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Public access · Cocke County

Hwy 70, French Broad River

1 ramp.

All Cocke County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Hwy 70

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

Capt. Skylar Hamilton · Dandridge

Skylar Hamilton Guide Service

Bassskylarhamiltonfishing.com

Capt. Nathan Mountain · Dandridge / Gatlinburg

Nathan Mountain Outdoors

Largemouth, smallmouth, crappie, bluegill, troutCall 423-726-0240nathanmountainoutdoors.com

Capt. Jim Durham · Multi-base TN/KY

StriperFun Guide Service

Cherokee Lake stripersCall 931-403-2501striperfun.com

Every Tennessee guide by water

What to bring

Tackle for Hwy 70

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:

Smallmouth Bass checklistBluegill and Panfish checklistWalleye and Sauger checklistFish Finders comparedTrolling Motors comparedLithium Marine Batteries comparedShallow Water Anchors compared

How to get there

Getting to Hwy 70

Hwy 70 is a public access point on French Broad River in Cocke County, Tennessee, run by TDOT.

Bluff Rd, Newport, TN

What is there

What you will find at Hwy 70

Fee not listed, call ahead 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 Hwy 70. It is the same data the state uses, not a guess from a photograph.

Boat ramp

You can launch a trailered boat here.

Not recorded here: fishing pier, canoe and kayak, restrooms, camping. Worth knowing before a long drive with the family.

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Hwy 70

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

largemouth basssmallmouth bassrock basssaugermuskellungecatfishredhorse

Crosses the northern part of the county and receives the Little Pigeon north of Sevierville; below Douglas Dam it is a stocked trout tailwater, and further down it becomes one of the state’s better smallmouth rivers.

Everything on French Broad RiverFind a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Hwy 70

What you can keep from French Broad River at Hwy 70. TWRA sets 4 rules just for French Broad River. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Smallmouth bass518 in minimumHwy 168 to Douglas Dam
Smallmouth bass5 black bass combined13–17 in protected slot, one over 17 inHwy 321 bridge upstream to NC line
Walleye5 walleye/sauger combined15 in minimumHwy 321 bridge upstream to NC line
Sauger5 walleye/sauger combinedNo minimum, only one over 16 inHwy 321 bridge upstream to NC line; includes sauger/walleye hybrids
Largemouth bass5 black bass combinedNo minimumStatewide
Rock bass20No minimumStatewide
Muskellunge136 in 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.

Statewide limits and licenses

7 public boat launches in Cocke County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

French Broad River around Hwy 70

What the water at Hwy 70 actually looks like. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.

French Broad River, TennesseeFrench Broad RiverOpen the French Broad River page →Pollinator at en.wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0Douglas Lake, TennesseeDouglas LakeOpen the Douglas Lake page →Dwight Burdette / CC BY 3.0French Broad River, TennesseeFrench Broad RiverOpen the French Broad River page →U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region / Public domainDouglas Lake, TennesseeDouglas LakeOpen the Douglas Lake page →Pi.1415926535 / CC BY-SA 4.0French Broad River, TennesseeFrench Broad RiverOpen the French Broad River page →U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region / Public domainDouglas Lake, TennesseeDouglas LakeOpen the Douglas Lake page →Dwight Burdette / CC BY 3.0

Next one along

More French Broad River access near Hwy 70

The closest other public access points on French Broad River, measured straight line from Hwy 70. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Free2 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · PrivateHighway 321 BridgeHwy. 25/20 to Newport to Hwy. 321 to Rock Hill Rd. River Mile 76canoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.98223, -83.15961Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVARankinHoly Town Rd, Newport, TN 378211 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.05008, -83.20845Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAWalters Bridge1469 E US-25 70, Newport, TN 378211 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.04222, -83.25630Free2 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · USFSWeaver BendNear Paint Mountain and Chimney Rocks Trail around River mile 100canoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.93038, -82.90210Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSWolf CreekUS 25.70, 1/2 mile est of Wolf Creek Bridge1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.92248, -82.96379Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVALeadvale Access Area3557 Leadvale Rd, White Pine, TN 378901 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.08883, -83.24917
All 13 access points on French Broad River

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Common questions

Questions about Hwy 70

Can you launch a boat at Hwy 70?

Yes. TWRA records Hwy 70 as having a boat ramp. TWRA does not record whether a fee is charged, so call ahead.

Do you need a fishing licence at Hwy 70?

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 Hwy 70?

French Broad River holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, rock bass, sauger, muskellunge, catfish and redhorse. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Is there a restroom at Hwy 70?

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

Who runs Hwy 70?

Hwy 70 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.

Where to next

Around Hwy 70

Hwy 70 is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing French Broad River13 public access points across 4 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Cocke CountyEvery public spot in Cocke County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listCocke County spot listAll 12 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near NewportShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →

Keep going

Fishing around Hwy 70, 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 French Broad River rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits