Dayton, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Blythes Ferry / Rhea County, 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 Chickamauga Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by water Licence and limits