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Boat Launch · Johnson County

Sink Mountain Access., Watauga Lake

1 ramp, 1 lane, restrooms, accessible parking. 13 miles from Elizabethton.

Get driving directionsAll Johnson County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Sink Mountain Access.

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

Patrick Fulkrod · Piney Flats / Bristol

South Holston River Company

Brown and rainbow trout, smallmouthsouthholstonrivercompany.com

Elizabethton

Watauga River Guides

TroutCall 704-773-4497wataugariverguides.com

Bristol

South Holston River Fly Shop

Brown and rainbow troutCall 423-878-2822southholstonriverflyshop.com

Every Tennessee guide by water

What to bring

Tackle for Sink Mountain Access.

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 Sink Mountain Access.

Sink Mountain Access. is a public boat launch on Watauga Lake in Johnson County, Tennessee, run by USFS.

TWRA holds no written directions for Sink Mountain Access.. 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.

Sink Mountain Access. is 13 miles east of Elizabethton, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Doe Creek Access on Doe Creek, 1.8 miles to the north-east. For bait, Appalachian Outpost in Elizabethton is about 12 miles away.

Coordinates 36.35875, -81.97006

Open in Google MapsSee nearby spots on the mapFishing near Elizabethton
Aerial view of Sink Mountain Access.
Sink Mountain Access. from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Sink Mountain Access.

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 Sink Mountain Access.. 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.

Accessible parking

Marked accessible parking at the access point.

Courtesy dock

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

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 Sink Mountain Access.

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

largemouth basssmallmouth basscrappiebluegillwalleyelake trout

One of the clearest and coldest big lakes in the state, ringed by national forest with the Appalachian Trail running along the northwestern edge. Smallmouth fish best in the lower reservoir; largemouth concentrate in Roan, Doe and Cobb creeks, which is to say, in the Johnson County arms.

Everything on Watauga LakeFind a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Sink Mountain Access.

What you can keep from Watauga Lake at Sink Mountain Access.. TWRA sets 4 rules just for Watauga Lake. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Largemouth bass5 combined with smallmouth12 in minimumWatauga Lake rule
Smallmouth bass5 combined with largemouth15 in minimumWatauga Lake rule
Spotted bass15No length limitSeparate from the largemouth/smallmouth limit
Walleye518 in minimumWalleye run rule Jan 1–Apr 30: single-point hook only on Elk River (Carter Co.), Doe Creek, Roan Creek and upper Watauga River
Crappie1510 in minimumStatewide
BluegillNo limitNo minimumStatewide

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

1 public boat launches in Johnson County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Watauga Lake around Sink Mountain Access.

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

Watauga Lake, TennesseeWatauga LakeOpen the Watauga Lake page →Mark Larson from Atlanta, GA / CC BY-SA 2.0Watauga Lake, TennesseeWatauga LakeOpen the Watauga Lake page →Parker1297 / CC BY-SA 3.0Watauga Lake, TennesseeWatauga LakeOpen the Watauga Lake page →Pub. by The Asheville Post Card Co., Asheville, / Public domainWatauga Lake, TennesseeWatauga LakeOpen the Watauga Lake page →Pub. by The Asheville Post Card Co., Asheville, / Public domain

Next one along

More Watauga Lake access near Sink Mountain Access.

The closest other public access points on Watauga Lake, measured straight line from Sink Mountain Access.. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAButler Ramp3.3 miles west1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.35499, -82.02841Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaFish Springs Marina5.9 miles south-westDirections and detail →36.32061, -82.06500Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaWatauga Lakeshores Marina7.9 miles south-west1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.31250, -82.09850Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAWatauga Dam Access8.6 miles west1 ramp, 1 laneaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.32104, -82.11715Launch fee5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSRat Branch (Bay View)9.1 miles south-west1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.30486, -82.11890Fee not listed1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TDECWatauga Bluffs18 miles westcanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.36500, -82.29800
All 7 access points on Watauga Lake

Sink Mountain Access. water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Sink Mountain Access.

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Sink Mountain Access., including Doe Creek, Watagua and Wilbur Reservoir. Handy when the wind is wrong on Watauga Lake or the ramp is busy.

Free1 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TWRADoe Creek AccessDoe Creek · 1.8 miles north-eastHwy 67 to Hwy 167Directions and detail →36.38279, -81.95721Launch fee4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSLittle MilliganWatagua · 2.9 miles south-west1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.32490, -82.00211Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAWilbur Reservoir Boat RampWilbur Reservoir · 8.6 miles west1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.33747, -82.12155Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAWilbur Dam AccessWatauga River · 8.9 miles west1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.34104, -82.12702Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAHunter BridgeWatauga River · 11 miles west1699 Broad St, Elizabethton, TN 376431 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.36789, -82.16873Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · CountyGreen River LandingDoe River · 13 miles south-westDirections and detail →36.27769, -82.17816

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Sink Mountain Access.

The closest shops to Sink Mountain Access. that this site has checked. Appalachian Outpost in Elizabethton is nearest, about 12 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Elizabethton · about 12 milesAppalachian OutpostFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Mountain City · about 12 milesTNT OutdoorsSporting goods. Rods, reels, line and a licence counter.Directions and phone →Bristol · about 14 milesSouth Holston River Fly ShopFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →
All bait and tackle in Johnson County

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Common questions

Questions about Sink Mountain Access.

Can you launch a boat at Sink Mountain Access.?

Yes. TWRA records Sink Mountain Access. 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 Sink Mountain Access.?

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 Sink Mountain Access.?

Watauga Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, walleye and lake trout. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Sink Mountain Access.?

Appalachian Outpost in Elizabethton is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 12 miles from Sink Mountain Access.. TNT Outdoors in Mountain City is next, about 12 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Sink Mountain Access.?

Yes, TWRA records restrooms at this access point.

Who runs Sink Mountain Access.?

Sink Mountain Access. is listed under USFS 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 Sink Mountain Access.

Sink Mountain Access. is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing Watauga Lake7 public access points across 2 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Johnson CountyEvery public spot in Johnson County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listJohnson County spot listAll 3 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near Mountain CityShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near ElizabethtonEverything within about 30 miles of Elizabethton, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Sink Mountain Access., 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 Watauga Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits