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Boat Launch · Knox County

Carl Cowan Park, Fort Loudoun Lake

1 ramp, 1 lane, fishing pier, canoe / kayak landing. 4 miles from Farragut.

Get driving directionsAll Knox County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Carl Cowan Park

Captains who run Fort Loudoun 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

All 4 guides on Watts Bar, Fort Loudoun and Melton Hill

What to bring

Tackle for Carl Cowan Park

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 checklistCrappie checklistBluegill and Panfish checklistFish Finders comparedTrolling Motors comparedLithium Marine Batteries comparedShallow Water Anchors compared

How to get there

Getting to Carl Cowan Park

Carl Cowan Park is a public boat launch on Fort Loudoun Lake in Knox County, Tennessee, run by the county.

Directly off Northshore Drive

Carl Cowan Park is 4.1 miles south-east of Farragut, the nearest town with its own page here. The county seat, Knoxville, is 12 miles to the north-east. The closest other public access is Lowe’s Ferry, 0.9 miles to the east on the same water. For bait, Dunmore Bait & Tackle in Louisville is about 5 miles away.

Coordinates 35.85060, -84.09650

Open in Google MapsSee nearby spots on the mapFishing near Farragut
Aerial view of Carl Cowan Park
Carl Cowan Park from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Carl Cowan Park

Free to launch 4.5 out of 5 Facilities 4.5 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 Carl Cowan Park. 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.

Canoe and kayak

A landing shallow enough to carry a paddle craft in and out.

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.

Open 24 hours

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

Not recorded here: camping. Worth knowing before a long drive with the family.

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Carl Cowan Park

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

largemouth basssmallmouth basscrappiebluegillstriped basswhite basswalleyesaugercatfish

This is Knoxville’s home water, the Tennessee River running straight through the middle of the city, and it has hosted a string of high-profile bass tournaments. It fishes as a developed, current-influenced river lake rather than a highland reservoir.

Everything on Fort Loudoun LakeFind a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Carl Cowan Park

What you can keep from Fort Loudoun Lake at Carl Cowan Park. TWRA sets 1 rule just for Fort Loudoun 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
Crappie1510 in minimumStatewide
BluegillNo limitNo minimumStatewide
Striped bass2 striped and hybrid combined15 in minimumStatewide
White bass15No minimumStatewide
Walleye516 in minimumStatewide
Sauger1015 in minimumStatewide
Channel catfishNo limit under 34 inOnly one over 34 inStatewide

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

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

What it looks like

Fort Loudoun Lake around Carl Cowan Park

What the water at Carl Cowan Park actually looks like. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.

Fort Loudoun Lake, TennesseeFort Loudoun LakeOpen the Fort Loudoun Lake page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domainFrench Broad River, TennesseeFrench Broad RiverOpen the French Broad River page →Pollinator at en.wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0Holston River, TennesseeHolston RiverOpen the Holston River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Fort Loudoun Lake, TennesseeFort Loudoun LakeOpen the Fort Loudoun Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0French Broad River, TennesseeFrench Broad RiverOpen the French Broad River page →U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region / Public domainHolston River, TennesseeHolston RiverOpen the Holston River page →Dacoshi / CC BY-SA 3.0

Next one along

More Fort Loudoun Lake access near Carl Cowan Park

The closest other public access points on Fort Loudoun Lake, measured straight line from Carl Cowan Park. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVALowe’s Ferry0.9 miles east3200 Weatherspoon Rd, Louisville, TN 377771 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.84835, -84.08022Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAPolland Creek1.6 miles southLouisville Road to Old Lowe’s Ferry1 ramp, 1 laneaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.82780, -84.09960Launch fee4 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaFox Road Marina2.0 miles north-westKingston Pike to Fox Rd1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsDirections and detail →35.87550, -84.11580Free4 out of 5facilitiesMarina · CountyConcord Marina2.2 miles north-west1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsDirections and detail →35.86600, -84.13060Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaConcord Yacht Club3.1 miles westDirections and detail →35.84876, -84.15118Free4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityLouisville Point Park3.1 miles south-east1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsDirections and detail →35.82656, -84.04933
All 27 access points on Fort Loudoun Lake

Carl Cowan Park water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Carl Cowan Park

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Carl Cowan Park, including Melton Hill Lake, Watts Bar Lake and Tellico Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Fort Loudoun Lake or the ramp is busy.

Fee not listed2 out of 5facilitiesBoat LaunchHickory Creek AccessMelton Hill Lake · 9.1 miles west2118 Everett Rd, Knoxville, TN 379321 rampDirections and detail →35.89241, -84.25137Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVABussell FerryWatts Bar Lake · 9.8 miles south-west1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.78740, -84.25410Free4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVATVA Canal Access AreaTellico Lake · 9.8 miles south-west1 ramp, 3 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →35.77900, -84.24860Fee not listed2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CountyMelton Hill ParkMelton Hill Lake · 10 miles north-west3230 Williams Bend Rd, Knoxville, TN 379321 rampDirections and detail →35.95207, -84.23595Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaWind River Harbor MarinaTellico Lake · 11 miles south-westDirections and detail →35.75529, -84.24985Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CitySolway RampMelton Hill Lake · 11 miles north-westOak Ridge Highway to Edgemoor Road, ramp on right1 ramp, 2 lanesDirections and detail →35.99560, -84.19280

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Carl Cowan Park

The closest shops to Carl Cowan Park that this site has checked. Dunmore Bait & Tackle in Louisville is nearest, about 5 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Louisville · about 5 milesDunmore Bait & TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Lenoir City · about 10 milesLane’s Landing Bait & TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Knoxville · about 12 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Directions and phone →
All bait and tackle in Knox County

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Common questions

Questions about Carl Cowan Park

Can you launch a boat at Carl Cowan Park?

Yes. TWRA records Carl Cowan Park as having a boat ramp. It has 1 lane. TWRA records it as free to launch.

Do you need a fishing licence at Carl Cowan Park?

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 Carl Cowan Park?

Fort Loudoun Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, 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 Carl Cowan Park?

Dunmore Bait & Tackle in Louisville is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 5 miles from Carl Cowan Park. Lane’s Landing Bait & Tackle in Lenoir City is next, about 10 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Carl Cowan Park?

Yes, TWRA records restrooms at this access point.

Who runs Carl Cowan Park?

Carl Cowan Park is listed under the county 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 Carl Cowan Park

Carl Cowan Park is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing Fort Loudoun Lake27 public access points across 3 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Knox CountyEvery public spot in Knox County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listKnox County spot listAll 17 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near KnoxvilleShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near FarragutEverything within about 30 miles of Farragut, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Carl Cowan Park, 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 Fort Loudoun Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits