What to bring
Tackle for Joe Johnson Access
Three picks from the smallmouth 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 Joe Johnson Access
Joe Johnson Access is a public boat launch on Nolichucky River in Greene County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Hwy 70 to E. Allens Bridge Road to Birds Bridge Rd
Joe Johnson Access is 5.3 miles south of Greeneville, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Kinser Park, 1.5 miles to the west on the same water. For bait, Cherokee Boat Dock in Morristown is about 28 miles away.
Coordinates 36.08666, -82.82507
What you can catch
Fish you can catch at Joe Johnson Access
Nolichucky River holds these, according to the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes.
The Nolichucky Gorge between Poplar, NC and Unaka Springs is one of the most technical whitewater runs in the Southeast and drops the river into Tennessee at Erwin; the county’s fishing is the smallmouth and rock bass water from Unaka Springs downstream, and it rises and falls hard with rain because nothing upstream regulates it.
What you can keep
Fishing limits at Joe Johnson Access
What you can keep from Nolichucky River at Joe Johnson Access. TWRA sets 1 rule just for Nolichucky River. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.
| Fish | Daily limit | Length | Where or when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smallmouth bass | 5 black bass combined | 13–17 in protected slot, one over 17 in | ENKA Dam upstream to the NC line, including Davy Crockett Lake. Below ENKA Dam, Douglas Lake rules apply |
| Bluegill | No limit | No minimum | Statewide |
| Rock bass | 20 | No minimum | Statewide |
| Walleye | 5 | 16 in minimum | Statewide |
| Muskellunge | 1 | 36 in minimum | Statewide |
| Channel catfish | No limit under 34 in | Only one over 34 in | Statewide |
| Rainbow trout | 7 trout combined | No minimum | 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.
5 public boat launches in Greene County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.
What it looks like
Nolichucky River around Joe Johnson Access
What the water at Joe Johnson Access actually looks like. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.
Nolichucky RiverOpen the Nolichucky River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0
Nolichucky RiverOpen the Nolichucky River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0
Nolichucky RiverOpen the Nolichucky River page →Mark Fickett / CC BY 3.0
Nolichucky RiverOpen the Nolichucky River page →J.P. Lawrence / University of Mississippi) (CC BY 4.0Next one along
More Nolichucky River access near Joe Johnson Access
The closest other public access points on Nolichucky River, measured straight line from Joe Johnson Access. Each one opens its own page with directions.
Joe Johnson Access water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill.
Other water close by
Other fishing near Joe Johnson Access
Public access on other water within 20 miles of Joe Johnson Access, including French Broad River and Rocky Fork Creek. Handy when the wind is wrong on Nolichucky River or the ramp is busy.
Bait on the way
Bait and tackle near Joe Johnson Access
The closest shops to Joe Johnson Access that this site has checked. Cherokee Boat Dock in Morristown is nearest, about 28 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.
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Where to next
Around Joe Johnson Access
Joe Johnson Access is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.