95 Counties · 1,002 Public Access Points · 78 Lakes and RiversTennessee state record fish

Fishing Site · Cheatham County

Highway 249 Bridge, Harpeth River

Canoe / kayak landing. 17 miles from Nashville.

With a guide

Guides and charters near Highway 249 Bridge

Captains who run Nashville lakes and the Cumberland, with their own phone numbers. You call and book with them directly.

Billy Flatt · Nashville

Nashville Fishing Charters

Stripers, hybrids, crappie, largemouth, smallmouthCall 615-812-2091nashvillefishingcharters.com

Capt. Brian and two guides · Nashville

Fish Nashville

Striper, hybrid, catfish, crappie, bass, troutCall 615-200-0618fishnashville.com

Mark Travis · Nashville area

Crappie Guide Service

White and black crappieCall 615-542-9800crappieguideservice.com

What to bring

Tackle for Highway 249 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.

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

Spending more? The bigger purchases, compared side by side:

How to get there

Getting to Highway 249 Bridge

Highway 249 Bridge is a public access point on Harpeth River in Cheatham County, Tennessee, run by TDOT.

HWY 70 to E. Kingston Springs Road (Hwy 249)

Highway 249 Bridge is 17 miles west of Nashville, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Highway 70 Access, 1.8 miles to the north-west on the same water. For bait, Cumberland Transit in Nashville is about 15 miles away.

Coordinates 36.10732, -87.07283

Aerial view of Highway 249 Bridge
Highway 249 Bridge from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Highway 249 Bridge

Free to launch 1.5 out of 5 Facilities 1.5 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 Highway 249 Bridge. It is the same data the state uses, not a guess from a photograph.

Canoe and kayak

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

Not recorded here: boat ramp, fishing pier, restrooms, camping. Worth knowing before a long drive with the family.

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Highway 249 Bridge

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

The Harpeth is one of the only substantially undammed rivers in Tennessee and became the state’s second-longest unimpeded stream after a dam removal in Franklin; it’s the county’s entire fishery and it’s a wade-and-float smallmouth river, not a lake substitute.

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Highway 249 Bridge

What you can keep from Harpeth River at Highway 249 Bridge. Harpeth River has no limits of its own, so the statewide limits apply. These are the ones for the fish it holds.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Largemouth bass5 black bass combinedNo minimumStatewide
Smallmouth bass5 black bass combinedNo minimumStatewide
Crappie1510 in minimumStatewide
BluegillNo limitNo minimumStatewide
Rock bass20No 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.

5 public boat launches in Cheatham County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Highway 249 Bridge water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill.

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Common questions

Questions about Highway 249 Bridge

Can you launch a boat at Highway 249 Bridge?

No trailered ramp is recorded at Highway 249 Bridge. It is listed as a canoe and kayak landing, so a paddle craft you can carry is fine.

Do you need a fishing licence at Highway 249 Bridge?

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 Highway 249 Bridge?

Harpeth River holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, rock bass and channel catfish. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Highway 249 Bridge?

Cumberland Transit in Nashville is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 15 miles from Highway 249 Bridge. Fly South in Nashville is next, about 16 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Highway 249 Bridge?

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

Who runs Highway 249 Bridge?

Highway 249 Bridge is listed under TDOT 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.

Keep going

Fishing around Highway 249 Bridge, 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 Harpeth River rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.