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Marina · DeKalb County

Pates Ford Marina, Center Hill Lake

1 ramp, 1 lane, restrooms, rentals. 10 miles from Smithville.

Get driving directionsAll DeKalb County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Pates Ford Marina

Captains who run Center Hill Lake, with their own phone numbers. You call and book with them directly.

Smithville

Gone Fishin’ Expeditions

Largemouth, smallmouth, crappie, bluegill, catfishCall 615-814-4832gonefishinexpeditions.com

David Knapp · Crossville

Trout Zone Anglers

Rainbow, brown and brook trout, smallmouth, muskyCall 931-261-1884troutzoneanglers.com

Capt. Jim Durham · Multi-base TN/KY

StriperFun Guide Service

Center Hill and Normandy walleye, Tims Ford stripers, Caney Fork troutCall 931-403-2501striperfun.com

Every Tennessee guide by water

What to bring

Tackle for Pates Ford Marina

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 checklistCrappie checklistBluegill and Panfish checklistFish Finders comparedTrolling Motors comparedLithium Marine Batteries comparedShallow Water Anchors compared

How to get there

Getting to Pates Ford Marina

Pates Ford Marina is a public marina on Center Hill Lake in DeKalb County, Tennessee, run by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

TWRA holds no written directions for Pates Ford Marina. Use the coordinates below, which come straight from the state’s access record and drop you on the access point itself rather than on the nearest town.

Pates Ford Marina is 9.5 miles south-east of Smithville, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Three Islands, 1.8 miles to the south on the same water. For bait, Zorro Bait Co in Sparta is about 11 miles away.

Coordinates 35.88300, -85.67310

Open in Google MapsSee nearby spots on the mapFishing near Smithville
Aerial view of Pates Ford Marina
Pates Ford Marina from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Pates Ford Marina

Pay to enter: launch fee charged 4 out of 5 Facilities 4 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 Pates Ford Marina. It is the same data the state uses, not a guess from a photograph.

Boat ramp

You can launch a trailered boat here. 1 lane.

Restrooms

Toilets on site, which is rarer than you would think.

Rentals

Boats or craft for hire at the access point itself.

Courtesy dock

A dock beside the ramp to tie off while you park the trailer.

Open 24 hours

TWRA records round the clock access, so early starts are fine.

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

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Pates Ford Marina

Center Hill Lake holds these, according to the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes.

largemouth basssmallmouth bassspotted basscrappiebluegillwalleyecatfish

A deep, clear highland reservoir under steep rocky ridges, it fishes like a mountain lake rather than a Middle Tennessee impoundment, with finesse presentations in deep water through winter and a strong March–April walleye run

Everything on Center Hill LakeFind a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Pates Ford Marina

What you can keep from Center Hill Lake at Pates Ford Marina. TWRA sets 4 rules just for Center Hill Lake. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Largemouth bass5 black bass combined15 in minimumCenter Hill Lake rule
Smallmouth bass5 black bass combined18 in minimumCenter Hill Lake rule
Muskellunge150 in minimumCenter Hill Lake rule
PaddlefishNo harvest—Reservoir and its tributaries closed to taking or possessing paddlefish
Spotted bass5 black bass combinedNo minimumStatewide
Crappie1510 in minimumStatewide
BluegillNo limitNo minimumStatewide
Walleye516 in minimumStatewide
Channel catfishNo limit under 34 inOnly one over 34 inStatewide

Other rules on Center Hill Lake

  • Snagging prohibited year-round. Jan 1–Apr 30 single-hook, 3-rod walleye run rule on the Caney Fork from Rock Island State Park ramp to Great Falls Dam.

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

13 public boat launches in DeKalb County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Center Hill Lake around Pates Ford Marina

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

Center Hill Lake, TennesseeCenter Hill LakeOpen the Center Hill Lake page →Tyler White / Public domainCaney Fork River, TennesseeCaney Fork RiverOpen the Caney Fork River page →U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not s / Public domainCenter Hill Lake, TennesseeCenter Hill LakeOpen the Center Hill Lake page →U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not s / Public domainCaney Fork River, TennesseeCaney Fork RiverOpen the Caney Fork River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Center Hill Lake, TennesseeCenter Hill LakeOpen the Center Hill Lake page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domainCaney Fork River, TennesseeCaney Fork RiverOpen the Caney Fork River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Next one along

More Center Hill Lake access near Pates Ford Marina

The closest other public access points on Center Hill Lake, measured straight line from Pates Ford Marina. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEThree Islands1.8 miles south1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.85777, -85.66972Free3 out of 5facilitiesMarina · USACEHorseshoe Bend Marina4.0 miles southWebbs Camp Road to end at ramp1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsDirections and detail →35.82510, -85.67740Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaUnnamed marina4.3 miles northDirections and detail →35.94111, -85.70153Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEDubland4.4 miles north1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.94550, -85.68933Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEWarren County Boat Ramp4.4 miles south2.6 miles west of main park entrance, turn on Warren County Park Rd, follow 1. 4miles1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.81907, -85.66480Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACERock Island State Park4.9 miles southFrom main park entrance, continue on Beach Rd until it ends at boat ramp parking lot1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →35.81619, -85.64563
All 26 access points on Center Hill Lake

Pates Ford Marina water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Pates Ford Marina

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Pates Ford Marina, including Collins River, Caney Fork River and Great Falls Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Center Hill Lake or the ramp is busy.

Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAKing’s RampCollins River · 6.0 miles southTake King’s Landing Rd, 1 mi west of main park entrance on HWY 297, follow 0.5 mi1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.79977, -85.64303Launch fee4 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaCotten’s MarinaCaney Fork River · 6.6 miles south-east1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsDirections and detail →35.80279, -85.60877Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRATosh Reno Boat RampGreat Falls Lake · 9.5 miles south-east1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.79730, -85.53960Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesTWRALocke BendCollins River · 9.5 miles southDirections and detail →35.74630, -85.69876Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityCity of Sparta #2Calf Killer River · 12 miles east1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.92246, -85.46660Launch fee2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · Private LandOld VFW AccessCollins River · 12 miles south1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.70930, -85.73100

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Pates Ford Marina

The closest shops to Pates Ford Marina that this site has checked. Zorro Bait Co in Sparta is nearest, about 11 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Sparta · about 11 milesZorro Bait CoLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →McMinnville · about 14 milesWalmart SupercenterOpen late, sells licences at the counter, and carries terminal tackle and line.Directions and phone →McMinnville · about 15 milesOutdoor Shop IncSporting goods. Rods, reels, line and a licence counter.Directions and phone →
All bait and tackle in DeKalb County

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Common questions

Questions about Pates Ford Marina

Can you launch a boat at Pates Ford Marina?

Yes. TWRA records Pates Ford Marina as having a boat ramp. It has 1 lane. There is a launch fee here, so bring money.

Do you need a fishing licence at Pates Ford Marina?

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 Pates Ford Marina?

Center Hill Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, bluegill, walleye and catfish. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Pates Ford Marina?

Zorro Bait Co in Sparta is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 11 miles from Pates Ford Marina. Walmart Supercenter in McMinnville is next, about 14 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Pates Ford Marina?

Yes, TWRA records restrooms at this access point.

Who runs Pates Ford Marina?

Pates Ford Marina is listed under the US Army Corps of Engineers 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 Pates Ford Marina

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

The whole waterFishing Center Hill Lake26 public access points across 4 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in DeKalb CountyEvery public spot in DeKalb County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listDeKalb County spot listAll 22 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near SmithvilleShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near SmithvilleEverything within about 30 miles of Smithville, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Pates Ford Marina, 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 Center Hill Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits