What to bring
Tackle for Highway 76
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 Highway 76
Highway 76 is a public boat launch on Hatchie River in Haywood County, Tennessee, run by USFWS.
From I-40, Take Exit 56 South on HWY 76, ramp is on Right after crossing Hatchie River
Highway 76 is 4.9 miles south of Brownsville, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Hatchie River, 5.4 miles to the west on the same water. For bait, Bill Dance Lake in Somerville is about 20 miles away.
Coordinates 35.52280, -89.25380
What you can catch
Fish you can catch at Highway 76
Hatchie River holds these, according to the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes.
The only major West Tennessee river never impounded or channelized, and a state-designated scenic river; it’s a slow, timber-choked bottomland river best fished from a small boat in the oxbows and sloughs.
What you can keep
Fishing limits at Highway 76
What you can keep from Hatchie River at Highway 76. Hatchie River 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 |
| Crappie | 30 | No minimum | Statewide (West Tennessee) |
| Bluegill | No limit | No 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.
6 public boat launches in Haywood County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.
What it looks like
Hatchie River around Highway 76
What the water at Highway 76 actually looks like. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.
Hatchie RiverOpen the Hatchie River page →noaa.gov / Public domain
South Fork Forked Deer RiverOpen the South Fork Forked Deer River page →Malepheasant at en.wikipedia / Public domain
Hatchie RiverOpen the Hatchie River page →noaa.gov / Public domain
Hatchie RiverOpen the Hatchie River page →Mississippi Department of Archives and History / No restrictionsNext one along
More Hatchie River access near Highway 76
The closest other public access points on Hatchie River, measured straight line from Highway 76. Each one opens its own page with directions.
Highway 76 water holds largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, catfish.
Other water close by
Other fishing near Highway 76
Public access on other water within 20 miles of Highway 76, including South Fork Forked Deer River and Whiteville Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Hatchie River or the ramp is busy.
Bait on the way
Bait and tackle near Highway 76
The closest shops to Highway 76 that this site has checked. Bill Dance Lake in Somerville is nearest, about 20 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.
Your turn
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Where to next
Around Highway 76
Highway 76 is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.