Fishing Site · Hancock County

Kyles Ford, Clinch River

Canoe / kayak landing. 27 miles from Kingsport.

Get driving directions All Hancock County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Kyles Ford

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

Maynardville

Mel’s Striper Guide Service

Striped bassCall 865-661-7806 melsstriperguideservice.com

Capt. Jim Durham · Multi-base TN/KY

StriperFun Guide Service

Charters on 13 TN waters: Norris, Cherokee, Dale Hollow, Percy Priest, Tims Ford, Center Hill and Normandy lakes; the Cumberland, Clinch, Powell, Holston, Obey and Caney Fork riversCall 931-403-2501 striperfun.com

Anderson County

East Tennessee Guide Service

Norris LakeCall 865-310-5521 tnfishingguide.com

All 4 guides on Norris and the Clinch

What to bring

Tackle for Kyles Ford

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.

RodSt. Croix Bass X 7 ft medium spinning rodLight enough for a Ned rig, with enough backbone for a 5 lb fish in current.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list

ReelPflueger President 30 spinning reelSmooth drag at a fair price. Fill it with braid and a leader.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list

FinesseZ-Man Finesse TRD and Ned rig jigheadsThe single most reliable smallmouth bait on Tennessee rock. Drag it slowly.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list

Full smallmouth bass checklist (10 items)All gear checklists

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

Bluegill and Panfish checklist Striper and Hybrid checklist Walleye and Sauger checklist Fish Finders compared Trolling Motors compared Lithium Marine Batteries compared Shallow Water Anchors compared

How to get there

Getting to Kyles Ford

Kyles Ford is a public access point on Clinch River in Hancock County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

Hwy 33 and Hwy 70 intersection off Hwy 33

Kyles Ford is 27 miles west of Kingsport, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Kyle’s Ford, a few hundred yards to the north-east on the same water. For bait, Huff’s German Creek Marina in Bean Station is about 21 miles away.

Coordinates 36.56991, -83.04139

Open in Google Maps See nearby spots on the map Fishing near Kingsport

Aerial view of Kyles Ford — Kyles Ford from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Kyles Ford

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 Kyles Ford. 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 Kyles Ford

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

smallmouth bass sunfish rock bass striped bass walleye sauger muskellunge channel catfishredhorse

Enters the county from the north and joins the Tennessee just downstream of Kingston; the Roane reach is reservoir-influenced rather than the cold trophy-brown tailwater, which is upstream in Anderson County below Norris Dam.

Everything on Clinch River Find a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Kyles Ford

What you can keep from Clinch River at Kyles Ford. TWRA sets 5 rules just for Clinch River. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

Fish	Daily limit	Length	Where or when
Trout	7	14–20 in protected slot, one over 20 in	Tailwater: Norris Dam downstream to Hwy 61 bridge (Clinton), including tributaries
Striped bass	2 striped/hybrid combined	32–42 in protected slot, one over 42 in	Melton Hill rule, applies on the Clinch upstream to the Hwy 61 bridge in Clinton. Hybrids 15 in minimum
Walleye	5 walleye/sauger combined	15 in minimum	Norris Reservoir upstream to Grissom Island
Sauger	5 walleye/sauger combined	15 in minimum	Norris Reservoir upstream to Grissom Island
Smallmouth bass	5 black bass combined	13–17 in protected slot, one over 17 in	Hwy 25E bridge upstream to the Virginia line
Bluegill	No limit	No minimum	Statewide
Rock bass	20	No minimum	Statewide
Muskellunge	1	36 in minimum	Statewide
Channel 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.

Statewide limits and licenses

3 public boat launches in Hancock County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Clinch River around Kyles Ford

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

Clinch RiverOpen the Clinch River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Next one along

More Clinch River access near Kyles Ford

The closest other public access points on Clinch River, measured straight line from Kyles Ford. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAKyle’s Forda few hundred yards north-eastKyles Ford Rd off of Hwy 70, Kyles Ford, TN 37765Directions and detail →36.57127, -83.03975 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRASneedville12 miles westHwy 31; 1.5 miles south of Clinch River Bridge1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.50493, -83.24114 Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAHighway 25E Bridge Access26 miles south-westHwy 25E Bridge /Riverside Rd, Tazewell, TN1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.40111, -83.46012 Free2 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TVAClear Creek63 miles south-westI-75 to Hwy. 61 to US 441fishing pieraccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.21203, -84.07441 Free3 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TVAWeir Dam63 miles south-westI-75 to Hwy. 61 to US 441fishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.20900, -84.07394 Free2 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TVASongbird Canoe Access63 miles westNorris Dam Rd off of US 441canoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.22187, -84.09051

All 14 access points on Clinch River

Kyles Ford water holds smallmouth bass, sunfish, rock bass, muskellunge.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Kyles Ford

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Kyles Ford, including Holston River and Cherokee Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Clinch River or the ramp is busy.

Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRASurgoinsville BridgeHolston River · 13 miles south-eastHwy 11W to Long Bend Rd in Surgoinsville1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.46893, -82.85096 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVACaney CreekCherokee Lake · 13 miles south469 Marble Hill Rd, Rogersville, TN 378571 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.38552, -83.08532 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVABeech Creek #2Holston River · 13 miles south-eastTunnel Hill Rd, Rogersville1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.39825, -82.92871 Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVABeech Creek #1Holston River · 13 miles south-eastTunnell Hill Rd, Rogersville, TN1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.39759, -82.92907 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAMelinda FerryCherokee Lake · 14 miles south349 Melinda’s Ferry Rd, Rogersville, TN 378571 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.36880, -83.08090 Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAJohn Sevier SteamplantHolston River · 14 miles southSR 66 to SR 70 to Steamplant Rd (TVA Rd)1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.37130, -82.98220

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Kyles Ford

The closest shops to Kyles Ford that this site has checked. Huff’s German Creek Marina in Bean Station is nearest, about 21 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Bean Station · about 21 milesHuff’s German Creek MarinaMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →Bean Station · about 21 milesLakeside MarinaMarina store. Fuel, ice, terminal tackle and live bait when the lake is running.Directions and phone →Morristown · about 25 milesCherokee Boat DockLakeside operation with a dock store, bait and often boat rental.Directions and phone →

All bait and tackle in Hancock County

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Common questions

Questions about Kyles Ford

Can you launch a boat at Kyles Ford?

No trailered ramp is recorded at Kyles Ford. 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 Kyles Ford?

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 Kyles Ford?

Clinch River holds smallmouth bass, sunfish, rock bass, striped bass, walleye, sauger, muskellunge, channel catfish and redhorse. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Kyles Ford?

Huff’s German Creek Marina in Bean Station is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 21 miles from Kyles Ford. Lakeside Marina in Bean Station is next, about 21 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Kyles Ford?

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

Who runs Kyles Ford?

Kyles Ford is listed under the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency 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 Kyles Ford

Kyles Ford is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing Clinch River14 public access points across 4 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Hancock CountyEvery public spot in Hancock County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listHancock County spot listAll 4 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near SneedvilleShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near KingsportEverything within about 30 miles of Kingsport, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Kyles Ford, 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 Clinch River rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by water Licence and limits