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Boat Launch · Cocke County

Tannery Island, Pigeon River

1 ramp, 1 lane, canoe / kayak landing. 2 miles from Newport.

Get driving directionsAll Cocke County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Tannery Island

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

Capt. Skylar Hamilton · Dandridge

Skylar Hamilton Guide Service

Bassskylarhamiltonfishing.com

Capt. Nathan Mountain · Dandridge / Gatlinburg

Nathan Mountain Outdoors

Largemouth, smallmouth, crappie, bluegill, troutCall 423-726-0240nathanmountainoutdoors.com

Capt. Jim Durham · Multi-base TN/KY

StriperFun Guide Service

Cherokee Lake stripersCall 931-403-2501striperfun.com

Every Tennessee guide by water

What to bring

Tackle for Tannery Island

Three picks from the smallmouth 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.

RodSt. Croix Bass X 7 ft medium spinning rodLight enough for a Ned rig, with enough backbone for a 5 lb fish in current.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
ReelPflueger President 30 spinning reelSmooth drag at a fair price. Fill it with braid and a leader.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
FinesseZ-Man Finesse TRD and Ned rig jigheadsThe single most reliable smallmouth bait on Tennessee rock. Drag it slowly.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
Full smallmouth bass checklist (10 items)All gear checklists

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

Bluegill and Panfish checklistCatfish checklistFish Finders comparedTrolling Motors comparedLithium Marine Batteries comparedShallow Water Anchors compared

How to get there

Getting to Tannery Island

Tannery Island is a public boat launch on Pigeon River in Cocke County, Tennessee, run by a private operator.

From Newport take Hwy. 73

Tannery Island is 1.8 miles south of Newport, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Newport Police Dept., 1.7 miles to the north on the same water. For bait, Lakeview Market & Deli in Dandridge is about 12 miles away.

Coordinates 35.94280, -83.17886

Open in Google MapsSee nearby spots on the mapFishing near Newport
Aerial view of Tannery Island
Tannery Island from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Tannery Island

Free to launch 2 out of 5 Facilities 2 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 Tannery Island. 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 Tannery Island

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

smallmouth bassrock basscatfish

Once badly polluted and now substantially recovered; the Walters Powerhouse release makes the upper river the whitewater run and the lower river a fishable smallmouth stretch.

Everything on Pigeon RiverFind a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Tannery Island

What you can keep from Pigeon River at Tannery Island. TWRA sets 3 rules just for Pigeon River. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Smallmouth bass120 in minimumHwy 321 bridge (Newport) upstream to the NC line
Walleye5 walleye/sauger combined15 in minimumHwy 321 bridge upstream to NC line
Sauger5 walleye/sauger combinedNo minimum, only one over 16 inHwy 321 bridge upstream to NC line; includes hybrids
Rock bass20No minimumStatewide
Channel 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.

Statewide limits and licenses

7 public boat launches in Cocke County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Pigeon River around Tannery Island

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

French Broad River, TennesseeFrench Broad RiverOpen the French Broad River page →Pollinator at en.wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0Douglas Lake, TennesseeDouglas LakeOpen the Douglas Lake page →Dwight Burdette / CC BY 3.0French Broad River, TennesseeFrench Broad RiverOpen the French Broad River page →U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region / Public domainDouglas Lake, TennesseeDouglas LakeOpen the Douglas Lake page →Pi.1415926535 / CC BY-SA 4.0French Broad River, TennesseeFrench Broad RiverOpen the French Broad River page →U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region / Public domainDouglas Lake, TennesseeDouglas LakeOpen the Douglas Lake page →Dwight Burdette / CC BY 3.0

Next one along

More Pigeon River access near Tannery Island

The closest other public access points on Pigeon River, measured straight line from Tannery Island. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityNewport Police Dept.1.7 miles north1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.96782, -83.18363Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing SiteDenton Access6.9 miles southcanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.84352, -83.18512Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · USFSBluffton Access Area9.0 miles southcanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.81241, -83.17739Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CountyWalters Powerhouse Access12 miles southI-40 to Walterville exit. Walterville Rd to access area1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.77516, -83.10041
All 5 access points on Pigeon River

Tannery Island water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, sunfish.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Tannery Island

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Tannery Island, including French Broad River and Douglas Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Pigeon River or the ramp is busy.

Free2 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · PrivateHighway 321 BridgeFrench Broad River · 2.9 miles northHwy. 25/20 to Newport to Hwy. 321 to Rock Hill Rd. River Mile 76canoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.98223, -83.15961Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVARankinFrench Broad River · 7.6 miles northHoly Town Rd, Newport, TN 378211 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.05008, -83.20845Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAWalters BridgeFrench Broad River · 8.1 miles north-west1469 E US-25 70, Newport, TN 378211 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.04222, -83.25630Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAWalter’s BridgeDouglas Lake · 8.1 miles north-west1 ramp, 2 lanesaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.04224, -83.25664Free1 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TVATwin Cove Access AreaDouglas Lake · 8.7 miles north-west224 Hwy 25 32, White Pine, TNDirections and detail →36.05120, -83.25933Free1 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TVATwine cove access areaDouglas Lake · 8.7 miles north-west224 Hwy 25 32, White Pine, TNDirections and detail →36.05120, -83.25933

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Tannery Island

The closest shops to Tannery Island that this site has checked. Lakeview Market & Deli in Dandridge is nearest, about 12 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Dandridge · about 12 milesLakeview Market & DeliSmall local store carrying bait, ice and the basics.Directions and phone →Dandridge · about 13 milesBucks N BassTackle and bait for Jefferson County water. Call ahead out of season, winter hours are short.Directions and phone →Dandridge · about 14 milesNathan Mountain OutdoorsSporting goods. Rods, reels, line and a licence counter.Directions and phone →
All bait and tackle in Cocke County

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Common questions

Questions about Tannery Island

Can you launch a boat at Tannery Island?

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

Do you need a fishing licence at Tannery Island?

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 Tannery Island?

Pigeon River holds smallmouth bass, rock bass 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 Tannery Island?

Lakeview Market & Deli in Dandridge is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 12 miles from Tannery Island. Bucks N Bass in Dandridge is next, about 13 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Tannery Island?

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

Who runs Tannery Island?

Tannery Island is listed under a private operator 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 Tannery Island

Tannery Island is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing Pigeon River5 public access points across 1 county.See the spots →County guideFishing in Cocke CountyEvery public spot in Cocke County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listCocke County spot listAll 12 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near NewportShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near NewportEverything within about 30 miles of Newport, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Tannery Island, 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 Pigeon River rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits