With a guide
Guides and charters near Cooks Valley
Captains who run South Holston and Watauga, with their own phone numbers. You call and book with them directly.
South Holston River Company
Brown and rainbow trout, smallmouthsouthholstonrivercompany.com
Watauga River Guides
South Holston River Fly Shop
Brown and rainbow troutCall 423-878-2822southholstonriverflyshop.com
What to bring
Tackle for Cooks Valley
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 Cooks Valley
Cooks Valley is a public boat launch on Patrick Henry Lake in Sullivan County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Valley Authority.
1899 Cooks Valley Rd, Kingsport, TN
Cooks Valley is 4.6 miles south-east of Kingsport, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Ft. Patrick Henry Dam on South Fork Holston River, 1.3 miles to the south-west. For bait, Academy Sports + Outdoors in Kingsport is about 3 miles away.
Coordinates 36.51129, -82.49397
What you can catch
Fish you can catch at Cooks Valley
Patrick Henry Lake holds these, according to the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes.
What you can keep
Fishing limits at Cooks Valley
What you can keep from Patrick Henry Lake at Cooks Valley. Patrick Henry Lake has no limits of its own, so the statewide limits apply. These are the ones for the fish it holds.
| Fish | Daily limit | Length | Where or when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bass | 5 black bass combined | No minimum | Statewide |
| Smallmouth bass | 5 black bass combined | No minimum | Statewide |
| Spotted bass | 5 black bass combined | No minimum | Statewide |
| Crappie | 15 | 10 in minimum | Statewide |
| Bluegill | No limit | No minimum | Statewide |
| Rock bass | 20 | No minimum | Statewide |
| Walleye | 5 | 16 in minimum | Statewide |
| Blue 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.
14 public boat launches in Sullivan County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.
What it looks like
Patrick Henry Lake around Cooks Valley
What the water at Cooks Valley actually looks like. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.
South Fork Holston RiverOpen the South Fork Holston River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0
Boone LakeOpen the Boone Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domain
South Holston LakeOpen the South Holston Lake page →Ryan Rice at en.wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0
South Fork Holston RiverOpen the South Fork Holston River page →Dacoshi / CC BY-SA 3.0
Boone LakeOpen the Boone Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domain
South Holston LakeOpen the South Holston Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domainCooks Valley water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie.
Other water close by
Other fishing near Cooks Valley
Public access on other water within 20 miles of Cooks Valley, including South Fork Holston River, Ft Patrick Henry Reservoir and Boone Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Patrick Henry Lake or the ramp is busy.
Bait on the way
Bait and tackle near Cooks Valley
The closest shops to Cooks Valley that this site has checked. Academy Sports + Outdoors in Kingsport is nearest, about 3 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.
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Where to next
Around Cooks Valley
Cooks Valley is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.