Fishing Site · Hamilton County

Shropshire Ford, Chickamauga Reservoir / Wolftever Creek

10 miles from Soddy-Daisy.

Get driving directions All Hamilton County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Shropshire Ford

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

Capt. Paul Johnson · Chattanooga

Paul Johnson Guide Service

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

Steve Kite and Chris Coleman · Chattanooga

Chattanooga Fishing Guides

BassCall 423-240-5389 chattanoogafishingguides.com

Richard Simms and six guides · Chattanooga

Scenic City Fishing Charters

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

All 4 guides on Chickamauga and Nickajack

What to bring

Tackle for Shropshire Ford

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 checklist Crappie checklist Bluegill and Panfish checklist Fish Finders compared Trolling Motors compared Lithium Marine Batteries compared Shallow Water Anchors compared

How to get there

Getting to Shropshire Ford

Shropshire Ford is a public access point on Chickamauga Reservoir / Wolftever Creek in Hamilton County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

TWRA holds no written directions for Shropshire Ford. 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.

Shropshire Ford is 9.6 miles south-east of Soddy-Daisy, the nearest town with its own page here. The county seat, Chattanooga, is 14 miles to the south-west. The closest other public access is Savannah Bay on Chickamauga Lake, 1.9 miles to the north-east. For bait, Academy Sports + Outdoors in Chattanooga is about 8 miles away.

Coordinates 35.13410, -85.07715

Open in Google Maps See nearby spots on the map Fishing near Soddy-Daisy

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

What is there

What you will find at Shropshire 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 Shropshire Ford. It is the same data the state uses, not a guess from a photograph.

Bank and water access

TWRA lists Shropshire Ford as public access without built facilities. No ramp, no pier, no restroom, park, walk in and fish.

Open 24 hours

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

Not recorded here: boat ramp, 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 Shropshire Ford

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

largemouth bass smallmouth bass spotted bass crappie bluegill redear sunfish rock bass striped bass white bass

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What you can keep

Fishing limits at Shropshire Ford

What you can keep from Chickamauga Reservoir / Wolftever Creek at Shropshire Ford. Chickamauga Reservoir / Wolftever Creek has no limits of its own, so the statewide limits apply. These are the ones for the fish it holds.

Fish	Daily limit	Length	Where or when
Largemouth bass	5 black bass combined	No minimum	Statewide
Smallmouth bass	5 black bass combined	No minimum	Statewide
Spotted bass	5 black bass combined	No minimum	Statewide
Crappie	15	10 in minimum	Statewide
Bluegill	No limit	No minimum	Statewide
Redear sunfish	20	No minimum	Statewide
Rock bass	20	No minimum	Statewide
Striped bass	2 striped and hybrid combined	15 in minimum	Statewide
White bass	15	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.

Statewide limits and licenses

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

What it looks like

Chickamauga Reservoir / Wolftever Creek around Shropshire Ford

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

Chickamauga LakeOpen the Chickamauga Lake page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domain

Nickajack LakeOpen the Nickajack Lake page →Bryce Edwards from San Jose, CA, USA / CC BY 2.0

Chickamauga LakeOpen the Chickamauga Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domain

Nickajack LakeOpen the Nickajack Lake page →RebelCowboySnB Marlon N Weldon / CC BY-SA 3.0

Chickamauga LakeOpen the Chickamauga Lake page →Tennessee Valley Authority / Public domain

Nickajack LakeOpen the Nickajack Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 4.0

Shropshire Ford water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Shropshire Ford

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Shropshire Ford, including Chickamauga Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Chickamauga Reservoir / Wolftever Creek or the ramp is busy.

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRASavannah BayChickamauga Lake · 1.9 miles north-eastS HWY 58 to HWY 312, right on Snow Hill Road, ramp on left1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.15737, -85.06010 Free5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TDECWolftever BridgeChickamauga Lake · 2.1 miles north-west1 ramp, 3 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.15020, -85.10800 Free3 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaIsland Cove Marina & ResortChickamauga Lake · 2.6 miles westrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.13660, -85.12280 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRA/TVAHarrisonChickamauga Lake · 3.4 miles west1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.12870, -85.13700 Free5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TDECHarrison Bay State ParkChickamauga Lake · 3.4 miles north-west2 ramps, 2 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.16790, -85.12160 Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaHarrison Bay State Park MarinaChickamauga Lake · 3.4 miles north-westDirections and detail →35.16836, -85.12147

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Shropshire Ford

The closest shops to Shropshire Ford that this site has checked. Academy Sports + Outdoors in Chattanooga is nearest, about 8 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Chattanooga · about 8 milesAcademy Sports + OutdoorsChain sporting goods. Rods, reels, line, terminal tackle and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Hixson · about 9 milesTalkin’ Tackle Outfitter & LodgeFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Chattanooga · about 9 milesJack’s Bait & Tackle ShopLive bait, so this is the stop for minnows, crickets and nightcrawlers.Directions and phone →

All bait and tackle in Hamilton County

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Common questions

Questions about Shropshire Ford

Can you launch a boat at Shropshire Ford?

No trailered ramp is recorded at Shropshire Ford. It is listed as bank or pier access rather than a launch.

Do you need a fishing licence at Shropshire 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 Shropshire Ford?

Chickamauga Reservoir / Wolftever Creek holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, rock bass, striped bass and white bass. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Shropshire Ford?

Academy Sports + Outdoors in Chattanooga is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 8 miles from Shropshire Ford. Talkin’ Tackle Outfitter & Lodge in Hixson is next, about 9 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Shropshire Ford?

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

Who runs Shropshire Ford?

Shropshire 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 Shropshire Ford

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

County guideFishing in Hamilton CountyEvery public spot in Hamilton County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listHamilton County spot listAll 44 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near ChattanoogaShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near Soddy-DaisyEverything within about 30 miles of Soddy-Daisy, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Shropshire 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 Chickamauga Reservoir / Wolftever Creek rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by water Licence and limits