What to bring
Tackle for Dabb’s Ford Bridge
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 Dabb’s Ford Bridge
Dabb’s Ford Bridge is a public boat launch on Elk River in Coffee County, Tennessee, run by Other.
Prairie Plains Road on the Coffee/Franklin Co Line
Dabb’s Ford Bridge is 12 miles north-east of Winchester, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Clark Hill Boat Ramp on Woods Reservoir, 0.8 miles to the west. For bait, The Sportsman’s Corner in Manchester is about 13 miles away.
Coordinates 35.31843, -85.98114
What you can catch
Fish you can catch at Dabb’s Ford Bridge
Elk River holds these, according to the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes.
By the time the Elk reaches Giles County it is well below the Tims Ford trout water and has become a warmwater smallmouth and catfish river
What you can keep
Fishing limits at Dabb’s Ford Bridge
What you can keep from Elk River at Dabb’s Ford Bridge. TWRA sets 1 rule just for Elk River. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.
| Fish | Daily limit | Length | Where or when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown trout | 1 | 20 in minimum | Tailwater: Tims Ford Dam to I-65 bridge, including tributaries. Total trout limit stays 7 |
| Largemouth bass | 5 black bass combined | No minimum | Statewide |
| Smallmouth bass | 5 black bass combined | No minimum | Statewide |
| Bluegill | No limit | No minimum | Statewide |
| Rock bass | 20 | No minimum | Statewide |
| Channel 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.
7 public boat launches in Coffee County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.
What it looks like
Elk River around Dabb’s Ford Bridge
What the water at Dabb’s Ford Bridge actually looks like. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.
Elk RiverOpen the Elk River page →dmtilley / CC BY 3.0
Normandy LakeOpen the Normandy Lake page →Chris Breeze / CC BY 2.0
Duck RiverOpen the Duck River page →SBaker43 / CC BY-SA 3.0
Elk RiverOpen the Elk River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0
Duck RiverOpen the Duck River page →La Citta Vita / CC BY-SA 2.0
Elk RiverOpen the Elk River page →Michael Barera / CC BY-SA 4.0Next one along
More Elk River access near Dabb’s Ford Bridge
The closest other public access points on Elk River, measured straight line from Dabb’s Ford Bridge. Each one opens its own page with directions.
Dabb’s Ford Bridge water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill.
Other water close by
Other fishing near Dabb’s Ford Bridge
Public access on other water within 20 miles of Dabb’s Ford Bridge, including Woods Reservoir and Tims Ford Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Elk River or the ramp is busy.
Bait on the way
Bait and tackle near Dabb’s Ford Bridge
The closest shops to Dabb’s Ford Bridge that this site has checked. The Sportsman’s Corner in Manchester is nearest, about 13 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.
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Where to next
Around Dabb’s Ford Bridge
Dabb’s Ford Bridge is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.