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

Boat Launch · Hamilton County

Savannah Bay, Chickamauga Lake

1 ramp, 1 lane. 9 miles from Soddy-Daisy.

With a guide

Guides and charters near Savannah Bay

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

Capt. Paul Johnson · Chattanooga

Paul Johnson Guide Service

Largemouth, spotted, smallmouthCall 423-598-9083pauljohnsonguideservice.com

Steve Kite and Chris Coleman · Chattanooga

Chattanooga Fishing Guides

BassCall 423-240-5389chattanoogafishingguides.com

Richard Simms and six guides · Chattanooga

Scenic City Fishing Charters

Trophy catfish, walleye, crappie, bass, striper, saugersceniccityfishing.com

What to bring

Tackle for Savannah Bay

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 Savannah Bay

Savannah Bay is a public boat launch on Chickamauga Lake in Hamilton County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

S HWY 58 to HWY 312, right on Snow Hill Road, ramp on left

Savannah Bay is 9.2 miles south-east of Soddy-Daisy, the nearest town with its own page here. The county seat, Chattanooga, is 16 miles to the south-west. The closest other public access is Shropshire Ford on Chickamauga Reservoir / Wolftever Creek, 1.9 miles to the south-west. For bait, Hog Farmer Bait Company in Soddy-Daisy is about 9 miles away.

Coordinates 35.15737, -85.06010

Aerial view of Savannah Bay
Savannah Bay from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Savannah Bay

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 Savannah Bay. 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.

Open 24 hours

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

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 Savannah Bay

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

Meigs County holds the mid-lake water where the reservoir slows into sloughs and embayments; TWRA’s stocking programme lifted average angler catch weight from 1.42 lb to consistently over 3 lb, and crappie surveys average 2.85 fish per hour at 0.76–0.80 lb.

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Savannah Bay

What you can keep from Chickamauga Lake at Savannah Bay. TWRA sets 3 rules just for Chickamauga 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 minimumChickamauga Lake rule
Smallmouth bass5 black bass combinedNo minimum, only one over 16 inSame rule covers spotted, Alabama and hybrid bass: only one of these over 16 in per day
Spotted bass5 black bass combinedNo minimum, only one over 16 inIncludes Alabama bass and hybrids
Crappie1510 in minimumStatewide
BluegillNo limitNo minimumStatewide
Redear sunfish20No minimumStatewide
Striped bass2 striped and hybrid combined15 in minimumStatewide
Walleye516 in minimumStatewide
Sauger1015 in minimumStatewide

Other rules on Chickamauga Lake

  • Hiwassee Refuge closed to all use Nov 15–end of Feb except the wildlife viewing area; fishing allowed on the main river channel through the refuge.

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.

24 public boat launches in Hamilton County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Savannah Bay water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Savannah Bay

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Savannah Bay, including Chickamauga Reservoir / Wolftever Creek, North Chickamauga Creek and Nickajack Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Chickamauga Lake or the ramp is busy.

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Common questions

Questions about Savannah Bay

Can you launch a boat at Savannah Bay?

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

Do you need a fishing licence at Savannah Bay?

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 Savannah Bay?

Chickamauga Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, striped bass, walleye and sauger. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Savannah Bay?

Hog Farmer Bait Company in Soddy-Daisy is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 9 miles from Savannah Bay. Talkin’ Tackle Outfitter & Lodge in Hixson is next, about 10 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Savannah Bay?

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

Who runs Savannah Bay?

Savannah Bay 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 Savannah Bay, 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 Chickamauga Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.