95 Counties · 1,002 Public Access Points · 78 Lakes and RiversTennessee state record fish

Boat Launch · Polk County

Patty Bridge, Hiwassee River

1 ramp, 1 lane, canoe / kayak landing. 14 miles from Cleveland.

With a guide

Guides and charters near Patty Bridge

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

Reliance

Southeastern Anglers

Rainbow and brown trout, stripersCall 866-558-7688southeasternanglers.com

Townsend

R and R Fly Fishing

Rainbow, brown and brook trout, smallmouthCall 865-448-0467randrflyfishing.com

What to bring

Tackle for Patty Bridge

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

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

How to get there

Getting to Patty Bridge

Patty Bridge is a public boat launch on Hiwassee River in Polk County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

TWRA holds no written directions for Patty Bridge. 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.

Patty Bridge is 14 miles east of Cleveland, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Two Rivers Campground, 1.4 miles to the south-west on the same water. For bait, FishTales Bait and Tackle in Cleveland is about 13 miles away.

Coordinates 35.22464, -84.64646

Aerial view of Patty Bridge
Patty Bridge from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Patty Bridge

Free to launch 2.5 out of 5 Facilities 2.5 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 Patty Bridge. 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.

Canoe and kayak

A landing shallow enough to carry a paddle craft in and out.

Open 24 hours

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

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

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Patty Bridge

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

The first river in Tennessee designated a State Scenic River. Its character is set by the Apalachia Powerhouse, which sits miles downstream of Apalachia Dam and dumps the river’s flow in at one point, so the water above and below the powerhouse are effectively different rivers.

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Patty Bridge

What you can keep from Hiwassee River at Patty Bridge. TWRA sets 1 rule just for Hiwassee River. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
TroutNo harvest Oct 1–Feb 28; 7 Mar 1–Sep 30 (only 2 brown)No length limitApalachia Powerhouse to L&N Railroad Bridge. Delayed harvest Oct 1–Feb 28: catch and release, artificial lures only, no bait
Largemouth bass5 black bass combinedNo minimumStatewide
Smallmouth bass5 black bass combinedNo minimumStatewide
Flathead 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.

11 public boat launches in Polk County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Hiwassee River around Patty Bridge

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

Patty Bridge water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, Alabama bass.

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Common questions

Questions about Patty Bridge

Can you launch a boat at Patty Bridge?

Yes. TWRA records Patty Bridge as having a boat ramp. It has 1 lane. TWRA records it as free to launch.

Do you need a fishing licence at Patty Bridge?

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 Patty Bridge?

Hiwassee River holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, flathead catfish and brown trout. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Patty Bridge?

FishTales Bait and Tackle in Cleveland is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 13 miles from Patty Bridge. Tellico Outfitters in Tellico Plains is next, about 22 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Patty Bridge?

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

Who runs Patty Bridge?

Patty Bridge 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.

Keep going

Fishing around Patty Bridge, 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 Hiwassee River rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.