Boat Launch · Unicoi County

Unicoi County Boat Launch

1 ramp, 1 lane, fishing pier, canoe / kayak landing. 12 miles from Johnson City.

Get driving directions All Unicoi County spots

What to bring

Tackle for Unicoi County Boat Launch

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

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

How to get there

Getting to Unicoi County Boat Launch

Unicoi County Boat Launch is a public boat launch on public water in Unicoi County, Tennessee, run by the city.

TWRA holds no written directions for Unicoi County Boat Launch. 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.

Unicoi County Boat Launch is 12 miles south of Johnson City, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Chestoa Access Area on Nolichucky River, 3.7 miles to the south-west. For bait, Fly Shop of Tennessee in Johnson City is about 18 miles away.

Coordinates 36.15098, -82.41629

Open in Google Maps See nearby spots on the map Fishing near Johnson City

Aerial view of Unicoi County Boat Launch — Unicoi County Boat Launch from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Unicoi County Boat Launch

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 Unicoi County Boat Launch. 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.

Fishing pier

A built pier, so you can fish deep water without a boat.

Canoe and kayak

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

Trolling motors only

No gas outboards on this water. Electric only.

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

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Unicoi County Boat Launch

The water here holds these, according to the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes.

smallmouth bass rock bass catfish troutredhorse

Find a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Unicoi County Boat Launch

What you can keep from this water at Unicoi County Boat Launch. This water 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
Smallmouth bass	5 black bass combined	No minimum	Statewide
Rock bass	20	No minimum	Statewide
Channel catfish	No limit under 34 in	Only one over 34 in	Statewide
Rainbow trout	7 trout combined	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

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

Other water close by

Other fishing near Unicoi County Boat Launch

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Unicoi County Boat Launch, including Nolichucky River, Rocky Fork Creek and Watauga River. Handy when the wind is wrong on this water or the ramp is busy.

Free3 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · USFSChestoa Access AreaNolichucky River · 3.7 miles south-westJones Branch RD off of Chestoa Rd in Chestoacanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.10320, -82.44752 Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · USFSJackson IslandNolichucky River · 6.9 miles westJackson Bridge Rd off of SR 107canoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.17981, -82.53363 Fee not listed2 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TDECRocky Fork State ParkRocky Fork Creek · 11 miles south-westrestroomsDirections and detail →36.04181, -82.55255 Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRABlevins BendWatauga River · 15 miles north-east210 Blevins Rd, Johnson City, TN 376011 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.33402, -82.27062 Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · CountyGreen River LandingDoe River · 16 miles north-eastDirections and detail →36.27769, -82.17816 Fee not listed1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TDECWatauga BluffsWatauga Lake · 16 miles north-eastcanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.36500, -82.29800

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Unicoi County Boat Launch

The closest shops to Unicoi County Boat Launch that this site has checked. Fly Shop of Tennessee in Johnson City is nearest, about 18 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Johnson City · about 18 milesFly Shop of TennesseeFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Elizabethton · about 19 milesAppalachian OutpostFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Piney Flats · about 20 milesThe South Holston River CompanyTackle and bait for Sullivan County water. Call ahead out of season, winter hours are short.Directions and phone →

All bait and tackle in Unicoi County

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Common questions

Questions about Unicoi County Boat Launch

Can you launch a boat at Unicoi County Boat Launch?

Yes. TWRA records Unicoi County Boat Launch as having a boat ramp. It has 1 lane. TWRA records it as free to launch.

Do you need a fishing licence at Unicoi County Boat Launch?

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 Unicoi County Boat Launch?

The water here holds smallmouth bass, rock bass, catfish, trout and redhorse. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Unicoi County Boat Launch?

Fly Shop of Tennessee in Johnson City is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 18 miles from Unicoi County Boat Launch. Appalachian Outpost in Elizabethton is next, about 19 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Unicoi County Boat Launch?

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

Who runs Unicoi County Boat Launch?

Unicoi County Boat Launch is listed under the city 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 Unicoi County Boat Launch

Unicoi County Boat Launch is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

County guideFishing in Unicoi CountyEvery public spot in Unicoi County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listUnicoi County spot listAll 3 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near ErwinShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near Johnson CityEverything within about 30 miles of Johnson City, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Unicoi County Boat Launch, 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 Unicoi County rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by water Licence and limits