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Boat Launch · Stewart County

Gatlin Point, Lake Barkley

1 ramp, 1 lane, restrooms. 6 miles from Dover.

Get driving directionsAll Stewart County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Gatlin Point

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

Steve McCadams · Paris Landing

Steve McCadams Professional Guide Service

Crappie, bass, bluegill, catfish, white bassCall 731-642-0360stevemccadams.com

Terry Elliott · Greenfield

Elliott’s Guide Service

Crappie, bassCall 731-234-8817elliottsguideservice.com

Multiple guides · Springville

KY Lake Crappie Fishing

Crappiekylakecrappiefishing.com

All 4 guides on Kentucky Lake

What to bring

Tackle for Gatlin Point

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:

Crappie checklistStriper and Hybrid checklistWalleye and Sauger checklistFish Finders comparedTrolling Motors comparedLithium Marine Batteries comparedShallow Water Anchors compared

How to get there

Getting to Gatlin Point

Gatlin Point is a public boat launch on Lake Barkley in Stewart County, Tennessee, run by USFS.

Forest Service Rd 229 USFS LBL

Gatlin Point is 6.5 miles north-west of Dover, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Blue Creek, 3.4 miles to the south-east on the same water. For bait, U S Bass in Dover is about 5 miles away.

Coordinates 36.56340, -87.90710

Open in Google MapsSee nearby spots on the mapFishing near Dover
Aerial view of Gatlin Point
Gatlin Point from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Gatlin Point

Free to launch 4 out of 5 Facilities 4 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 Gatlin Point. 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.

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: fishing pier, canoe and kayak, camping. Worth knowing before a long drive with the family.

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Gatlin Point

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

largemouth basscrappiestriped basswhite basssaugerflathead catfishgar

Lick, Long and Dyer creeks off the main channel are the named largemouth areas; full pool arrives around 1 May and the lake drops toward winter pool after 4 July, so the shallow-cover bite is a spring event.

Everything on Lake BarkleyFind a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Gatlin Point

What you can keep from Lake Barkley at Gatlin Point. TWRA sets 3 rules just for Lake Barkley. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Largemouth bass5 black bass combined15 in minimumLake Barkley rule
Smallmouth bass5 black bass combined15 in minimumLake Barkley rule
Crappie2010 in minimumLake Barkley rule
Striped bass2 striped and hybrid combined15 in minimumStatewide
White bass15No minimumStatewide
Sauger1015 in minimumStatewide
Flathead catfishNo limit under 34 inOnly one over 34 inStatewide

Other rules on Lake Barkley

  • Dewatering areas (Dover Bottoms, Bear Creek WMA) closed 5 days before and during late waterfowl season. Snagging prohibited in the Cumberland Fossil Plant discharge channel.

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

29 public boat launches in Stewart County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Lake Barkley around Gatlin Point

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

Lake Barkley, TennesseeLake BarkleyOpen the Lake Barkley page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domainKentucky Lake, TennesseeKentucky LakeOpen the Kentucky Lake page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domainLake Barkley, TennesseeLake BarkleyOpen the Lake Barkley page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domainKentucky Lake, TennesseeKentucky LakeOpen the Kentucky Lake page →Thomas R Machnitzki / CC BY-SA 3.0Lake Barkley, TennesseeLake BarkleyOpen the Lake Barkley page →United States. Army. Corps Of Engineers. Nashvil / Public domainKentucky Lake, TennesseeKentucky LakeOpen the Kentucky Lake page →Thomas R Machnitzki / CC BY-SA 3.0

Next one along

More Lake Barkley access near Gatlin Point

The closest other public access points on Lake Barkley, measured straight line from Gatlin Point. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEBlue Creek3.4 miles south-eastRiver Rd, Dover, TN1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.52600, -87.86790Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSNeville Bay3.5 miles northForest Service Rd 214 USFS LBL1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsDirections and detail →36.61370, -87.91510Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEHickman Creek5.3 miles south-eastHickman Creek Rd, Dover, TN1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.49470, -87.86440Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACETobacco Port5.5 miles northTobbacco Port Boatdock Rd, Bumpus Mills, TN1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.64120, -87.88990Free4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEDyer’s Creek6.1 miles south-eastHWY 79, 0.80 mile North of Barkley Bridge1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.50010, -87.83120Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEDover Landing6.2 miles south-eastBehind Court House at corner of Forrest St and W Spring1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.49001, -87.84211
All 29 access points on Lake Barkley

Gatlin Point water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, striped bass.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Gatlin Point

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Gatlin Point, including Kentucky Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Lake Barkley or the ramp is busy.

Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSDry ForkKentucky Lake · 6.5 miles south-westUSFS LBL, Road 2311 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.52650, -88.01480Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSBoswell LandingKentucky Lake · 7.2 miles south-westUSFS LBL, Road 2331 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsDirections and detail →36.51950, -88.02390Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSGinger BayKentucky Lake · 8.5 miles north-westUSFS, Road 2121 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.62560, -88.03820Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSPiney CampgroundKentucky Lake · 8.6 miles south-westUSFS LBL, Piney Campground2 ramps, 1 lanefishing pierrestroomsDirections and detail →36.49080, -88.03294Launch fee4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSPiney SouthKentucky Lake · 9.4 miles south-west1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsDirections and detail →36.48188, -88.04057Launch fee2.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaFat Daddy’sKentucky Lake · 11 miles south-west1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.43400, -88.01383

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Gatlin Point

The closest shops to Gatlin Point that this site has checked. U S Bass in Dover is nearest, about 5 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Dover · about 5 milesU S BassMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →Dover · about 6 milesSwan’s Bait and TackleLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →Buchanan · about 11 milesCypress Bay Marina & ResortMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →
All bait and tackle in Stewart County

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Common questions

Questions about Gatlin Point

Can you launch a boat at Gatlin Point?

Yes. TWRA records Gatlin Point as having a boat ramp. It has 1 lane. TWRA records it as free to launch.

Do you need a fishing licence at Gatlin Point?

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 Gatlin Point?

Lake Barkley holds largemouth bass, crappie, striped bass, white bass, sauger, flathead catfish and gar. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Gatlin Point?

U S Bass in Dover is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 5 miles from Gatlin Point. Swan’s Bait and Tackle in Dover is next, about 6 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Gatlin Point?

Yes, TWRA records restrooms at this access point.

Who runs Gatlin Point?

Gatlin Point is listed under USFS 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 Gatlin Point

Gatlin Point is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing Lake Barkley29 public access points across 2 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Stewart CountyEvery public spot in Stewart County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listStewart County spot listAll 31 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near DoverShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near DoverEverything within about 30 miles of Dover, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Gatlin Point, 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 Lake Barkley rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits